HERE+NOW.IMPULSE MAGAZINE /// 01/2015

POTENTIAL : MARKET OF THE FUTURE ENERGY, ENGINEERING & PLANT CONSTRUCTION, RESSOURCE EFFICIENCY
10 11 POTENTIAL
WHY KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER?
GERALD LANGER
Managing Director,
IFA–Technologies GmbH
WHY KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER?
PROFESSOR DR.-ING.
JENS STRACKELJAN
Rector of the Otto von Guericke
University Magdeburg
“The IFA Rotorion
Group, which
employs 2,200 people
worldwide, is the European
market leader for
the manufacturing of
drive shafts. We want
to stand out from our
competitors through
innovations and systemsbased
expertise. With
precise simulation software,
we can optimise
processes, increase the
productivity of existing
systems and further
develop proprietary
know-how. This means
that participating in this
project is of importance
for the new alignment
of our company.”
FRICTION
WELDING
PROCESSES 4.0
Rotational friction welding is a highly productive
process for connecting an exceptional variety of
components together. A sophisticated process with
s everal influencing factors.
THE DEVELOPMENT of new components
for the automotive industry
for example, starting from the
drawing board and through to the
prototypes, has traditionally been
a complicated and high-cost task.
With a software package for process
simulation which has been
developed at the Otto von Guericke
University Magdeburg (OvGU),
scientists, engineers and business
owners from Saxony-Anhalt want
to optimise the process of friction
welding.
“If one of my best scientific staff
approaches me with a good idea,
I feel I have no choice but to put
it to use,” emphasizes Professor
Dr. Ing. Jens Strackeljan, Rector of
the OvGU Magdeburg, discussing
his motivation for supporting the
project. The Professor is talking
about David Schmicker, who chose
to complete his dissertation on
the topic of “A holistic approach on
the simulation of Rotary Friction
Welding.” His goal is to develop a
simulation software which can depict
the friction welding processes
at the highest level of precision. It
is an innovation which would also
result in a clear improvement for
industrial businesses.
Comparing simulations and
reality for rotational friction
welding.
Sophisticated and high-cost
development processes could
therefore be shaped so that they
are considerably more effective
from both the temporal and
financial perspectives. Gerald
Langer, the Managing Director of
IFA Technologies GmbH, has also
recognised the potential: “In the
area of manufacturing, optimised
processes are of decisive importance
for the market viability.” In
the future, the European market
leader for drive shafts wants to
focus more strongly on the areas
of innovation and system expertise.
With the motto of “GO IFA”,
achieving a stronger differentiation
from the competition is being
pursued, with the ambitious
goal of achieving further better-than-average
rates of growth
over the coming years. “That's
a good enough reason to participate
in this project and help
shape the transfer from theory to
practice,” says Langer.
The project clearly demonstrates
THE EFFECTIVE and close networking
between the worlds of
science and business in Saxony
Anhalt. The necessary research
was completed in the course of
the scientific work at the OvGU in
Magdeburg, and the virtual RFW
software was created. The success
story stands out due to its short
distances, the close collaboration
between the research institutes
and the world of industry, and the
concerted action to strengthen
the locations in Saxony-Anhalt.
www.ovgu.de
ifa-group.com/en/
“The idea came
from doctoral
student David Schmicker,
who recognised the requirements
on location
and has the necessary
expertise for a successful
implementation. I can
see an excellent opportunity
for Saxony-Anhalt
and its businesses for
gaining a favourable
position in terms of the
interna tional competition.
I view our universities
as being a regional
engine for development,
to which we are providing
a key contribution
with the research work
of David Schmicker.
Work like this is of high
strategic importance for
the university and the
country.”