On 20 November, we visited Kajamed GmbH together with participants in the Applied Engineering Projects course, part of the Advanced Manufacturing degree programme. The students gained an insight into the manufacture of orthopaedic products. With the knowledge they acquired here, they are now in a position to develop innovative solutions for the problem specified by the company in their project. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Mr Körber for his support on the company side.

On December 9 and 10, IKAT presented the final results of its current research projects in the field of Welle-Nabe-Verbindungen during the FVA Information Conference. The contributions provided comprehensive insights into the latest methodological approaches, findings, and normative developments in drivetrain technology.

The internal IKAT session was opened by Mr. Muhammedi with his presentation “Normative Neukonzeption der Berechnung von Passfederverbindungen – DIN 6892 – auf Basis eines funktionellen Versagenskriteriums.” His talk focused on the respective advantages and disadvantages of different shaft materials and their influence on normative calculation.

Following this, Mr. Ebermann presented the latest research on “Elastisch-plastische Auslegung der Pressverbindung zwischen Rotorwelle und Blechpaket von hochdrehenden E-Maschinen zur Steigerung der Leistungsdichte.” In a dialogue format with the cooperating research partner, particular emphasis was placed on plasticization phenomena within the hub material and the resulting changes in actual interference pressure.

The next contribution of Mr. Knabner, “Örtliche Festigkeitsbewertung reibkorrosiv beanspruchter Bauteile am Beispiel von Welle-Nabe-Verbindungen,” highlighted that when designing such components, it can be beneficial to look beyond the traditional worst-case approach.

The IKAT-internal closing presentation was given by Mr. Hentschel, who spoke on “Qualifizierung der Berechnung der Fügekräfte und statischen Übertragungsfähigkeiten von Rändelpressverbindungen für die normative Anwendung.” The results demonstrate that Rändelpressverbindungen can in the future be calculated reliably without the need for complex simulations.

The conference was accompanied by lively discussions and insightful perspectives on additional topics in drivetrain technology. We extend our sincere thanks to the FVA for organizing the event and look forward to the next FVA Information Conference in 2026 in Kassel.

On November 26–27, IKAT took part in the annual FVA Autumn Working Group at the VDMA headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, showcasing its role as a key innovator in drivetrain technology. With a broad range of contributions on the design of shafts and shaft–hub connections, the institute once again demonstrated how cutting-edge research is transferred directly into industrial applications.

Highlights included new insights into polygonal and knurl-press connections, as well as the latest findings on interference-fit joints in high-speed electric machines. Special recognition goes to the final project presentations by Mr. Knabner, Mr. Ebermann, and Mr. Hentschel, whose work is providing significant momentum for the future design and manufacturing of advanced drive systems.

The lively discussions between research institutions and industry participants reaffirmed one thing: IKAT develops technologies that make an immediate impact in real-world applications.

Our sincere thanks go to the FVA for the excellent organization and on-site support. We look forward to reconnecting at the upcoming FVA Information Conference on December 9–10 in Würzburg.

Growing ecological and economic pressure leads to ever higher and more complex stresses in the development of plain bearings. The research at the institute is therefore primarily concerned with the investigation and development of alternative sliding materials and the influence of geometric deviations. The main focus of the investigations is the wear behavior under the most varied operating conditions (particles, mixed friction, hydrodynamics).

The permissible loads of selected WNV (tapered and cylindrical interference fit as well as feather key, knurled, polygonal joints, etc.) have been investigated primarily at IKAT for decades in the area of fatigue, fatigue and fatigue strength. The behavior under individual loads (bending, torsion) as well as combined dynamic loads is analysed.

In contact with various components, deformations in connection with the prevailing joint pressure initiate the damage process of fretting fatigue. Current research activities at the institute focus on basic research on the damage phenomenon of fretting fatigue and pursue the objective of developing an impact-compliant calculation method.

While conventional mechanisms owe their deformability to the sliding or rolling interfaces in the joints, flexible mechanisms fulfill their function through elastic stretches in places that are deliberately designed to be flexible during design. This functional principle enables novel, shape-adaptive structures, which can be used, for example, in softrobotics or in variable-shape wings. The professorship focuses its research on optimization-based synthesis methods.

The strength tests focus on the tooth root load-bearing capacity of worm gear units. The challenge to numerical imaging lies in the complex geometry and the special material bronze.

The coefficient of static friction (also: coefficient of friction or coefficient of friction) is to be understood as a system variable with a multitude of influencing parameters. In order to use existing potentials in friction-locking connections (e.g. screw, flange, press-fit connections), an experimental investigation is indispensable. With the help of standardized test methods on model samples, a wide variety of tribological configurations are examined at the research centre with regard to their transmission behavior. A major field of research is the synthesis of new design/selection tools for friction-enhancing measures (e.g. micro/laser structures, hard particles, coatings) for static and dynamic load cases.