Press release 04/07/2017

Information Campaign at the Hanover Fair 2017 Research achievements at the University of at the most important industrial fair worldwide

This year as well the University of Stuttgart will be presenting its diverse University Communication and forward-looking research achievements at the Hanover Fair, the Head of University Communication and Press Spokesperson global exhibition forum for product innovations along the entire Dr. Hans-Herwig Geyer industrial value-added chain. As a co-exhibitor at the “Baden-

Württemberg Joint Stand“, that is organised by Baden-Württemberg Contact International (bw-i), the competence centre of the state on the T 0711 685-82176 internationalism of business, science and research, the University will F 0711 685-82291 [email protected] be showing the visiting public from all over the world its research www.uni-stuttgart.de achievements at the forefront of scientific-technological progress. With its fair activities, the University of Stuttgart is underlining the necessity of rapidly transferring findings from research to industrial innovations.

With a view to the trade fair commitment in Hanover, Professor Wolfram Ressel, Rector of the University of Stuttgart, emphasised: “In order to be able to facilitate our industrial partners access to our research achievements as efficiently as possible, the University of Stuttgart as a of international ranking has strategically repositioned and intensified its activities in knowledge and technology transfer”.

The trade fair appearance by the University will be taking place between 24th and 28th April in the framework of the leading fair “Research & Technology“ in Hall 2. This leading fair for research, development and technology transfer makes the interaction between science and business the subject of discussion as a crowd-puller at the Hanover Fair.

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Present as an eye-catcher again: the stand as an exhibit

The carbon-fibre reinforced lightweight structure of the university fair stand was realised through computer-aided design and simulation tools as well as an innovative, core-less robotic winding process for fibre composite components. The Institute for Computer-Based Design (ICD) and for Support Structures and Constructive Design (ITKE) that were involved in the conceptual design and manufacture of the fair stand illustrate innovative design scopes for the with the construction.

Carbon-fibre reinforced lightweight structure of the university fair stand. Copyright: University of Stuttgart / ICD/ITKE

Further highlights at the fair stand

The fair appearances of the University at the large leading fairs CeBIT and the Hanover Fair are also arousing great interest within the University: at this year’s industrial fair the University is able to present exhibits from seven institutes and organisations:

ARENA2036: Future of Automobile Produktion

The research campus ARENA2036 (Active Research Environment for the Next Generation of Automobiles) is a new form of cooperation in which experts from science and industry are working together on lightweight construction technologies and production models for the automotive

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production of tomorrow. Mission of the research campus is to realize the

"versatile production of the future for intelligent, multi-material lightweight construction with functional integration". Both are seen as key for the development and implementation of sustainable industry 4.0 as well as for the design of technology.

At the exhibition, a robot application from the research area ForschFab is presented. The assembly of inner door modules into a raw material door is the use-case of the human-robot collaboration in the automotive final assembly. The strengths of the respective operating resources (human and machine) are optimally utilized by an intelligent distribution of the work contents. Automation is no longer part of rigidly interconnect process modules for high lot sizes, but also assists the operator in designing a flexible assembly platform within a sliding degree automation multi-variant mix. Another special feature of the presented design concept is the circumstance that human and machine no longer access separate equipment (double investment, double storage), but interactively share one and the same tool, which can be seen with an industrial 4.0 screwdriver.

Human-robot collaboration in the automotive final assembly. Copyright: Rainer Bez (Fraunhofer IPA)

Sealing Technology

The Institute of Machine Components (IMA) of the University of Stuttgart has been doing research on static and dynamic sealing systems for more than five decades. In this period, the Institute has earned a nationally and internationally recognized reputation as an independent and reliable expert in the field of sealing technology. At the Hannover Messe booth complex facts about sealing technology will be presented, for the nonprofessional as well. The core piece is a test rig where you can observe the mode of operation of one of the best-known

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sealing systems, the radial shaft seal. Additionally, the visitors can experience hands-on friction torque of pressure loaded radial shaft seals. Numerous further application examples will be exhibited as well.

Sealing systems. Copyright: bw-i/Dieter Meyer

Control Engineering

The Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Units (ISW) is one of the internationally leading university research institutes for control engineering – from the planning phase to the tool – and conducts interdisciplinary research on technologies for production and automation for tomorrow and thereafter.

The exhibit of the ISW shows how it is possible to make augmented reality accessible for users directly at the machine tool without the need of any additional terminal device. Additionally, it shows that in this way, value- added information can be displayed. By using new display technologies, the machine window is enriched with computer generated content, whereby, due to the perspective view and irrespective of the viewer’s position, it is given the impression that the content is in the machine interior. Furthermore, service oriented software make it possible to dynamically add and exchange value-added services during operation and thus create new concepts for production planning, maintenance, support and analysis as well as for new business models.

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Augmented reality accessible for users directly at the machine tool without the need of any additional terminal device. Copyright: University of Stuttgart/ISW.

Biobased Materials and Materials Cycles in Architecture

The Department of bio based Materials and Materials Cycles in Architecture (BioMat) of the University of Stuttgart has the goal to merge the fields of design, sustainable materials developments, biomimetics, space realization and smart systems in architecture. Teaching, research, materials development and fabrication as well as industrial projects are highly integrated.

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Developed chair structures. Copyright: University of Stuttgart/BioMat.

One of the missions of the architects and engineers at BioMat is raising different sustainability aspects in architecture and to translate the ecological concerns in the form of newly developed sustainable smart materials and designed products in this respect. Function-oriented design methodologies, spatial configurations and bionic-derived structural forms, combined by deep material knowledge, digital modelling and strong industrial cooperation form the main research strategies.

The copies show the developed PLUS sandwich panels and developed chair structures made by students. The sandwich panels are made from natural agricultural residues in combination of biobased foams and bioplastics. Students therefore experimented with the design of the panel to use the panel as a heat insulation or sound absorber. Chairs will be presented made of bended plywood, hemp and carbon fibre composite.

Simulation Technology

At the Stuttgart Research Center for Simulation Technology, we develop simulation technologies for the solution of complex problems, e.g., in medicine. Developing an Overall Human Model to predict the interaction of the human body with its environment is on vision of SimTech. We investigate the interaction between neural control and the musculo-

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skeletal system to unterstand movement impairments in patients with neuro-degenerative diseases.

At the Hannover fair, we will present a simulation predicting the difference between healthy and pathological movement. Furthermore, we will present a bio-inspired robot - actuated by artificial muscles - helping us to study movement disorders in the real physical world. This project is a cooperation with the Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research Tübingen and part of the new Regional Research Alliance „System Human“ between University of Stuttgart und University of Tübingen.

Bio-inspired robot. Copyright: University of Stuttgart

Robotic Machine Learning

A robot is only as reliable as the program that controls it. The High-Tech Start-up TruPhysics created an innovative robot simulation process. With the help of the simulation, the optimization of these control programs is guaranteed. Based on real-time physical simulation, training data is generated for teaching neuronal networks. In accordance, the robot is able to learn motion sequences automated and wear-free by itself (e.g. grasping a coffee cup). In this way, the degree of flexible automation increases. The users delegate tasks towards the robot. In the course of this, the way they reach the accomplishment of these tasks, can be chosen by the robot.

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According to the innovative method of TruPhysics, companies who address the work with robots are capable to reduce costs and time. By creating digital twins of real world around us and simulating their physical behavior in real-time, the robot can be optimized even before the real machines are completed.

At this year’s Hannover Messe, the real-time physic simulation are to be demonstrated with a robot.

Real-time physic simulation demonstrated with a robot. Copyright: TruPhysics

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