ALPEX Technologies GmbH

ALPEX Technologies is a leading global supplier of tooling systems for the production of composite components.

Years of research and development, as well as profound engineering and manufacturing know how make ALPEX the specialist for highly complex, customer specific solutions for the production of CFRP components. Profound knowledge and extensive experience in varying applications of CFRP technology, both in the aerospace and the automotive sector, enables ALPEX to advise its customers competently already in the early stages of development. The results are tooling concepts on the highest technical level.

ALPEX is a supplier of tooling systems and cover everything from development and design through construction and manufacturing, to assembly of the complete production solution.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT – Latest Know How for innovative Tooling Systems

Since its beginnings, ALPEX Technologies has focused on innovation through application-oriented research and the combination of different technology fields and disciplines. The main focus lies on the industrialization of composite production processes in order to enable a cost-effective manufacturing process of high-performance fiber reinforced lightweight components.

This comprehensive and sustainable R&D approach results in a technological advantage in the areas of development, mechanical engineering, structural and process simulation as well as in measurement technology and automation.

This technological lead is specifically combined with the latest insights on manufacturing technologies for fiber composite components and directly translated into innovative equipment and tooling systems.

By combining scientific questions with practical applications, ALPEX Technologies is a welcome partner on the international stage in the lightweight composite community.

Country:
Germany

Address:
Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Strasse 7,
76327 Pfinztal

Homepage: www.ict.fraunhofer.de

Contact:
Jasper Steffens jasper.steffens@ict.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft maintains more than 80 research units in Germany, including 60 Fraunhofer Institutes.

With its clearly defined mission of application oriented research and its focus on key technologies of relevance to the future, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays a prominent role in the German and European innovation process. Applied research has a knock-on effect that extends beyond the direct benefits perceived by the customer: Through their research and development work, the Fraunhofer Institutes help to reinforce the competitive strength of the economy in their local region, and throughout Germany and Europe.

They do so by promoting innovation, strengthening the technological base, improving the acceptance of new technologies, and helping to train the urgently needed future generation of scientists and engineers. The Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, founded in 1959, is one of the largest and longest-established institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. At Fraunhofer ICT’s site in Pfinztal over 540 employees carry out research and development work in the core competence areas of chemical and environmental engineering, polymer engineering, energy systems and explosives technology.

The institute’s facilities comprise 25,000 m² of laboratories, offices, pilot plants, workshops, test stands and other facilities. This exceptional research infrastructure, which includes high-volume pilot plants and industrial-scale equipment, enables Fraunhofer ICT to develop and implement new materials, processes and products up to near-industrial level.

The project PREDATOR is carried out in the department of Polymer Engineering, which has long experience in the material and process development of fibre reinforced polymers, both thermoplastic and thermoset materials The department focusses among others on the HP-RTM process, an industrial pilot line is installed at the Fraunhofer ICT facilities.

Country:
Austria

Address:
Hasendorfer Strasse 96, 8430 Leibnitz

Homepage: www.boomsoftware.com

Contact:
Rene Fabian r.fabian@boomsoftware.com

Boom Software AG

For more than 25 years, Boom Software has been developing maintenance and production management software solutions for international players in the railway, SPRT, power supply, manufacturing and plant engineering industry. It is the first software developer that provides total adaptability of its software solutions and thus delivers the greatest possible customer benefit.

This is achieved through the TOTAL CUSTOMIZING approach, which is based on the unique technology “BORA” – Business Oriented Rapid Adaption. This technology allows the software to be fully customized and equipped to the customer’s needs, comparable to the configuration of a car. Boom’s software solutions have been specialized based on many years of experience and acquired industry knowledge.

The standard industry solutions are already adapted to the requirements of the industries and will also be adapted to customers’ corporate guidelines with TOTAL CUSTOMIZING. No matter which requirements the customer has today, which technology is currently “state of the art”, or how the customer’s business develops and changes in the future, Boom’s software solutions adjust to these circumstances.

Country:
Germany

Address:
Edisonstraße 11d,
86399 Bobingen

Homepage: www.hufschmied-tools.com

Contact:
Andreas Frank
a.frank@hufschmied.net

Hufschmied Zerspanungssysteme GmbH

Hufschmied Zerspanungssysteme GmbH has more than 25 years of experience in the development and the manufacturing of process optimized, innovative tools for machining high-tech materials such as plastic materials, glass fibers and carbon fiber reinforced materials.

Hufschmied employs more than 100 employees at two locations in Germany: At the headquarter in Bobingen (close to Augsburg) and the production facility in Winterlingen (area of Stuttgart). Hufschmied’s tools are distributed worldwide. Now distribution partners in 21 countries support commercialization and perform active marketing measures. Hufschmied’s business strategy is based on the knowledge that each material needs an optimized tool to be machined economically and cost-efficiently.

This is the reason why tool engineering for customers is always performed component-specifically and in correlation with machining processes. Since many years Hufschmied has specialized on tool development for machining of complex composites like carbon- or glass-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP, GFRP).

Well-known companies and suppliers in automotive and aerospace industries rely on Hufschmied’s material-optimized tools for serial production, such as e.g. BMW, SGL, Airbus Group/Premium Aerotec (supplier for Boeing/Dreamliner, Eurofighter, A400M etc.). Thanks to the new generation of tools with innovative geometries, optimized cutting parameters and machining strategies, machining costs can be reduced by 30%.

Because of the early focus on machining plastic materials, glass fibers and carbon fibers reinforced materials, Hufschmied attained a top position in Europe for chipping/milling of new materials.