Sustainable digital and additive production

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The financing of the Technology Transfer Center (TTZ) in Marktheidenfeld was approved by the Bavarian Cabinet last month. We also supported the new research center. The TTZ is an institute of Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences (THWS) with research in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing (additive manufacturing). We asked Prof. Dr. Heiko Wenzel-Schinzer (HWS) three questions about this.

TTZ's research will focus on the topic of “sustainable digital and additive production.” Has WENZEL already gained practical experience in these areas?

HWS: We are both providers and customers within the TTZ research focus, so these are exciting topics for us:

We have this year with our WENZEL EcoLine the first series of machines was launched on the market, whose design was based entirely on the idea of sustainability is based. For this purpose, we are taking back used machines from the market that have been used for more than 20 years. Then we take the durable parts of the machine, such as our granite machine bed, and equip them with the latest technology. In figures, we continue to use more than 2/3 of the substance of the machine, but produce a completely new machine that can be used for another 20-30 years. In doing so, we save around 50% of the CO2 footprint compared to a new machine. But we're just getting started here. The TTZ will certainly come up with a lot more things.

In the area of additive manufacturing We use this technology ourselves for some components; however, we are confronted with it primarily by our customers. We measure outer contours but also internal structures with our eXact computer tomographs. These are very important for additive components because, on the one hand, you can search for and analyze defects, but on the other hand, complex components are also manufactured from hybrid materials.

Do you already have plans for future cooperation between WENZEL and TTZ, i.e. between industry and science?

We have concrete ideas both in the areas of sustainability and additive manufacturing; but now we will have to wait and see how the position is actually filled. Let's get started then.

 Do you think that the project will attract new specialists to the region?

Yes, we are convinced that an active TTZ potential professionals can bind in the region. Many students go to larger cities to study and then look for their first companies and employment contracts there. If the region is able to establish early connections here again through interesting projects, young people will also get to know and appreciate interesting companies such as ours in the region better.

Thank you Prof. Dr. Heiko Wenzel-Schinzer for your time!

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