The Experts for
New Thinking
The IWF: A Short Profile
A
prior condition for the experts to start working is the company's recognition
that a change management is necessary. Innovations may not only mean the introducing
of a new technology, but also new structures, operating sequences or strategies
for the company and its products. The IWF combines all important research and
development activities which are necessary for an extensive renewal of production-relevant
processes: From manufacturing technologies, machines and control systems, handling
and assembly to product and life cycle management
On the basis of many years of experience our engineers and scientists investigate new basic technologies leading to new manufacturing processes and production concepts in different industries. In the modern equipped "Factory for the Future" at the IWF, presently about 70 members of staff are employed, dealing with the solution of current problems of the producing economy.
Our
core competences include:
- Development of new machine concepts for handling, machining and assembly
- Motive power and automatic control engineering
- Active structural acoustic control systems for vibration reduction
- Quality inspection and management
- Process and information management
- Environment-oriented product and production engineering
- Disassembly technologies and design of inverse manufacturing systems
- Micromachining and microassembly
- High-speed, high-performance and precision machining
- Development and optimisation of manufacturing processes for new materials
- Machining of wood and composite materials
Research for the Future
The Departments of the IWF
Research and development at the IWF is performed in three departments:
(
Organisation)
(Research
and Development)
The department Production Automation and Machine Tools deals with the development
of new concepts of machines and control systems that can be flexibly configurated
for handling, machining and assembly. The department Product and Life Cycle Management
is focussed on the fields process organisation, quality, information and knowledge
management, product assessment, production-integrated environment protection and
recycling strategies. The department Production Engineering is concerned with
the machining and cutting of almost all technical materials.
The IWF also plays a prominent part in the special research areas established by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft:
- SFB 516: Design and production of active microsystems
- SFB 562: Robot systems for handling and assembly
Long-term Oriented Production Concepts
Closed-loop Economy Taking Account of Resources
Today, the harmonisation of work, technology and environment in industrial production is considered to include innovation potential as such. Production concepts that are also valid in the future require a cross-linking of production in the sense of a closed-loop economy consciously taking account of resources. Key factors in this respect are intelligent management of all processes in the total product life cycle as well as the design and organisation of work and technology under the aspect of learning and communication capabilities. This also includes the ability to master the complexity of highly developed, flexible and environmentally compatible production methods.
This requires:
- Concentration on the value added
- Avoiding the dissipation of resources
- Permanent optimisation of production
- Safe and controllable technologies
- Focussing on human needs
- Integral consideration and optimisation of the flow of materials
- Minimisation of life cycle costs
- Use of global resources
- Interdisciplinary cooperation
By researching and developing new technologies and processes but also considering the respective sequences and structures in the company, the IWF tends to bring the three factors - work, technology and environment - into harmony under economic aspects, contributing to a safe future for companies and people.
