Flex4Beton - Development of a form-flexible moulding tool for production of curved concrete elements

When it comes to landmark buildings, and in the cultural sector, clients and architects often wish to create visual accents by using three dimensional curved free-form surfaces. If constructed conventionally using concrete formwork, these structures are generally only possible with significant labour and resources. It is common in this case to develop and construct individual formwork modules for each free-form surface, consisting of the load bearing support elements and 3D formwork units. These days, curved formwork elements are predominantly prefabricated, and positioned for insertion into concrete on the building site. The formwork material usually consists of wood, plastic foams, and panels. In addition to this ‘in-situ’ construction method, geometrically complex concrete components are also produced in prefabrication plants and supplied to the construction site as pre-fabricated components.

Project aim: The goal of the Flex4Beton project is to develop a form-flexible tool (multi-point tool), which will make it possible to create three-dimensional curved geometries in concrete pre-fabrication quickly, easily, and cost-effectively.

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MoCap4Robots – Development of a procedure with the associated hardware, which will enable an SME to quickly and easily program a robot offline

In the research proposal applied for here, the intention is to develop a procedure with the associated hardware, which will enable an SME to program a robot offline quickly and easily. Offline programming, with the propositions of lower costs and simpler handling for the operator/programmer, represents a cost-effective solution for especially flexible robot programming in industrial production. In order to achieve this goal, existing preliminary studies carried out by the Ohm will be combined. When this research project is complete, a prototype programming box (work surface with 4 cameras) with adapted software will be available, which can be used to simply and easily program a real industrial robot for particular production tasks.

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Open Bionic Innovation – An innovation management concept for interdisciplinary troubleshooting in product development

In order to remain globally competitive in the long term, both suitable product optimizations and innovative new developments are of considerable importance to companies from a technical perspective. Open innovation offers a means of promoting the generation of ideas and thereby maintaining a company’s capacity to innovate using a methodology that extends beyond the company itself. Bionics is considered to be one of the world’s ten most important innovation technologies, as the transfer of biological mechanisms to technical applications is partly in pursuit of entirely new approaches and is vital in facilitating key innovations in product development. The disadvantage, however, is that the analogies with the natural world must be formed first and then suitable biological mechanisms sought. Analysis of a mechanism often requires specific specialist knowledge of biology, which is generally not available to an engineer. In addition, there are few tools that provide engineers with access to the relevant biological knowledge to enable them to systematically develop or optimize bionic products. While existing association databases provide approaches, they only contain static expertise and can only explore individual problems to a limited extent.

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Rapid Metal Parts

How does metal 3D printing work? Metal 3D printing is based on the technology of selective laser melting (SLM). This production process involves using a laser beam to (selectively) melt metal powder at specific sites. By using this process in several layers over one another, a solid metal component is created from the metal powder. As it is classified as a generative manufacturing process, and due to the analogy with the now widely used systems using plastic (“3D printers”), selective laser melting is also often referred to as “metal 3D printing”.

FlexForCFK – Development of a process-automated, flexibly shaped tool for the production of CFRP components

In view of the contemporary trends towards saving energy and resources by building with lightweight materials, a potential solution lies in the use of components made from carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP). The significance of this field is demonstrated in a study by Roland Berger/VDMA [1]: according to the study, the demand for CFRP components is expected to rise annually by 17% until 2020. To allow components to be produced more cost-effectively, the process costs must be reduced by around 40% within the same period.

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FORPRO²

Bavarian Research Alliance for Efficient Product and Process Development by Knowledge-based Simulation The aim of this research alliance is to improve the efficiency of virtual product and process development by creating a simulation framework based on expert knowledge to optimize the properties of new products. The expected result is the provision of the simulation expertise required by product developers in specific situations according to characteristic factors, such as the stage of the development process, the production processes used, and the individual framework conditions. The benefit to enterprises is provided in the form of shortened development cycles resulting from strategically organized simulation steps carried out with the input of expert knowledge. This results in improved product and process characteristics with reduced use of resources and reduced development risk.

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OHM-Krabbler – Development of a novel robotic spider with hydraulic actuator legs based on the biological model and intuitive robotic operation

The “OHM-Krabbler” walking spider robot is to have six to eight legs and be able to transport measuring devices, cameras, or supplies into dangerous environments on uneven terrain that is no longer accessible with the tracked and wheeled vehicles in use today.

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Studying technology with 3D learning modules

Education science-based, learner-orientated development, testing, and evaluation of 3D learning modules for university teaching in technical faculties The majority of students in natural sciences degree programmes face significant issues of understanding, especially in the early stages of university education, due to the huge complexity of the specialist content they are taught, which is reflected in the drop-out rate. For this reason and due to the shortage of new graduates in STEM subjects, this project is to explore an innovative, additional method of delivering content for use in universities with a view to improving the quality of teaching.

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CIV-Prozess – Construction of a development process-oriented, computer-integrated documentation and visualisation process for assembly processes (CIV process)

State-of-the-art 3D CAD systems are used to create 3D models in the construction sector, which can be edited further in other in-house processes, such as in production, in the development of cutting programs, or when programming coordinate measuring machines.

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Rapid-Shaping – Development of a rapid-shaping process for manufacturing CFRP components using rapid prototyping base bodies

Faster and more cost-effective with 3D tools In the future, cars will use less and less fuel or ultimately drive without using petrol at all. While “electromobility” is a key route to achieving this goal, “lightweighting” is also playing an important role in the automotive sector. After all, lighter vehicles use less fuel. In order to implement extreme lightweighting, components need to be manufactured from carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) or glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRP). Nuremberg Institute of Technology's 3D Visualization Center is currently researching a new process for the production of CFRP components for prototypes and small batch production. The project is being funded with EUR 29,700 from the Paul und Helene Metz-Stiftung.

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Development of a connected notepad method for the generation of ideas and innovations

The shorter route to innovation: at the Ohm, we combine software and creative technologies Development tasks in businesses are becoming increasingly complex and need to be completed in ever smaller time scales, often with partners in a variety of countries. Logic, intelligence, money, or routine alone will not improve the situation – the creative process needs to be supported in other ways. In June at the Ohm, Professors Michael Koch and Rüdiger Hornfeck began a cooperative research project in which the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Building Services Engineering is to test a new type of connected creative work. The STAEDTLER Stiftung is convinced that the idea will be a success, and is funding the project with EUR 39,700.

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FAMOS – Development of an expert-based fault and change management method within the construction process

The goal of the project was to design an expert-based fault management methodology that ensures the simple recording of faults using a structured storage of knowledge regarding faults.

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CFK – Experimental testing of stresses and stability properties of CFRP sample components and comparison with numerical calculation processes

While in operation, components are subject to stresses, among other things, due to the forces and torques that in turn give rise tocomponent tension. An engineer’s task is now to calculate this component tension based on the external stresses, and to compare them against the maximum permissible tension of the components. The aim is to ensure that the existing tension is always smaller than the permissible tension. As a result of the geometric design of components (recesses, notches, drill holes, etc.) that must be derived from the construction requirements,the existing component tension may be influenced, for example, when the component profile is the same. The reason for this is the concentration of force lines at the notched site.

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