Institute for Machine Tools (IfW) at the University of Stuttgart
For almost 120 years, the Institute for Machine Tools (IfW) at the University of Stuttgart has been researching and teaching in the areas of design, simulation and optimization of machine tools, assemblies, power tools and tools as well as their experimental and simulative analysis. The research and development projects of the institute for tool and process optimization of machining processes are carried out not only for metallic materials and their alloys, but also for wood or wood-based materials, plastics, composite materials and hybrid materials. The focus is on topics related to generative or additive manufacturing processes, safety and automation technology, the application of lightweight construction concepts in use, as well as environmental technology to reduce emissions and the development of energy saving potential in manufacturing processes. The versatility, resource and material efficiency as well as the ergonomic design of machine tools, which, in addition to multi-technological process chains and intelligent self-optimizing machine tools, are components of intelligent production and thus current Industry 4.0 production, have always been an integral part of research at the Institute for Machine Tools University of Stuttgart.
The IfW is divided into six research groups: machine design, machine testing, machining technologies, wood and composite material processing as well as process monitoring / control, whereby the fundamentally oriented as well as application or industry-related projects are characterized by a high interdisciplinary approach.

Clemens Maucher
GFE – Gesellschaft für Fertigungstechnik und Entwicklung Schmalkalden e.V.

Markus Uhl
We are an industry-oriented research institution that offers you complete solutions for everything to do with tools.
Our roots are in the traditional tool industry. We combine practical relevance and many years of experience with knowledge from basic and applied research.
We pursue the goal of transferring new scientific findings from theory and practice into industrial application in order to increase the effectiveness and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in particular for long-term business security. Because – innovation is the best way to grow entrepreneurially.
We realize these goals by conducting or accompanying our own preliminary research, application-oriented research and development and company-related industrial implementation.
In doing so, we concentrate on components and systems in manufacturing processes, especially within machining processes and their quality assurance processes. The cutting tool is usually the central object. We develop ideas and turn ideas into products.
FOTEC Forschungs- und Technologietransfer GmbH
FOTEC Forschungs- und Technologietransfer GmbH is the research subsidiary of the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt/Austria and has been founded in 1998. FOTEC initiates and implements R&D projects with intent to support the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt in the realization of its R&D strategy for the bachelor and master study programmes. FOTEC acts in a highly interdisciplinary environment and has access to a network composed of national and international companies, research organisations, universities, intermediary organisations as well as funding agencies.
FOTEC operates three business areas: Aerospace Engineering, Innovative Software Systems and Engineering Technologies. The department Engineering Technologies, with total 9 researchers, operates a modern and state-of-the-art laboratory for additive manufacturing (3d printing) of metals and polymers.Since 2010 highly complex prototypes and structural parts are designed and manufactured at FOTEC by laser beam melting. Additive manufacturing allows a high degree of design freedom, which is not allowed with conventional technologies. FOTEC is acting as an experienced and reliable R&D partner, starting from 3D CAD design supported by simulation methods for topology optimization, over proper material selection and extensive powder characterization, followed by manufacturing with included documentation of the whole process chain and finally 3D-tactile and 3D-scanning measurement.
FOTEC is operating two metal additive manufacturing systems, an EOS M400 (building volume 400 x 400 x 400 mm³, laser power up to 1000 W) and an EOSINT M280 (building volume 250 x 250 x 300 mm³, laser power up to 200W).
Additionally there is a plastic additive manufacturing system EOS P396 (building volume: 350 x 350 x 600 mm³, laser power up to 70 W) available. With these building systems for laser beam melting the production of highly complex metal parts made of aluminium (AlSi10Mg), titanium (Ti6Al4V), (stainless) steel (1.2709 or 1.4540) and nickel-base alloys and also plastics like Polyamid 12, as well as aluminium-filled Polyamid 12 (Alumide) is possible.

Thomas Schlauf
Institute of Production Engineering and Photonic Technologies (IFT) at TU Wien

Dimitrii Nikolaev
The Institute of Production Engineering and Photonic Technologies (IFT) is part of the Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the Vienna University of Technology. With the working areas of machining and laser assisted manufacturing, the IFT covers a broad field of manufacturing technology and machine tools.
In the development of innovative processes as well as the machine technologies required for them, the institute is considered one of the most important locations of production technology research. Technology transfer through project partnership is an important concern of the IFT to ensure the competitiveness of Austrian companies.
In addition to the research activities in the classical fields of mechanical engineering, the IFT focuses on the development of production technology on current issues such as energy and resource efficiency, micro- to macroscopic scaling of processes and machines, high-performance machining and, above all, the integration of communication and information technologies. On the one hand, we are investigating how classical production technologies can be transferred to new materials and applications, and on the other hand, we are researching the design of future factories and their equipment and IT systems. In close cooperation with project partners, the IFT works on a wide range of manufacturing technology solutions such as 3D printing with the process development and optimization, quality assurance and NC path planning in the metal and plastic processes (LPBF, SLS, DED) in joint research projects and furthermore develops methods and processes for tomorrow’s manufacturing.
KU Leuven
From Renaissance philosophy to cutting-edge nanotechnology: as one of Europe’s oldest universities, KU Leuven boasts a long tradition of ground-breaking research and high-quality education.
KU Leuven is dedicated to education and research in nearly all fields. Its fifteen faculties offer education, while research activities are organized by the departments and research groups. These faculties and departments, in turn, are clustered into three groups: Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Engineering and Technology (SET), and Biomedical Sciences. Each of these groups has a doctoral school for its doctoral training programmes. KU Leuven boasts fourteen campuses, spread across 10 cities in Flanders.
KU Leuven is a research intensive university, a setting for both fundamental and applied research, with a strong inter- and multidisciplinary background and a clear international orientation. We aim for research excellence, a contribution to societal and cultural debates and the realisation of a real knowledge society. Individual initiative, critical reflection, collaboration, solidarity, academic freedom, and diversity are key concepts in realising these goals.
Many of the KU Leuven research groups are recognized, world-wide, to be leaders in their field. Beside their focus on basic research, a vivid interest in possible applications is omnipresent and collaboration with other laboratories and with the industry is encouraged.
The machining research group focuses on the investigation, development, and implementation of non-conventional and hybrid processes for the machining of advanced materials and complex shaped components, post processing of additive manufactured parts, and up-coming needs such as the machining of functional surfaces.
The welding group studies different welding processes, implements advanced techniques in weld quality prediction and improvement. Besides the general welding applications, wire and ark additive manufacturing (WAAM) and acoustic emission monitoring are subjects of interest for this research group. WAAM allows fast, material-efficient and environmental friendly production of parts from different kinds of metals using the gas metal arc welding process and a standard welding robot.

Abhay Sharma
Angshuman Kapil
Thomas More University of Applied Sciences

Frederik Vogeler
Wouter Nuyts
Thomas More was founded in 2012 by a fusion of Lessius University of Applied Sciences and Catholic University of Applied Sciences Kempen. Currently it is the largest university of applied sciences in the Flanders region in Belgium. It has activities spread over 11 campuses and hosts over 60 educational programs. Beside education Thomas More focuses on applied research, trying to maximise impact for companies by implementing and validating fundamental research in real-life cases and translating research results to usable tools and applications for the private and social-profit sector.
There are 3 large research domains in which Thomas More is active: Health and Care, Innovative Business and Technology & Design. Within the Ad-Proc-Add project the research group Sustainble Design & Manufacturing (SuDeMa) part of the research domain Technology & Design is involved. Its located at Campus De Nayer near the city of Mechelen.
The mission of SuDeMa is to make the manufacturing industry more sustainable, by optimizing: lead times, consumables, tool wear, material usage and implementing more eco-friendly materials and processes. To achieve this mission they adjust existing or introducing new manufacturing processes and software tools, or tune product design according the manufacturing process. The group has extensive knowhow in: 3- and 5-axis machining, additive manufacturing of plastics by extrusion, additive manufacturing of metals by WAAM, CAD design, CAM systems, robotized manufacturing, injection moulding and welding processes.
Institute of Machining Technology ISF at the Dortmund University
The Institute of Machining Technology (ISF) of the Dortmund University, headed by Professor Dr.-Ing. Dirk Biermann, has engaged since more than 40 years in research and education in all relevant machining processes and in the application of methods from computer science in machining. The examined processes include turning, drilling, deep-hole drilling, milling, grinding, honing, and blasting. Several of these processes are performed in the high-speed (HSC) or high-performance (HPC) range or are to be qualified for these highly productive techniques in current research activities. Furthermore, micromachining (for drilling and milling) and dry machining as well as minimal-quantity lubrication constitute central aspects of the research at ISF. The realization of virtual machining processes based on different modelling techniques and the optimization of production-related processes are also analysed comprehensively. These research areas represent a spectrum which ranges from projects of fundamental nature, i.e., in the context of publicly funded research, to application-oriented projects, which are worked on in direct cooperation with industrial partners.
The ISF is comprised of three research divisions (Machining Technology, Grinding Technology, Simulation and Process Design). These three divisions are supported by employees of the extensively equipped electronic and measuring laboratories (including hard- and software), by sample preparation, and with regard to the business managing of research projects by an internal accounting and purchasing department.
Within the Dortmund University, there are strong connections to several chairs of mechanical engineering and to departments located in other faculties. Close relations within the German research community are maintained especially with institutes and chairs from production engineering which are members of the WGP (German Academic Society for Production Engineering) and with research institutes from materials engineering as well as with different Fraunhofer-Institutes. In the field of machining technology, the ISF contributes to several working groups and standardization committees (DIN, VDI, FWF, DGM, FVA).

Meik Tilger