New approaches in lightweight furniture construction From May 20 to 23, the InPeiro research project was presented at Interzum 2025 in Cologne – the leading international trade fair for furniture production and interior design. At the joint booth of igeL e.V. (Interessengemeinschaft Leichtbau), the project team from TH OWL, ambigence, Gerhard Koch Maschinenfabrik and the University of Paderborn showcased innovative approaches to functionally…

M.Sc. Lennart Tasche passed his doctoral dissertation examination entitled "Qualification of soft magnetic materials for additive manufacturing using the SLM process" with distinction on 17 June 2025. The examination was organised by a committee consisting of Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Mirko Schaper (LWK), Prof. Dr. Thomas Tröster (LiA), Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Schmid (PVT) and Dr. Florian Hengsbach (LWK). Congratulations on this outstanding…

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the benefit of the environment and climate is one of the most urgent challenges for industry. However, suitable measures that cover the entire value chain are still associated with high costs. Because production, energy and information technology must be coordinated with each other, there are interactions that affect the identification and price of the measures.  The results of the collaborative project…

The ILH is pleased to welcome new staff in two groups: At the Chair of Materials Science (LWK), we welcome Ms Lea Kaspersmeier as a new team member. As part of her research, she will be dealing with issues relating to additive manufacturing with a special focus on the development of new alloys for medical technology applications. Also new to the ILH is Arndt Cassens, who will support the Lightweight Automotive team (LiA) as a research assistant…

Around 20 trainees from the Richard-von-Weizsäcker technical vocational college in Paderborn recently visited the Institute for Lightweight Construction with Hybrid Systems (ILH) at Paderborn University. The participants are in the dual training programme with the additional qualification (ZQ) "Digital Manufacturing Processes" - a programme that is open to particularly committed trainees.At the Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Berufskolleg, a wide range of…

We are delighted to welcome Tamino Donner as a new research associate with a doctoral project at the NIWI. With a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Paderborn University and a thesis on the development of AI-based, decentralised control strategies for fifth-generation heating networks, Mr Donner brings sound technical expertise and a spirit of innovation to the table. His doctorate is dedicated to researching innovative control…

The Institute of Lightweight Structures with Hybrid Materials (ILH) is expanding its research capacities with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art high-speed atomic force microscope (HS-AFM), which was sponsored by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The new device, a JPK NanoWizard® Ultra Speed 3 (Bruker), enables high-resolution surface analyses. Thanks to a scan rate of up to 1400 lines per second,…

Another specialist group has been part of the ILH consortium since January 2025. In spring 2024, the professorship for ‘Sustainable Industrialisation and Resilient Infrastructure’ was established in cooperation with the family-owned company Bette GmbH & Co. KG from Delbrück and has been headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Schlüter. The specialist group focusses on the holistic consideration of energy supply, production processes and products over…

The 27th Jour Fixe 'New Processes: Composites in the Automotive Industry' took place on 21 October, with around 30 CU members and guests discussing using fibre-reinforced plastics and how they're likely to develop in the future. The ILH was represented by Mr Julian Lückenkötter, who presented a paper on the process development of a box body floor assembly for vehicles in the 3.5t class. The background to the project, funded by the German Federal…

We are pleased to welcome Professor Dr Richard Ostwald as the new Head of the Chair of Structural and Materials Mechanics. Mr Ostwald takes over the position of the former Chair of Engineering Mechanics and brings with him an extensive scientific career.

The meeting of the scientific working group for plastics technology took place on 24 October 2024 in Frankfurt. At this meeting, four prizes were awarded for the best diploma thesis and the best dissertation in the field of the donors. Lisa Tölle won the prize sponsored by Röchling for her dissertation entitled A contribution to controlling the development of fibre dust from fibre-reinforced plastics during mechanical recycling", supervised by…

The second joint meeting of the DMRC-Academic and ILH Advisory Boards and Executive Boards took place as part of the first inter-institute event in the research priority Sustainable Materials, Processes and Products. In addition to Prof. Schmid and Prof. Tröster reporting on current developments and research areas at the DMRC and ILH, Prof. Meschede, Head of the Competence Centre for Sustainable Energy Technology (KET) at the University of…

On 24 September, a special double event took place at the University of Paderborn, focusing on the interdisciplinary power of mechanical engineering and additive manufacturing. The network meeting of OWL3D, an initiative to promote 3D printing in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region, cooperated with the Mechanical Engineering Forum. The hosts were the Direct Manufacturing Research Centre (DMRC) for OWL3D and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering for the…

With mixed feelings Professor Mahnken was sent into his well deserved retirement on 29th February 2024, after an impressive career. Because of his long time dedication and outstanding performance he inspired and shaped many students. His engagement for education and his tireless efforts for science have built a solid base for countless academic successes. His entire scientiffic work includes three textbooks on technical mechanics and more than…

Alexander Schlüter has been a new lecturer at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering since January 2024. The newly established endowed professorship was created in collaboration with the Bette family business from Delbrück. Prof. Schlüter's Chair of Sustainable Industrialisation and Resilient Infrastructure conducts interdisciplinary research into the holistic approach to energy supply, production processes and products over their entire life…