Project Partners

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.

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. 

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.

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).