MACHINE! - Research & Development

The research activities in the mechanical engineering sector in Saxony are highly diversified. The Fraunhofer-Society, for example, has eight institutes conducting research in production engineering and new materials all over Saxony.

Ein wichtiger Forschungsschwerpunkt in der „E³-Forschungsfabrik Ressourceneffiziente Produktion“ betrifft die Rolle des Menschen in der industriellen Produktion der Zukunft. Altersgerechte Produktionsumgebungen und neue Konzepte für die Mensch-Maschine-Kooperation sind hier zentrale Leitfragen. (Quelle: Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Umformtechnik IWU)

Source: Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, Chemnitz

The factory of the future - in Saxony.

The factory of the future is already up and running in Saxony. In the sectors Powertrain, Car Body Construction, and Energy Management 2.0, the scientists in the »E3 Research Factory Resource-efficient Production« of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU Chemnitz are working on solutions for the production technology of tomorrow. DTowards this end, the three »E«s stand for energy and resource efficiency in production through the development of new machines and technologies, for the concept of an emission-neutral factory as well as for rethinking the integration of people into the manufacturing process. 

Die im Rahmen des Clusters »MERGE« entwickelten Technologien sollen bis 2017 in einen Systemdemonstrator – das »Chemnitz Car Concept« – einfließen. Teil der neuen Sitzstruktur ist dabei eine leichte und komfortable Kopfstütze, die in Multimaterial-Leichtbaudesign aus Kunststoff und textilen Verstärkungsstrukturen hergestellt wurde.

Source: Chemnitz University of Technology / MERGE

Chemnitz University of Technology - Cluster of Excellence „MERGE", Professorship of Factory Planning and Factory Operation

A top address for instruction and research in mechanical engineering is Chemnitz University of Technology. The focal points of research „Human Factors in Technologies,“ „Intelligent Systems and Materials“ as well as „Energy-Efficient Production Processes“ shape and characterize the profile of the academic institution. The scientists in the German Federal Cluster of Excellence „Merge Technologies for Multifunctional Lightweight Structures (MERGE)“ focus on consolidating the separate manufacturing processes, which still exist for the processing of different material groups, into integrated technologies. The primary focus of the research conducted at the Professorship of Factory Planning and Factory Operation is on the development of innovative production structures and factory concepts for the machine and plant construction branch, the automobile industry as well as the electronics and textile industries while also considering the current developments of “Industry 4.0.”

Dresden University of Technology, Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK)

Within the scope of its research profile “Intelligent Materials and Structures,” Dresden University of Technology pursues the objective of, for example, understanding the behavior of materials in diverse environments and developing concepts for nanotechnology, new functional and intelligent materials as well as the resultant technologies, surface technologies, and high-performance multifunctional lightweight materials for high tech applications. With its Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK), which is active at an interdisciplinary level, and its Lightweight Engineering Campus, the TU Dresden is a leading center for lightweight construction research – providing an all embracing concept that includes the most diverse active substances, components, and products and covers the entire development chain, ranging from material selection, design, simulation, assembly, prototype testing all the way to quality assurance and cost control.

Arbeiten an einem Laser-Raster-Mikroskop am Institut für Produktionstechnik der Westsächsischen Hochschule Zwickau

Source: Zwickau University of Applied Sciences (WHZ)

Zwickau University of Applied Sciences (WHZ), Institute for Production Technology

At the Institute for Production Technology of the Zwickau University of Applied Sciences (WHZ), scientists implement research tasks for factories and production organization, production technology as well as materials and quality management. The research unit machine construction focuses, for example, on the sectors hydraulic and pneumatic drive and control systems, machine elements and threaded connections, assembly technology, control technology for machine tools, tribology / fuels and lubricants as well as machine tools. 

Freiberg University of Mining and Technology

True to its appellation “The University of Resources,” the interdisciplinary focus of the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (TUBAF) is and continues to be on sustainably safeguarding raw materials along the entire value creation chain. A focal point of research is the development of new, high performance composite materials made from steel and ceramics. That is why the German Research Foundation’s Collaborative Research Center 799 „TRIP Matrix Composite“ was established in Freiberg.

Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTW)

The key research areas of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering at Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTW) include, for example, mechanical and plant engineering, motor vehicles and drive and propulsion systems, production engineering and manufacturing processes as well as chemical product syntheses and physical chemistry. The faculty is equipped with extensive lab spaces that encompass all areas of specialization as well as a mechanical engineering test hall, a new technical lab for vehicles, an electron beam system, and a lab complex for engineering and natural sciences.

Laserinstitut Hochschule Mittweida (LHM)

Laser technology has a tradition of more than 40 years at the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida. The Laserinstitut Hochschule Mittweida (LHM) is one of Germany’s cutting-edge research facilities in the laser technology sector. Many years of experience have been gained, in particular, in the sectors micro / nano technology, high-rate laser processing, thin films (pulsed laser deposition – PLD), laser macro processing, and laser processing of ceramic materials. Additional research competences at the LHM are found in the sectors measurement technology, modeling, and simulation as well as system and process engineering.

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