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New member of the department management at WWHK
On 1 February 2024, Janina Koziol took over as head of the "Analytics and Microscopy" group at the Department of Materials Science and Materials Testing at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences. Janina has been an important part of the WWHK team since October 2022 and has been in charge of the procurement of the scanning electron microscope (funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)) and the associated infrastructure, among other things.
I and the team are delighted that she has taken on this important and responsible task.
Together with Fabian Weber (Senior Engineer, Group Leader "Fatigue and Fatigue Life Calculation"), she will play a key role in shaping the scientific direction of the WWHK.
I and we are looking forward to continuing our excellent collaboration with many new ideas and approaches.
Further staff expansion at the WWHK
Once again there have been personnel changes at the WWHK due to the start of new projects. Jan-Erik Nebel and Moritz Maul have been working as research assistants at the WWHK since 1 December 2023.
Jan-Erik Nebel will be working on the BFI-funded project "Use of Kerr microscopy to characterise the development of damage in steels" and Moritz Maul will continue the project "Development of a short-time method for the evaluation of damage-relevant parameters of ferritic materials and components used in nuclear technology EKusaP".
Both employees have been an integral part of the WWHK team for a long time. Through their activities as research assistants and assistants within the scope of their studies at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, they have already worked on various research projects and we are therefore looking forward to continuing our excellent cooperation and many exciting research questions in their new field of work.
Installation of the new scanning electron microscope at WWHK
Last week, the new scanning electron microscope was installed in the laboratories at the Kammgarn campus of the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern. The SEM with EDX, EBSD and STEM is funded by the HAW large-scale equipment campaign of the DFG and will provide many new possibilities for the characterisation of metallic structures. Janina Koziol is responsible for the procurement process and, with the support of Jan-Erik Nebel, will ensure the operation of the system on the part of the WWHK. We are looking forward to many new research opportunities. Many thanks to the DFG for funding this project.
Presentations at the Materials Testing Conference
Dear colleagues, the WWHK is represented with 4 presentations at this year's Materials Testing Conference in Berlin. I am looking forward to many interesting talks and discussions.
Parallel session 1, session 5, Failure analysis and structural health monitoring
23.11.2023; 15:45: Analysis of the damage development of the steel X6Cr NiNb18-10 used in nuclear facilities at typical service temperatures, T. Bill et al
23.11.2023; 16:05, Evaluation of volume and surface damage in HCF and VHCF loading of quenched and tempered steels, S.R. Raghuraman et al
Parallel session 2, Session 10, Test execution and determination of characteristic values I
23.11.2023; 15:45, Temperature-based analysis of the frequency influence on the fatigue properties of C45E steel, J. Koziol et al
Parallel session 2, Session 11, Test execution and determination of characteristic values II
23.11.2023; 17:10, MiDAc-Life - A new short-time fatigue life methods based on the Palmgren Miner approach, F. Weber et al
Research professorship for Prof Peter Starke
Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) are valued for the practical training they offer their students. What is less publicised is that successful research is also carried out there. In addition to teaching, many professors are also involved in research - often in cooperation with external partners from industry and society, as the application focus also plays a major role in research at UASs.
In order to give lecturers with a strong research background more freedom for science, the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern has now awarded eight so-called "specialisation professorships". The holders of the new professorship format can devote themselves more intensively to their research over a good five years. During this time, their teaching commitments will be reduced and balanced out by teaching staff.
The following academics have been awarded the eight specialisation professorships: Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr.-Ing. habil. Peter Starke, Prof. Dr.-Ing Sven Urschel and Prof. Dr.-Ing Christian Schumann (Department of Applied Engineering Sciences); Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Bernd Bufe, Prof. Dr. phil. Alexey Tarasov and Prof. Dr Dieter Wallach (Department of Computer Science and Microsystems Engineering); Prof. Dr Marion Rauch and Prof. Nora Mertes (Department of Building and Design).
Fabian Weber is the new chief engineer at WWHK
Fabian Weber has taken over the position of senior engineer at the WWHK as of 15 August 2023. At the same time, he will head the "Fatigue and Fatigue Life Calculation" working group and is thus responsible for 4 ongoing projects currently funded by the DFG and the BMUV.
We are delighted about this positive and profitable collaboration and are looking forward to future research activities.
New DFG project brings personnel reinforcement to WWHK
In cooperation with the WPT of the TU Dortmund University, the new DFG project "Quantified evaluation of the influence of stress frequency on the fatigue behavior of unalloyed steels for implementation in resource-efficient service life prediction methods" has been processed since July 2023 with a project duration of 24 months. Jonas Ziman, who has been employed at the WWHK since successfully completing his master's degree at Saarland University, is responsible for the project.
High-tech analytics from the German Research Foundation (DFG)
The University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern has successfully applied for a large-scale equipment campaign of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The approved funds will be used to purchase a high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM), which will provide a variety of new possibilities for knowledge-oriented research at the university. The lead applicant and project coordinator for the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern is Prof. Peter Starke.
New cooperation between WWHK and Evident
Industrial cooperation is immensely important for our research at the WWHK. The Department of Materials Science and Testing and the measuring instrument manufacturer Evident have decided on a close cooperation and fixed it in a contract. Now students and researchers can use their state-of-the-art equipment.
New project at WWHK in the field of VHCF fatigue
From December 2022, the research project entitled "Evaluation of the frequency influence on the fatigue behaviour of unalloyed steels", funded by the Budget for Research and Innovation, will start at WWHK.
The aim of the project is to extend short-term methods for determining fatigue data to the VHCF range. The research project is being worked on by Moritz Maul, who has already been working as a student assistant at the WWHK for several years and will further strengthen the team of scientific staff and assistants.
New assistant at the WWHK
M.Sc. Janina Becker is a further member of the WWHK team since 01.10.2022. In cooperation with Prof. Saumer's Department of Chemical Processes in Microsystems Engineering, she is working on the research project "Use of the electrochemical potential to characterise the surface damage behaviour of cyclically stressed materials", which is funded by the Research and Innovation budget.
We are looking forward to further strengthening the WWHK team and to future cooperation.
Honour for Mr. M. Eng. Srinivasa Raghavan Raghuraman
Due to his outstanding achievements in the framework of his Master's studies and his very good Master's thesis, Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan Raghuraman was honoured with the John Deere Award in the Department of Applied Engineering Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern. Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan Raghuraman is from Chennai, India, where he also completed his Bachelor's degree. He then started his Master's studies at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern in 2019 and graduated in 2021. At WWHK, he was first employed as a student assistant and then as a research assistant and will take over the processing of a DFG-funded research project with a project duration of 3 years from November 2022. The entire WWHK team congratulates Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan Raghuraman on his outstanding performance and the award.
Cooperation with EVIDENT (powerd byOLYMPUS)
On 27.05.2022, the cooperation agreement between the WWHK and EVIDENT Europe GmbH (EVIDENT powerd by OLYMPUS) was signed. In the future, both partners want to promote joint activities in the field of non-destructive testing, which are anchored both in the field of teaching and in the field of research. The WWHK is looking forward to the future cooperation.
New DFG-funded research project at WWHK
In September, a new DFG-funded joint research project will start at the WWHK in cooperation with the IEHK of RWTH Aachen University. The project focuses on the re-use potential of already used metallic components and structures.
The funding amounts to 320 t€ with a duration of 36 months. In addition to funding for consumables and infrastructure as well as auxiliary scientific staff, the DFG has also approved a doctoral student position for the same period.
Jan-Erik Nebel is a new assistant at the WWHK
Mr Nebel joined the WWHK team of assistants on 01.05.2022. He is working on the BMBF-funded research project entitled "Micro- and nanostructured hard magnetic materials and components for microtechnical applications MiNaMag" together with other colleagues from the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern in Kaiserslautern and Zweibrücken in cooperation with Sensitec in Mainz. The WWHK is happy about the expansion of the externally funded research activities.
Doctorate of Zhenjie Teng
On March 25, 2022, Zhenjie Teng held the colloquium at Saarland University within the framework of the doctoral procedure and successfully defended his thesis. The committee included Prof. Dirk Bähre (chairman, Saarland University), Prof. Christian Boller (reviewer, Saarland University) and Prof. Peter Starke (reviewer, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern/Saarland University) and Dr. Frank Aubertin (representative scientists, Saarland University). The WWHK team wishes Dr. Teng all the best for his professional and private future and is looking forward to a good cooperation in the future.
This was also an important milestone for the WWHK, as Dr. Teng was the first of the team to complete his PhD. Hopefully, many more will follow...
Further expansion of the experimental infrastructure at WWHK
Through the Research and Innovation budget of the Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, a corrosion measuring set-up is being set up at the WWHK, which can be integrated into the fatigue testing systems in the future. Initially, this measuring set-up will be used to investigate surface damage characteristics of austenitic materials by using distilled water as a medium.
New BMBF joint project with WWHK participation
In September 2021, the new BMBF joint project in the "FH-Kooperativ" programme will start with the title "Micro- and nanostructured hard magnetic materials and components for microtechnical applications (MiNaMag)". In addition to the WWHK, Prof. Monika Saumer (Department of Chemical Processes in Microsystems Technology, main applicant) and Prof. Sven Urschel (Department of Electrotechnical Systems in Mechatronics) and the company MOT are involved in the project, which will run for 48 months. The task of the WWHK within the framework of the joint project is the material characterisation of the electrochemically deposited materials to be developed. The WWHK team is looking forward to the interesting and interdisciplinary cooperation with the participating colleagues from the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern and MOT.
New team member at WWHK
Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan Raghuraman will join the WWHK team as an assistant in the future. After his successful master's degree, he will work on the project "Evaluation of fracture surfaces with regard to damage development of cyclically loaded specimens made of C22E and 20MnCrS5" in the next 6 months.
Extension of the infrastructure in the field of fatigue at WWHK
At the WWHK, the field of fatigue infrastructures can be upgraded again.
In August, a new servo-hydraulic fatigue testing machine from Shimadzu (EHF-E) with a maximum load of 20 kN is installed. In the future, the testing system will be used primarily in the BMWi projects running at the chair (EKusaP, MibaLeb II).
In addition, there will be the possibility of testing in the VHCF range at the WWHK in the future. A large-scale equipment application (INST 252/21-1) for the procurement of a resonance pulsator with optical strain measurement technology was approved and the test system is going to be procured by the end of the year.
Further expansion of the experimental infrastructure at WWHK
The testing infrastructure at the WWHK was further expanded via various research projects and own funds. Together with the Department of Building and Design, a digital microscope (Olympus DSX 1000) and a digital controller (DHM Prüftechnik) for an existing Schenck testing system (160 kN) were procured. A 2D DIC system from LIMESS Messtechnik was procured through a BMWi project and an eddy current tester from Rohmann was procured with the support of the HTS research focus. In addition, a further tensile test/LCF fatigue test system from Shimadzu (AGS-X 10 kN) is available. The above mentioned measuring and testing equipment will be used in current and future research projects.
Special issue in the journal Applied Sciences of MDPI publishing house
Prof. Peter Starke and Prof. Frank Walther (WPT, TU Dortmund) are guest editors for the special issue "Microstructure and Fatigue Life of Materials and Components of Nuclear Energy" of the journal Applied Sciences at MPDI.
Link to homepage
Deadline for the submission of contributions is 31.10.2021. Contributions can be submitted directly via the MDPI homepage
New EKusaP research project funded by the BMWi
At the WWHK a new research project "Development of a short-term procedure for the evaluation of damage-relevant parameters of ferritic materials and components used in nuclear technology" will start on 01.04.2021, which is funded by the BMWi. The project management agency is the Gesellschaft für Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) in Cologne.
Fabian Weber will join the WWHK team as of 01.01.2021 to work on this project. We are already looking forward to the cooperation and the start of the research project.
Installation of the new Kerr microscope at WWHK
At the WWHK the new Kerr microscope of evico magnetics was installed, which is used for the investigation of magnetic domains within the TELMa project. The results will be used in the simulation activities of the working group Electrotechnical Systems of Mechatronics to develop components with specific magnetic properties for the cell containers. The research project and the procurement of the Kerr microscope is financed by the Carl-Zeiss-Foundation.
New research project at WWHK
On October 1, 2020, the WWHK started the second phase of the joint project as a new project partner: Microstructure-based service life calculation "MibaLeb II".
The joint project is concerned with the development of a method for assessing the remaining service life of metallic nuclear power plant components that have aged during operation.
The second phase of the joint project, which is funded by the BMWi, involves transferring the results, findings and methods previously determined in the first phase of the project to real and actually loaded materials and components used in nuclear power engineering. The WWHK aims at the determination of individual aging conditions that correspond to real damage conditions. Thus, concrete statements can be made regarding the integrity and the remaining lifetime of nuclear power plants.
The further development of the StrainLife method with regard to a multi-parameter approach, in particular to better describe the transition from the LCF to the HCF range, is also a further research focus of this joint project.
Partners in the joint project are TU Dortmund University, Saarland University, MPA University Stuttgart and the Society for Plant and Reactor Safety.
Further information about the joint project can be found here
New research project "Tissue engineering of cells in complex hydrogels using three-dimensional electrical and magnetic stimulation"
PM 2020-01-13 Artificial intestine to limit animal experiments
In April 2020, the interdisciplinary joint project "TelMa" will start, in which a total of 9 working groups of the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern will work together to develop new possibilities for regenerative medicine. In addition to the project management by Prof. Saumer, the other participants are the working groups of Professors Urschel, Raabe, Brigadski, Braun, Schäfer, Trautmann, Möbius and the WWHK Prof. Starke.
With regard to the start of the project, the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern issued a press release describing the activities within the framework of the research project supported by the Carl-Zeiss Foundation.
Introduction of Professor Peter Starke at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern
Retrospectives, insights and outlooks...
Link to the article