JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #79 - March 2013 - 5

vehicle crash tests and individual
test tracks. Besides transportation, we address oil, water & gas
(for example offshore, tanks &
pipes, desalination), building &
construction, renewable energy
(e.g. wind energy), sports &
leisure. We are convinced that
those industrial segments will
hit a big potential over the next
5 to 10 years, where light weight
and mass production will be key
requirements.
JCM: What kind of services will be
provided by AZL?

Composite research network at RWTH Aachen Campus

Melaten Campus in Aachen. The
AZL now offers the platform
to gather these skills to realize
continuous process chains using
full-scale production equipment
within research projects.
JCM: Who are the founding members of AZL?

Kai Fischer: AZL is a complete new model for RWTH,
as it was founded by two parent
institutes: the Laboratory for
Machine Tools and Production
Engineering (WZL) - Prof. Dr.Ing. Christian Brecher - and the
Institute of Plastics Processing
(IKV) - Prof. Dr.- Ing Christian Hopmann (IKV). These
2 institutes are responsible for
the operative implementation.
Additionally, there are 6 more institutes associated. Together, we
cover the complete value chain
including lightweight materials,
fibre, textile and preform manufacturing, forming of plastics and
metallic materials, machining,
joining and automation technologies. All members belong
to the world’s best established
institutes within their specific
field of research.
JCM: What kind of projects are
possible at AZL?

Michael Emonts: The pro-

jects are focused on interdisciplinary collaborative developments
between academic institutions
and the industry. AZL provides
the services of a general contractor for industrial partners, to set
up exclusive projects funded by
the industry as well as projects
with public funding. It offers a
tremendous research network
that the industry can use to
define the necessary competencies for innovative projects and
to set up the best consortia. As
the acquisition of public funding
is routine business for AZL, its
industrial partners can profit
additionally by attracting funding
for high-risk research projects.
An important business segment
will be that tools, machines and
new production technologies
can exclusively be developed
and tested here. Therefore, the
process chains installed at AZL
can be used to integrate new
developments in the form of a
construction kit. The partners
can thereby demonstrate the
benefits of their technologies directly to their customers without
investing in expensive production equipment.
JCM: What are the targeted seg-

ments and applications?

Kai Fischer: We address
all kinds of applications, where
economic lightweight design can
contribute to higher performance and to the development
of new markets. One important
segment as a German institute
is, of course, the automotive and
transportation industry. As the
Institute of Automotive Engineering (IKA) is one of the associated partners, we have ideal
preconditions for the development of innovative automotive
components and car concepts in
combination with new materials
and production technologies.
This includes extensive testing
capabilities up to complete

Michael Emonts: We offer
process chain development
and validation, handling and
automation technologies, tooling
and mould making, process and
joining technologies for multimaterial systems, and consistent
quality and process data chains.
Furthermore, we offer consultancy services like market studies,
technology transfer, benchmarking and innovation management.
Further innovative services will
be revealed at JEC 2013. To
support the development of the
services and to extend AZL’s
network, Dr. Effing (AMAC
GmbH) will bring in his expertise from 25 years’ experience
in international management
within the composite industry.

Laser assisted tape placement (IPT, Aachen)

No79 March 2013 /

jec composites magazine 5

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #79 - March 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #79 - March 2013