Technik

The Technical Department is responsible for the technical infrastructure of the institute and supports the scientific work of the institute as a service provider with its 5 divisions

Workshop
Electrics /Electronics
Glass blowing workshop
Media supply
House service

Adaptation of equipment to scientific requirements

For their experimental setups and apparatus, the scientists initially use commercially available devices. These have to be modified for the particular purpose. Such adjustments are made by the workshop (e.g. production of the sample carrier, pressure cells, adjustment aids and much more).
The equipment often consists of several devices which only in their interaction make the experiment possible. These experimental structures are joined together by assemblies. Racks, adapters, pipelines made of metal and glass as well as cable connections of various kinds and much more are manufactured.

Development and construction of scientific devices

If there is no equipment that can be used for the experiment, then this is designed, manufactured and tested as a new development in the Technical Department. The legal requirements for occupational safety, health and fire protection are implemented and documented in the operating instructions and manufacturer's declarations. Especially for the "high protection class laboratory" at the institute, many devices were developed and built by the workshop due to the special requirements for safety and decontamination. The electric arc furnaces and the sample grinding machine are representative examples of this.

Repairs

Sometimes the equipment breaks. A not insignificant part of the work consists of repairs or the improvement of commercially available devices.

Media supply

The scientist needs important media for his experiments, such as electricity, cooling water, technical gases, heating, ventilation, telecommunications and much more.
Making these available for the research areas at any time of the day or night is ensured with the help of a well-organized on-call service, even outside normal working hours and on weekends.

Building services

In addition, the staff of the Technical Department carry out work on building maintenance, care of outdoor facilities and janitorial services. Scientific events and seminars are prepared and supported with the provision of media communication technology.

The Technical department is equipped with the most modern working tools to meet the high requirements for quality, accuracy and special technologies. In addition to the wire-cutting and die-sinking EDM machines, two 5-axis simultaneous milling machines DMU and many other CNC machines are used. The very well-trained employees expand their knowledge not only through training courses, but above all during the implementation of new tasks everyday. Often there are no empirical values, no guidelines or known technical solutions. For this reason, experimental work often has to be carried out in the technology department as well, in order to meet the new requirements for miniaturization and the use of special materials. This requires close cooperation between scientists and technicians. Thus, we are happy to support and advise the scientists in the technical fields. Only in the interaction between science and technology does success become tangible. The employees are also happy to pass on this knowledge to the two trainees and to interns.