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Lightweight Construction Research without Boundaries

Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer: “The Federal Cluster of Excellence MERGE at Chemnitz University of Technology sets an important statement on transboundary science networking"

  • a man tells anoter man details about lightweight research.
    During a guided tour of the MERGE Technology Center, the Prime Minister of Saxony Michael Kretschmer (2nd from left) and Chemnitz Lord Mayoress Barbara Ludwig informed themselves about the internationalization strategy of the federal cluster and concrete cooperation projects between Chemnitz University and universities or enterprises of the neighboring country Poland from MERGE CEO Prof. Dr. Lothar Kroll (left) and Chemnitz University President Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier.
  • A group of nine persons.
    Representatives from politics, economy, and science met at the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    “Research and innovation matter with regard to our future prosperity”, said Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer at the opening of the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference. “Europe has to cooperate more than has hitherto been the case in the global competition for new ideas. Us Europeans, we have to combine our strengths and further expand our cooperations.” Kretschmer explicitly acknowledged the already existing relations between Saxony and the neighbor Poland. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier, President of Chemnitz University of Technology, emphasized that international networking and local anchorage can be combined in a very useful way. Thus, Chemnitz University will further strengthen the close cooperation with the Polish neighbors. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is next to three other persons speaking.
    For many years, MERGE CEO Prof. Dr. Lothar Kroll (right) intensively promotes the transnational exchange of knowledge. In March 2018, the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, awarded him in recognition of his achievements the title “Professor of Technical Sciences” for life. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A woman is speaking.
    At the opening of the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference, Chemnitz Lord Mayoress Barbara Ludwig acknowledged in her greeting MERGE’s contribution in the field of lightweight construction, which ultimately led to Chemnitz becoming internationally more visible in this field. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Prof. Dr. Welf-Guntram Drossel, Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology and chair of the Professorship for Adaptronics and Lightweight Design in Production at Chemnitz University, informed on the planned establishment of a Fraunhofer Project Centre in Opole, Poland. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A audience sits in a lecture hall.
    Over 150 guests are expected at the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Roman Kolek, Vice Marshal of the Voivodship Opole, thanked the initiators of the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference: “Without science, economy cannot develop.” Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Zbigniew Dynak, Director of the Department of Regional Development in the Marshal’s Office of Lower Silesia, Poland, emphasized the importance of the transnational cooperation for the future of the people living in the region Chemnitz – Lower Silesia – Opole. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Prof. Cezary Madryas, President of Politechnika Wrocławska, Poland, told the conference guests that the next Polish-German Bridge Conference will take place in Wrocław. Photo: Jacob Müller
  • A man is speaking.
    Prof. Marek Tukiendorf, President of Politechnika Opolska, pointed out, that with help of MERGE, Chemnitz University and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft a lot has already been achieved. Photo: Jacob Müller

From April 19th till 20th, 2018, the Federal Cluster of Excellence “Technologies for Multifunctional Lightweight Structures” (MERGE) at Chemnitz University of Technology hosted the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference in order to further strengthen its transnational research cooperations with Polish partners – the Politechnika Opolska and the Politechnika Wrocławska. “In the framework of the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference we want to extend the bridges built between Poland and Germany, or rather Saxony, Lower Silesia, and Opole. These bridges, between science and economy, science and politics, and science and society of both countries, will be widened, enlarged and crossed more intensively than it has hitherto been the case. I am looking forward to work together with our Polish friends and guests on the further design of the science and economy region Chemnitz-Lower Silesia-Opole”, said Chemnitz University President Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier.

In 2018, involved scientists of both countries continue to follow their successful path with regard to their lightweight construction competencies and internationalization strategies: The production of novel lightweight structures by means of advanced technologies with focus on ecological and economical sustainability is a target of the joint research of Chemnitz University of Technology, Opole, and Wroclaw. This future challenge is of significant importance and creates a global added value for society and environment.

“With the 2nd Bridge Conference, the Federal Cluster of Excellence MERGE at Chemnitz University of Technology sets an important statement for the transboundary science networking with the neighboring country Poland”, said Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony, who had opened the 2nd Polish-German Bridge Conference in Chemnitz. It is necessary to further strengthen the numerous bridges and good connections between Saxony, Lower Silesia, and Opole. Kretschmer added: “I would be more than happy if new partnerships and joint European projects would emerge from this conference.”

Perfectly interlinked across borders

Furthermore, the Chemnitz researchers significantly contributed to the establishment of a research and development department lightweight construction at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Politechnika Opolska, which has not existed before. For this purpose, lectures and workshops were carried out on site to concentrate the existing lightweight construction competencies of TU Opole and the region Opole and to further complete these competencies with know-how of the neighboring regions. On March 14, 2018, Prof. Dr. Lothar Kroll was awarded the title “Professor of Technical Sciences” by the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, for this transboundary science networking.

Currently, discussions on the establishment of a Fraunhofer Project Center in Opole take place. The planned Center called “Advanced Lightweight Technologies (ALighT)” is intended as a cooperation of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in Chemnitz and the Politechnika Opolska. “In the future, the ALighT could combine the competencies in application-oriented development of sustainable production technologies for lightweight structures of both partners and support the mutual knowledge transfer”, said Prof. Dr. Welf-Guntram Drossel, Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU and chair of the Professorship for Adaptronics and Lightweight Design in Production at Chemnitz University.

Launching into new dimensions of lightweight construction with “MERGY”

At the start of the Bridge Conference, in a short film the little robot “MERGY” demonstrated easy to understand and in an amusing way the Chemnitz lightweight research. “We show, that the lightweight technologies developed in MERGE and combined with functional integration fully exploit the best lightweight potential”, said Kroll.

(Translation: Alissa Hölzel)

Matthias Fejes
26.04.2018

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