Collective Research on “Green” Composite Materials

Visit of a delegation of the King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok at the Chemnitz University of Technology – deepening the research cooperation with MERGE

The cooperation between the Chemnitz University of Technology and the King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) exists for almost ten years and focuses on education, training and the exchange of scientists and students of engineering sciences. This international long-time exchange of experiences is pursued with the visit of a five-person delegation of the KMUTNB as well as a ten-person delegation of representatives of the Thai industry, economy, and politics like the deputy secretary general of The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), Ms. Ladawan Kumpa, from December 4 until December 10, 2016. NESDB is Thailand's central planning agency responsible for crafting strategies for balanced and sustainable development in the national interest and reports directly to the office of the prime minister.

Dr. Eberhard Alles, chancellor of the Chemnitz University of Technology, gave insights on the cooperation of the two universities and presented impressions of the past years at a get-together with the guests in the technology center MERGE. During his presentation he recommended a strengthening of the existing cooperation.

Especially in the research field of fiber- and textile-based natural raw materials that are inter alia topic of the Federal Cluster of Excellence MERGE, those international cooperations are of great value. The excellent growth conditions of various fiber materials in tropical and sub-tropical regions are especially for the fiber-reinforcement of great interest. In most of these countries the experience of production and application of fiber raw materials in technical fields is limited. At this interface the scientists of the Chemnitz University of Technology set in. For the fifth time a jointly organized lecture by scientists of both universities about the topic of “bio-based and textile reinforced component materials” was held in June 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand. Representatives of the Federal Cluster of Excellence MERGE gave talks about the latest developments in the processing of semi-finished products, technologies and plants for the manufacturing, design and structure simulation of components with the focus lying on fiber reinforced lightweight structures, innovative plastic technologies and natural fiber and biopolymer composites. Together with representatives of the Thai industry and cooperation partners of the KMUTNB the Chemnitz scientists discussed possibilities for the realization of development projects with the Thai plastic-composite material-industry.

During their current return visit at the Chemnitz University of Technology, the scientists from Thailand have the opportunity to experience and deepen the addressed developments of the past workshops live. Excursions, lectures and discussions all about the topic of lightweight construction research are on the agenda. With Prof. Dr. Stephan Odenwald, academic dean and chair of the Professorship of Sports Equipment and Technology, the participants of the delegations discussed the master’s course “Merge Technologies for Resource Efficiency”.

The cooperation of both universities already led to a student exchange of the Thai-German-Graduate School of the KMUTNB and the Federal Cluster of Excellence MERGE. In the course of MERGE, a master student of the field of lightweight construction from the KMUTNB is currently a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Lightweight Structures (IST) at the Chemnitz University of Technology. Furthermore, Professor Suchart Siengchin, president of the King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, successfully passed his habilitation at the Chemnitz University of Technology.

(Translation: Alissa Hölzel)

Mario Steinebach
12.12.2016

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