Research activities

Cooperating companies: University of Tübingen

Funding body: DFG

The aim of this project is the instrumental development and the basic methodological understanding as well as the application of the capillary coupling of isotachophoresis (ITP) with capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS). The capillaries are connected via a microfluidic interface, where intermediate detection is accomplished based on conductivity detection. First, instrumental aspects of the column coupling of ITP/CE-MS are addressed, focusing on management accounting of electromigration in the channel network of the microfluidic interface. This is achieved by determining the potential at cross sections of channels and its subsequent feedback control adapting voltages. Second, we optimize heart-cutting techniques to transfer analytes to the second dimension with MS detection reaching high separation efficiency and resolution. The aims of the project are:
- establish a voltage regime with a new miniaturized, tunable (over zero) high-voltage source
- determine electric potentials at channel cross sections and implement intermediate detection
- develop a control circuit to control electromigration in side channels of the separation and dynamically adapt electric potentials based on dynamic potential measurement and a tunable high-voltage source
- reach an understanding of parameters relevant for analyte transfer
- apply ITP-chipC4D/CE-MS for glyphosate analysis in environmental samples and understand possibilities and limitations with regard to matrix removal and detection limits

Cooperating companies: Department, Institute Pasteur in Paris, University College Dublin, ALBA synchrotron Barcelons

Project duration: 09.2023 - 09.2027
Funding body: European Union under Horizon Europe

EU-funded Doctoral Network CLEXM:

CLEXM is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks Action (MSCA-DN), funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe. The objective of MSCA-DN Project is to implement doctoral programs by partnerships of organizations as well as to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term. Partner organizations include the Department, Institute Pasteur in Paris, University College Dublin, and ALBA synchrotron in Barcelona. CLEXM addresses an urgent need for collaborations in the field of correlative multimodal imaging. It will gather and integrate information from complementary imaging modalities to create a more complete view of biomedical processes of disease and drug therapy research.

http://www.clexm.eu/

Cooperating companies: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center USA, Advanced Light Microscopy Scientific Platform Portugal, Stellenbosch University South Africa, Medical University Vienna Austria, Uppsala University Sweden, Euro-BioImaging Finland, The Cyprus Institute, University of Bristol UK, Univeristy of Gotheburg Sweden, Nantes University France

Project duration: 04.2023 - 05.2025
Funding body: Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative

This project will consolidate and extend a collaborative and innovative network promoting MultiModal Imaging and analysis across scales (MMI) from biological research to clinical diagnostics, and establish a global multimodal imaging association (COMULISglobe) to ensure long term sustainability. MMI integrates the best features of combined techniques and overcomes limitations faced when applying single modalities independently. MMI relies on the joint expertise from biologists, physicists, chemists, clinicians, and computer scientists, and depends on coordinated activities and knowledge transfer between technology developers and users. To achieve this inherently interdisciplinary goal, it is indispensable to establish a network of scientists across continents and disciplines, from academia and industry, including transnational research facilities (e.g. synchrotrons, Euro-BioImaging ERIC), to foster and market MMI as a versatile tool in biomedical research and diagnostics. We will capitalize on COMULIS, a European initiative (comulis.eu), and extend it globally and sustainably. The network will raise awareness of the manifold benefits of MMI, train researchers, and promote a scientific mindset enthusiastic about interdisciplinary imaging and analysis. The MMI network will help bridge the gap between biological and clinical imaging, identify, fund, and showcase novel multimodal pipelines, and develop, evaluate, and publish correlation software through dedicated networking activities, including conferences, training schools, open databases, and fellowships for lab exchanges, access to research infrastructures, and conference attendance. All outputs of the project will be open access.

www.comulis.eu

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 12.2022 - 12.2024
Funded by: Carl Zeiss Foundation

The great strength of fluorescence microscopy (FM) at room temperature is its ability to study living cells. In cases where the dynamics are too fast and the sample needs to be immobilized for imaging (e.g., for super-resolution (SR) FM), chemical fixation is usually the method of choice. However, chemical fixation is associated with structural changes in the sample and can lead to artifacts in the microscopy images, which in turn can lead to misinterpretation of biological functions and mechanisms. Rapid freezing (vitrification) of the sample allows immobilization in a near-natural state. Structural preservation is particularly important for microscopy techniques that achieve very high resolution. Therefore, the main application of cryo-FM is in combination with cryo-electron microscopy (EM). Nevertheless, cryo-FM can also be combined with SR imaging and serve as an alternative to classical SR-FM in chemically fixed samples. In this project, we aim to develop a unique cryogenic SR-FM below the Abbe diffraction limit with structured illumination (SIM). The cryogenic SIM setup will visualize molecules with twice the lateral resolution compared to conventional FM and enable optical sections. This setup sets the stage for correlating FM with cryo-EM (in particular focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy) and addressing clinically relevant research questions. The correlation of microscopy techniques under cryogenic conditions is important because it directly images specific molecules in their original cellular context: While EM allows visualization of the subcellular architecture of a cell, molecular complexes within that cell can only be uniquely localized by FM.

Project duration: 03.2023 - 01.2027
Funded by: BMBF - University of Applied Sciences Cooperative program

In MoKi-Pro, new possibilities for dynamic data processing using model and AI-supported methods are to be researched using the example of technologically demanding optics production (production tolerances of up to sub-nm required) and realized with the participating companies. One sub-project is the development of a platform for high-resolution, non-destructive SSD measurement using an OCT setup.

Cooperating companies: Actuator Solutions GmbH

Project duration: 02.2023 - 01.2026
Funding provider: BMBF - University of Applied Sciences Cooperative program

The aim of the project is the investigations/analyses and development of 3D shaped structures for the defined application of drugs now their replication by means of nano-imprint lithography.

In this project, AG Heinrich will investigate the replication of polymer microneedles, which are to be used for medication, with the help of nanoimprint lithography and their curing in UV light. In addition, the light conduction in such needles is to be investigated.

Project duration: 10.2022 - 09.2025
Funding provider: State of Baden-Württemberg - performance-oriented funding of academic mid-level staff for RU research groups

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 10.2022 - 09.2025
Funding provider: State of Baden-Württemberg - Performance-oriented funding of academic mid-level staff for RU research groups

In this call for proposals, particularly high-performing research groups, research units at HAW in Baden-Württemberg are funded with the aim of enabling a "Mittelbaustruktur" at HAW. In detail, the task here is to strategically strengthen the special field of additive manufacturing of optical elements at the Centre for Optical Technologies and to develop a fundamental understanding of polymerization.

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 01.2023 - 06.2024
Funding provider: Kessler + Co. foundation - Explor

The EXPLOR program of the Kessler + Co. Foundation for Education and Culture supports the initial research activities of newly appointed Professors / Professors. The project addresses physical effects that lead to a change in the refractive index during the polymerization of liquid resins. In terms of application, the expected project results are relevant for the production of resin-based plastic optics, for example.

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 01.2023 - 12.2024
Funding provider: Carl Zeiss Foundation - Wildcard 2022

The program supports unconventional ideas in the STEM field at a very early stage with 750,000 euros. The aim of the application, submitted by Aalen University of Applied Sciences, is the contactless manipulation of light without interaction with solids using ultrasonic waves.

Cooperating companies: Setolite Lichttechnik GmbH

Project duration: 10.2022 - 12.2024
Funding provider: ZIM

The aim of the project is to develop and investigate/analyze homogeneous lighting scenarios based on additively manufactured optics.

Cooperating companies: SmartPro Partner

Project duration: 06.2021 - 05.2025
Funding provider: BMBF - program FH-Impuls-SmartPro

New additive technologies, materials and concepts are being developed cross-sectionally in the SmartPro impulse projects AddFunk (2017-2021) and Smart-ADD (2021-2025) in close cooperation with the SmartPro application fields (energy converters, energy storage and lightweight construction).

All of the HSAA's research groups, research units in the field of additive manufacturing are involved in this project. The aim is to build a platform consisting of a wide variety of technologies in the field of additive manufacturing and to investigate possible combinations of different technologies. The ZOT and LAZ are responsible for developing and investigating additively manufactured optics. It is essential, for example, to develop an understanding of light propagation and to carry out investigations/analyses in materials science in order to find new functionalized materials for optics.

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 03.2022 - 02.2025
Funding provider: State of Baden-Württemberg - Funding program

The aim of the project is to expand the infrastructure in the field (of) additive manufacturing towards nanostructures.

At the centre is the procurement of an additive manufacturing system for optical components based on 2-photon polymerization using a USP laser, as well as the start of pilot projects for the use of this system with the aim of deriving further research projects for knowledge-oriented research.

Cooperating companies: University of Tübingen
Funding body: DFG

The aim of this project is the instrumental development and the basic methodological understanding
as well as the application of the capillary coupling of isotachophoresis (ITP) with capillary
electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS). The capillaries are connected via a microfluidic
interface, where intermediate detection is accomplished based on conductivity detection.
First, instrumental aspects of the column coupling of ITP/CE-MS are addressed, focusing on
controlling electromigration in the channel network of the microfluidic interface. This is achieved
by determining the potential at cross sections of channels and its subsequent feedback control
adapting voltages. Second, we optimize heart-cutting techniques to transfer analytes to the second
dimension with MS detection reaching high separation efficiency and resolution. The aims
of the project are:
- establish a voltage regime with a new miniaturized, tunable (over zero) high-voltage source
- determine electric potentials at channel cross sections and implement intermediate detection
- develop a control circuit to control electromigration in side channels of the separation and dynamically
adapt electric potentials based on dynamic potential measurement and a tunable
high-voltage source
- reach an understanding of parameters relevant for analyte transfer
- apply ITP-chipC4D/CE-MS for glyphosate analysis in environmental samples and understand
possibilities and limitations with regard to matrix removal and detection limits

Cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss IMT, PTB Berlin, JCMWave

Project duration: 01.2021 - 12.2023
Funded by: BMBF - KMU Innovatriv

In this scheme, enterprise, aim, goal, goal is the development of novel software-based processes, procedures
of micro- and nanostructures using microscopic imaging measurement methods are being researched and
developed. These are used in industrial Metrology for precise, traceable to SI units
measurements of 2D and 3D geometries using quantitative microscopes, optical coordinate measuring
coordinate measuring machines (CMM) or similar imaging measuring systems.

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 09.2020 - 08.2023
Funding body: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Microlenses are widely used in optics. Of high interest would be to enable a customized form of such microlenses. In general, 3D printing enables a high degree of individualization of components. This project will therefore investigate whether it is possible to deform 3D printed liquid polymers (=microlenses) using electric fields and then cure them. This enables a new way of realizing microlenses with free-form surfaces. The aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of, for example, the relationship between the distribution of the electric fields and the lens shape, as well as the material properties of the polymers and the resulting shapes. It is also necessary to investigate how the optical properties are related to the realizable shape and the material properties. The aim is to examine the topic from different perspectives, i.e. to look at the interplay of optical properties, 3D printing, electric fields and material properties experimentally and using simulation models in order to gain a deeper overall understanding of the topic.

The objectives are as follows:

To investigate the influence of different electric field distributions (at different thicknesses and positions of the electrodes) on the deformation of the printed liquid polymer droplets (at different materials, substrates and print volumes). Material parameters such as polarizability, viscosity, shrinkage or topics such as the interaction between substrate and droplets play an essential role here. In order to capture these relationships and gain a deeper understanding, it is necessary to develop corresponding simulation models based on Matlab and ANSYS and to validate these using experiments. The simulation models thus contribute significantly to the added 1. academic (allgem.) value of the scheme, enterprise, aim, goal.

The above-mentioned investigations/analyses are then to be expanded. On the one hand, the substrates are to be pre-structured in order to enable further framework conditions for droplet formation and deformation. On the other hand, a defined symmetrical surface structure is to be imprinted by several symmetrically arranged electrodes or via standing surface waves, as would be desirable for many optical applications. Here, too, the interplay between optics, electric fields and the material world must be combined and considered as a whole.

Finally, as an applied goal, a microlens system based on several lenses is to be realized and investigated/analyzed in detail. In addition to the scientific question of the optical credit, performance of the system, materials science issues (diffusion, cracks, etc.) also arise at the boundary layer between two microlenses that are in contact and are to be printed as a stack.

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 08.2017 - 07.2023
Funding body: German Research Foundation (DFG)

The aim of the project is to develop an additive manufacturing platform with 6 degrees of freedom and an in-situ analysis and structuring unit that is accessible to research groups, research units. To this end, the individual modules of the platform were realized in the first phase of the project: A robot kinematics is located on a vibration-damped table, which can flexibly move a 3D printing unit (multi-jet modeling) in space (Module 1). In addition, a laser structuring unit was developed (Module 2) as well as various analysis units (Module 3) that can be operated in parallel to the printing process using a second robot arm. In order to achieve a high print resolution, precise sample movement is possible via a hexapod. An optical measuring system was developed accordingly to reference the individual kinematics to each other.

The current 2nd phase of the project is divided into 3 work packages. The aim of WP 1 is to further develop the production platform. This includes the integration of the individual modules into an overall platform and the realization of further functionalities. The aim of WP 2 is to answer research questions related to the development of the platform. These include in-depth investigations into the structuring of 3D printed materials using the integrated laser system, further investigations/analyses of the double patterning process, analysis of light propagation in printed optical waveguides and basic experiments on the interaction of electric fields with printed microlenses. In WP 3, the research platform will be used for initial pilot projects to evaluate its performance. A total of 5 cooperation partners from various research areas have been selected to work together on their research questions.

Project duration: 12.2022 - 12.2024
Funded by: Carl Zeiss Foundation

The great strength of fluorescence microscopy (FM) at room temperature is its ability to study living cells. In cases where the dynamics are too fast and the sample needs to be immobilized for imaging (e.g., for super-resolution (SR) FM), chemical fixation is usually the method of choice. However, chemical fixation is associated with structural changes in the sample and can lead to artifacts in the microscopy images, which in turn can lead to misinterpretation of biological functions and mechanisms. Rapid freezing (vitrification) of the sample allows immobilization in a near-natural state. Structural preservation is particularly important for microscopy techniques that achieve very high resolution. Therefore, the main application of cryo-FM is in combination with cryo-electron microscopy (EM). Nevertheless, cryo-FM can also be combined with SR imaging and serve as an alternative to classical SR-FM in chemically fixed samples. In this project, we aim to develop a unique cryogenic SR-FM below the Abbe diffraction limit with structured illumination (SIM). The cryogenic SIM setup will visualize molecules with twice the lateral resolution compared to conventional FM and enable optical sections. This setup sets the stage for correlating FM with cryo-EM (in particular focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy) and addressing clinically relevant research questions. The correlation of microscopy techniques under cryogenic conditions is important because it directly images specific molecules in their original cellular context: While EM allows visualization of the subcellular architecture of a cell, molecular complexes within that cell can only be uniquely localized by FM.

Cooperating companies: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center USA, Advanced Light Microscopy Scientific Platform Portugal, Stellenbosch University South Africa, Medical University Vienna Austria, Uppsala University Sweden, Euro-BioImaging Finland, The Cyprus Institute, University of Bristol UK, Univeristy of Gotheburg Sweden, Nantes University France

Project duration: 04.2023 - 05.2025
Funding body: Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative

This project will consolidate and extend a collaborative and innovative network promoting MultiModal Imaging and analysis across scales (MMI) from biological research to clinical diagnostics, and establish a global multimodal imaging association (COMULISglobe) to ensure long term sustainability. MMI integrates the best features of combined techniques and overcomes limitations faced when applying single modalities independently. MMI relies on the joint expertise from biologists, physicists, chemists, clinicians, and computer scientists, and depends on coordinated activities and knowledge transfer between technology developers and users. To achieve this inherently interdisciplinary goal, it is indispensable to establish a network of scientists across continents and disciplines, from academia and industry, including transnational research facilities (e.g. synchrotrons, Euro-BioImaging ERIC), to foster and market MMI as a versatile tool in biomedical research and diagnostics. We will capitalize on COMULIS, a European initiative (comulis.eu), and extend it globally and sustainably. The network will raise awareness of the manifold benefits of MMI, train researchers, and promote a scientific mindset enthusiastic about interdisciplinary imaging and analysis. The MMI network will help bridge the gap between biological and clinical imaging, identify, fund, and showcase novel multimodal pipelines, and develop, evaluate, and publish correlation software through dedicated networking activities, including conferences, training schools, open databases, and fellowships for lab exchanges, access to research infrastructures, and conference attendance. All outputs of the project will be open access.

Cooperating companies: Department, Institute Pasteur in Paris, University College Dublin, ALBA synchrotron Barcelons

Project duration: 09.2023 - 09.2027
Funding body: European Union under Horizon Europe

CLEXM is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks Action (MSCA-DN), funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe. The objective of MSCA-DN Project is to implement doctoral programs by partnerships of organizations as well as to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term. Partner organizations include the Department, Institute Pasteur in Paris, University College Dublin, and ALBA synchrotron in Barcelona. CLEXM addresses an urgent need for collaborations in the field of correlative multimodal imaging. It will gather and integrate information from complementary imaging modalities to create a more complete view of biomedical processes of disease and drug therapy research.

Project duration: 12.2022 - 12.2024
Funded by: Carl Zeiss Foundation

The great strength of fluorescence microscopy (FM) at room temperature is its ability to study living cells. In cases where the dynamics are too fast and the sample needs to be immobilized for imaging (e.g., for super-resolution (SR) FM), chemical fixation is usually the method of choice. However, chemical fixation is associated with structural changes in the sample and can lead to artifacts in the microscopy images, which in turn can lead to misinterpretation of biological functions and mechanisms. Rapid freezing (vitrification) of the sample allows immobilization in a near-natural state. Structural preservation is particularly important for microscopy techniques that achieve very high resolution. Therefore, the main application of cryo-FM is in combination with cryo-electron microscopy (EM). Nevertheless, cryo-FM can also be combined with SR imaging and serve as an alternative to classical SR-FM in chemically fixed samples. In this project, we aim to develop a unique cryogenic SR-FM below the Abbe diffraction limit with structured illumination (SIM). The cryogenic SIM setup will visualize molecules with twice the lateral resolution compared to conventional FM and enable optical sections. This setup sets the stage for correlating FM with cryo-EM (in particular focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy) and addressing clinically relevant research questions. The correlation of microscopy techniques under cryogenic conditions is important because it directly images specific molecules in their original cellular context: While EM allows visualization of the subcellular architecture of a cell, molecular complexes within that cell can only be uniquely localized by FM.

Cooperating companies: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center USA, Advanced Light Microscopy Scientific Platform Portugal, Stellenbosch University South Africa, Medical University Vienna Austria, Uppsala University Sweden, Euro-BioImaging Finland, The Cyprus Institute, University of Bristol UK, Univeristy of Gotheburg Sweden, Nantes University France

Project duration: 04.2023 - 05.2025
Funding body: Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative

This project will consolidate and extend a collaborative and innovative network promoting MultiModal Imaging and analysis across scales (MMI) from biological research to clinical diagnostics, and establish a global multimodal imaging association (COMULISglobe) to ensure long term sustainability. MMI integrates the best features of combined techniques and overcomes limitations faced when applying single modalities independently. MMI relies on the joint expertise from biologists, physicists, chemists, clinicians, and computer scientists, and depends on coordinated activities and knowledge transfer between technology developers and users. To achieve this inherently interdisciplinary goal, it is indispensable to establish a network of scientists across continents and disciplines, from academia and industry, including transnational research facilities (e.g. synchrotrons, Euro-BioImaging ERIC), to foster and market MMI as a versatile tool in biomedical research and diagnostics. We will capitalize on COMULIS, a European initiative (comulis.eu), and extend it globally and sustainably. The network will raise awareness of the manifold benefits of MMI, train researchers, and promote a scientific mindset enthusiastic about interdisciplinary imaging and analysis. The MMI network will help bridge the gap between biological and clinical imaging, identify, fund, and showcase novel multimodal pipelines, and develop, evaluate, and publish correlation software through dedicated networking activities, including conferences, training schools, open databases, and fellowships for lab exchanges, access to research infrastructures, and conference attendance. All outputs of the project will be open access.

Cooperating companies: Karlsruhe Department, Institute of Technology & University Medical Center Göttingen

Project duration: 04.2025 - 04.2028
Funding body: Carl Zeiss Foundation

Cancer therapy using radiotherapy and chemotherapy also damages healthy cells. The interdisciplinary joint project "NanoLYRIC" of Aalen University of Applied Sciences, the Karlsruhe Department, Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) aims to kill cancer cells in a targeted and more efficient way than before and reduce side effects on healthy tissue. To this end, the working group of Professor C. Feldmann at KIT is developing novel nanoparticles that are loaded with chemotherapeutic agents and contain gold as a heavy element. During radiotherapy, these nanoparticles absorb more radiation into the tumor tissue and release the chemotherapeutic agents selectively and only in the tumor. This simultaneous combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, liaised with (companies), liaise between (students and companies), coordinate, act as an intermediary between, selectively killing only the cancer cells and sparing healthy tissue.

This new nanoparticle-based therapy is being evaluated preclinically at the UMG by Prof. F. Alves, Prof. C. Dullin and Prof. S .Rieken for its accumulation in the tumor and its effect. For the evaluation, the institution of higher education Aalen University of Applied Sciences by Prof. A. Walter and Prof. C. Neusüß and the UMG are using cross-scale imaging processes, procedures.

The aim is to reduce the side effects of the therapy on the healthy tissue or the entire organism and at the same time to improve the therapeutic effectiveness and thus increase the quality of life and survival chances of patients.

Cooperation partners: see https://www.comulis.eu/

Project duration: 12.2018 - 11.2022
Funding provider: EU

The network aims at fueling urgently needed collaborations in the field of correlated multimodal imaging
(CMI), promoting and disseminating its benefits through showcase pipelines, and paving the way for its
technological advancement and implementation as a versatile tool in biological and preclinical research. CMI
combines two or more imaging modalities to gather information about the same specimen. It creates a
composite view of the sample with multidimensional information about its macro-, meso- and microscopic
structure, dynamics, function and chemical composition. Since no single imaging technique can reveal all
these details, CMI is the only way to understand biomedical processes and diseases mechanistically and
holistically. CMI relies on the joint multidisciplinary expertise from biologists, physicists, chemists, clinicians
and computer scientists, and depends on coordinated activities and knowledge transfer between academia
and industry, and instrument developers and users. Due to its inherently multidisciplinary and crossfunctional
nature, an interdisciplinary network such as this Action is indispensable for the success of CMI.
Nevertheless, there is currently no European network in the field. Existing scattered efforts focus on
correlated light and electron microscopy or (pre)clinical hybrid imaging. This Action will consolidate these
efforts, establish commonly-accepted protocols and quality standards for existing CMI approaches, identify
and showcase novel CMI pipelines, bridge the gap between preclinical and biological imaging, and foster
correlation software through networking, workshops and open databases. The network will raise awareness
for CMI, train researchers in multimodal approaches, and work towards a scientific mindset that is
enthusiastic about interdisciplinary imaging approaches in life sciences.

Cooperating companies: DKM

Project duration: 06.2020 - 10.2022
Funded by: ZIM

The vibration behavior of loudspeaker membranes is to be optimized by means of a defined printing process

Collaboration, cooperation: Prof. Arif Kazi / Mechatronics HS Aalen & Actuator Solutions GmbH

Project duration: 10.2019 - 09.2022
Funded by: BMBF - FHKooperativ program

The aim of the project is to develop a high-resolution additive manufacturing system based on stereolithography (µPSL)

Cooperating companies: -

Project duration: 06.2020 - 05.2021
Funding provider: BMBF - FH Invest program

The aim of the project is to expand the infrastructure of the ZOT with a nanoimprint lithography system, coating attachments, scattered light analysis system and clean room structure

Cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss AG

Project duration: 08.2018 - 07.2021
Funded by: BMBF - FHProfUnt program (RaFoK)

The aim is to enable robot-based additive manufacturing of optical components in order to be able to consciously influence the printing layers. This is intended to meet the current challenges of 3D printing of optics. On the one hand, this includes the surface roughness resulting from the layer structure. On the other hand, the orientation of the individual layers has a significant influence on the quality of the optical components produced.

cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss AG, Eluminocity

Project duration: 06.2017 - 05.2021
Funded by: BMBF - Program FH-Impuls / SmartPro

www.smart-pro.org

In this project, the complete process chain of additive manufacturing is to be considered holistically, including upstream and downstream procedural steps - including a simulation of the process.

Cooperating companies: Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena, Ilmenau University of Technology, Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH, Günter Effgen GmbH, ifw optronics GmbH, SCHOTT Technical Glass Solutions GmbH, Festo Didactic SE.

Project duration: 04.2017 - 03.2021
Funded by: BMBF -Programm Forschung an Fachhochschulen, funding code 13FH003IB6

The aim of this project is to digitally network the university locations with each other. A customized cloud solution "Platform for Optical Technologies 4.0" can then be used to pooled the skills of the research-strong working groups, leading to the development and cooperation, cooperative venture, partnership, collaboration of young engineering sciences teams in a new dimension.

Cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss AG, Chromasens GmbH

Project duration: planned: 07.2017 - 06.2020
Funding body: BW Foundation (NeMFagO)

The project focuses on materials and their processing for the additive manufacturing of optical components. The aim is to enable higher functionalities in the 3D printed optical components by using accordingly material compositions.

Project duration: 04.2017 - 03.2020
Funded by: DFG

In this project, fundamental investigations/analyses of additive manufacturing will be carried out. An essential point is to carry out an in-situ analysis of the component parameters parallel to 3D printing.

Cooperating companies: Deggendorf Institute of Technology - Laboratory / lab Optical Engineering, asphericon GmbH, Berliner Glas KGaA, Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, FISBA OPTIK AG, JENOPTIK Optical Systems GmbH, Leica Camera AG, Leica Microsystems GmbH, Opteg GmbH, OptoTech Optikmaschinen GmbH, POG Präzisionsoptik Gera GmbH, Qioptiq Photonics GmbH & Co KG, Satisloh AG

Project duration: 01.2017 - 06.2019
Funded by: BMWi - IGF 18564 N program

With high-quality optical surfaces, errors in the mid-frequency band between form deviation and roughness (Mid-Spatial Frequency Errors, MSFE) can mean that the optics cannot be used due to the resulting diffraction and scattered light component. The aims of the EmmaV project are the systematic description of MSFE and their active avoidance. To this end, the manifestations of these defects are analyzed and their causes identified during the production process. Strategies for MSFE avoidance are to be developed through error simulation and optimization of process parameters.

Cooperating company: Carl Zeiss AG

Project duration: 07.2016 - 06.2019
Funded by: BMBF - FHProfUnt program (reference number 03FH002PX5)

The technological goal is the development of an optical lighting system produced entirely by additive manufacturing. This means that the light source, mechanical components and optics are to be realized using 3D printing processes. The mechanics and optics are to be monolithic. A printed OLED is to be developed as the light source. The feasibility is to be shown with the company with one demonstrator each from the field (of) biophotonics and from the industrial environment. The strategic goal of this project is to combine the two directions (biophotonics and industrial optics) of the photonics research focus at HTW Aalen.

https://youtu.be/dM6bgQudgh8

Cooperating companies: IPT, ILT, institution of higher education Halmstad, La Sapienza University of Rome, University of Modena, Autodesk, QISAB, SIR Robotics, Gizelis Robotics, Berlin Heart, Romagnani Stampi, Formtech, Getinge Infection Control

Project duration: 01.2015 - 12.2018
Funded by: European Commission - Horizon 2020 program, Grant Number 637080

Polishing techniques are used in almost all fields (of) industrial manufacturing, but often manual polishing is the only option because the tasks are too complex to be automated. SYMPLEXITY is a 4-year project to improve cooperation, cooperative venture, partnership collaboration, between humans and robots specifically in the field (of) industrial polishing. Polishing is a largely manual and time-consuming process that has so far relied on human skills for surface finishing. A consortium of end users, universities, integrators and polishing experts have come together to develop a solution that frees humans from repetitive, labor-intensive tasks and increases their capabilities in the enterprise smart factory. SYMPLEXITY combines robotics, polishing and digital inspection to achieve increased productivity, reduce repetitive strain injuries and improve human focus on higher value tasks. SYMPLEXITY bridges the gap between highly automated production processes and manual polishing of complex geometries by creating a safe environment for cooperation, cooperative venture, partnership, collaboration between the robot and the human worker. To ensure the relevance of the proposed goals to European industry and practical benefits, SYMPLEXITY is strongly driven by end-users from different industries; automotive, medicine, Tool making & forming.

Here you can find a YouTube video about the SYMPLEXITY project.

cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss AG, AKU GmbH

Project duration: 11.2015 - 10.2018
Funded by: BW Foundation (SOMS 3D)

The aim of the project is to develop a self-optimizing optical measuring shape sensor that is characterized by both intelligent algorithms and intelligent hardware. The algorithms of the sensor to be developed are essential, which represent the software-side intelligence of the sensor through the use of the miniaturized single-board computer Raspberry Pi in the sensor. These have various tasks, such as checking the relevance of a measuring point, or the continuous individual adjustment of the signal quality for each individual measuring point, or also checking the currently achieved measuring resolution for each individual measuring point.

Furthermore, the optical measurement signal is to be realized with the help of additively manufactured imaging optics. These are to be designed as reflective components (aluminium reflectors) and realized using the SLM process, procedure.

Cooperating companies: Carl Zeiss IMT, Carl Zeiss Vision, MicroEpsilon GmbH

Project duration: 04.2015 - 03.2018
Funded by: BMBF - FHProfUnt program (reference 03FH048PB4)

The aim of the project is to develop a new miniaturized optical-tactile sensor technology for shape measurement. The first key point is to use additive manufacturing processes ("3D printing") to adapt the sensors individually to different applications (3D printing of plastic optics). 3D printing enables the commercial, economical, profitable, financially cost-effective realization of individual sensor heads and completely new design approaches. In addition, simultaneous optical-tactile measurement should be possible, which is why the optical sensor heads are integrated into a tactile coordinate measuring machine. The second key point is to pursue a model-based measurement and evaluation strategy by using prior knowledge of the component geometry in order to significantly increase the accuracy of the sensors. Credentials for proof of the traceability and measuring equipment capability of the customized systems are also to be developed. The usability of the developed technologies is to be proven using two demonstrators for different lead applications. The institution of higher education (HS) Aalen is leading the project with regard to the first core point, the HS Landshut with regard to the second.

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