Welcome to the Plastics Technology Group

TU Ilmenau | Michael Reichel (arifoto)
   

As a modern, multi-functional, environmentally compatible and sustainable material that can be produced and processed energy-saving in a variety of Techniques, plastic is the materials technology success story of recent decades and offers a great potential for the future. This is also reflected in the wide range of technical opportunities offered by plastics in an increasingly individualised society.

     

Plastics technology is a discipline that results from the overlap of machine / process and process, application and material technology. The knowledge that plastics engineers have to bring to the profession at raw material manufacturers, machine and tool manufacturers and plastics processors is therefore interdisciplinary and the challenges are manifold. The training of technical engineers for of plastics technology is a discipline in mechanical engineering.

A broadly diversified occupational profile at plastics manufacturers, processors and users with many facets is therefore waiting for graduates with knowledge in plastics technology, which will continue to be of great economic importance as a growth industry in the future. The job offer is very good, both nationally and internationally.

TU Ilmenau | Michael Reichel (arifoto)

The Plastics Tcnology Group was founded at the beginning of 2009 at the TU Ilmenau. It is part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and reflects the high importance of plastics in everyday life and the economic significance for Thuringia.

In addition to its own research, the group participates in the Inter-departmental Center of Mobility Research - ThIMo and the Thuringian Center for Mechanical Engineering - THZM. Process and production technology orientation play an important role for the mobility industry.

Cooperation of the Group

Thuringian Innovation Center Mobility
Thuringian Centre for Mechanical Engineering
PolymerMat e.V.

Research

The three disciplines of plastics technology are reflected in the research activities of the department. Not only the material and its recycling, but also the manufacturing processes and the design to fulfil the function later must be considered and must be observed as an integrated approach. The research perspective derived from this includes the functionalisation of plastics for application, the use of composite structures also using wood and metals, mechanical and process engineering and the preparation and cascade utilisation of plastics and mixed composites.

TU Ilmenau
TU Ilmenau / Michael Reichel (ari)

Teaching

The Department of Plastics Engineering offers courses in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, materials science and mechatronics for both the bachelor and master's degree programs.

In addition, the department awards student research projects for further scientific qualification: student research projects, project work, diploma, bachelor and master theses - SAPADABAMA for short. In most cases the topics of these theses are directly integrated into the research projects of the department or can also be carried out in cooperation with industrial companies.

Technical equipment

The technical equipment covers process technology for multi-component injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, RTM pressing and laminating for plastics and plastic composites. Due to the comprehensive laboratory equipment, we are not only able to analyse plastics and compounds, but can also apply special measuring methods such as permeation measurements on containers and films. In addition, we are able to design customer-specific systems and develop them up to the pre-series stage. The available resources of the group can be used for research projects, contract research and services.

TU Ilmenau

About us

The team of the Plastics Technology Group, which was founded in 2009, currently consists of Professor Florian Puch (head of the group), the scientific staff and project engineers, the technical staff and the secretariat. More information about the staff can be found under the heading Team.

The group offers, among other things, various courses and student research projects that serve to further scientific qualification. Since the summer semester of 2011, a master's degree in mechanical engineering with a specialization in plastics technology has also been offered at the TU Ilmenau. Thus, TU Ilmenau offers an important and rarely found profile in university education.