Plastics Engineering / Sustainable Polymer Engineering

The course examines the strains and stresses that form in material areas of loaded components and provides mathematical descriptions for this. With this, strength and stability assessments for components are carried out, as well as the calculation of deformations and forces and moments in overdetermined systems. With the principle of energy methods, an additional possibility is shown to determine forces, moments and deformations in statically determined and overdetermined systems.

The Manufacturing Processes & Materials Technology module teaches the basic relationships between the production, structure and properties of materials, their description with subject-specific parameters and various manufacturing methods and processes to influence these.

The course serves to learn the basics of construction with a focus on the methodical procedure in the construction process and the implementation using practical examples and tasks.

The aim of the module is to give an overview of the basics in automation technology.

Students learn in-depth knowledge of polymer chemistry, chemical-physical properties of polymers and their recycling.

The students learn about the behaviour of polymeric materials in relation to their application and can explain the resulting properties on the basis of the macromolecular structure.

This module teaches the basics of important machine elements made of metals for use in mechanical engineering.

This module deals with the relevant rheological parameters and material properties as well as their correlation with the flow behaviour, like structurally viscous fluids such as polymer melts. In materials testing, the relevant material parameters and the measurement methods for their determination are dealt with.

The students get to know state and process variables as well as the common thermodynamic processes and equations of state and learn how to assign these to the respective application cases. The laboratory practicals serve the concrete application of technical competence in the field of thermal plants and heat transfer and to the deepening of methodical and social competences.

This module provides an overview of important machine elements or functional elements that are made of plastics or that have been specially developed for polymer applications.

Basics of measurement technology from sensor to analogue processing in measuring equipment to digitalisation as well as the basics of analogue and digital control technology. The focus is on thinking in dynamics as well as the self-critical consideration of measurements including the assessment of the correct procedures based on critical thinking.

Injection moulding is the most widespread process in the plastics industry and complex moulded parts, even from different materials/colours, can be produced in one operation without further reworking. The products find their applications in all branches of industry such as mobility, leisure, medicine and more. The module teaches the basics for the production and design of injection moulding production.

Extrusion is one of the main processing methods in plastics technology and is therefore an essential part of the course. It is a continuous process that is used for the production of semi-finished products, pipes, films and also for the creation of formulations. This process is of utmost importance, especially in the field of medical technology and the food packaging industry.

The basic concepts and structure of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) are taught and practically applied. The students get to know the material-technical basics of FRP and the functions of the matrix, reinforcing fibres and boundary layer in the composite.  They describe and apply the engineering procedure for the design of components made of FRP. They learn about the mechanics of FRP and get to know the influence of fibre orientation, stratification, content and length on the mechanical and physical properties.

During the internship, students carry out engineering-related activities based on concrete tasks in an industrial environment. The intership can be completed in a company in Germany or abroad.

The course serves to learn the basics of technical-scientific documentation as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse application possibilities of presentation techniques. The students present with extended media competence. The students further develop their own speaking and performance skills with the aim of presenting confidently.

Introduction to Business Management

The course serves to learn the basics of project management, with a focus on the application in projects.

This module gives a basic overview of the theory and application of simulation techniques in the development of injection moulded components made from thermoplastic polymers.

After defining the work objective, the students work on the project largely independently under the guidance of a professor or under guidance in the company. When assessing the module in the form of an examination paper, the quality of the student's work performance is measured against the project objective.

The lecture presents the most important further processing methods in plastics technology after material or recipe development and after the production of semi-finished products.

This module teaches the basics of developing injection-moulded components from thermoplastic polymer materials, and the complete process chain from concept development to prototype.

With the Bachelor's thesis, students demonstrate the ability to independently work on the given problem according to scientific methods within the given time limit.

Basic understanding of the need for a circular economy. It describes the Industrial Revolution as the cause of an unsustainable increase in the demand for raw materials and the amount of waste. The principle of the circular economy is presented as a suitable response to these increases. Cycles are examined from different aspects: thermodynamic (increase in entropy), design, waste management and also regulatory (legislation).

The module teaches the basics of corporate sustainability and introduces various methods of sustainable product development and their integration into the product development process. The in-depth focus is placed on the method of life cycle assessment (LCA) and its practical application. The students create a comparative LCA in a team and interpret the results.

Students learn the functioning of essential tool concepts and tool components as well as the basic procedure for the design, conception and development of a plastic tool. This theoretical knowledge is applied in a practice-oriented design exercise.