In Wolfsburg, at the Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) campus, representatives from various science and industry disciplines are using ZwickRoell's expertise to test and research metals, plastics, and adhesive bonds for the future circular economy in the automotive industry. The main focus is on quality and measuring accuracy.
Open Hybrid LabFactory e.V.
The Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) research campus in Wolfsburg is a research facility created by the Research Campus Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Through a public-private partnership, business representatives and scientists from well-respected companies and institutes combine their efforts to develop cutting-edge solutions for automotive industry challenges.
Much of the research is focused on developing and testing materials and compounds to increase the progression of secondary plastics, metals, and other innovative materials.
OHLF research projects are focused on promoting the circular economy of components and materials. Precision and measurement accuracy to within the most minute detail are critical for project success.
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ZwickRoell Top Competences
- ZwickRoell is a reliable and sustainable partner of OHLF e.V.
- Reliable and traceable test results
- High machine safety standards
- Students and research assistants can utilize the instruments following a brief instructional session.
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The Task
Comprehensive Materials Testing: Scalable Research on Campus.
For reliable and scalable research results, scientists must be able to test hybrid and innovative materials in great detail on the largest possible test surface. Covering a wide range of material tests in one place is essential to ensure that all aspects can be thoroughly and comprehensively investigated.
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The ZwickRoell Solution
Systems Must be Both Diverse and Specific.
In addition to arriving at material characteristics through quasi-static test methods, fatigue tests can also be carried out utilizing vibration loads that simulate stress processes in components or new types of materials.
Mechanical alternating loads are useful in investigating how similar specimens react under cyclic or periodically changing speeds, loads, temperatures, and other environmental conditions.
These tests are required to determine a material's load limit, which is the point at which a material introduced to alternating stress does not fail.
Materials are subjected to various load types in fatigue tests, such as compression, tensile, flexure, torsion, or shear force. Most fatigue tests investigate the number of load cycles (n) at different stresses (s) until failure, plotting the results on an S-N curve.
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Applied solutions from ZwickRoell:
- Several AllroundLine testing machines (Fmzx 50 kN-250 kN) with various extensometers, testing tools, and a temperature chamber ranging from -70 °C to +250 °C.
- Servohydraulic portal-type test stand: Clamping field (4000 x 3000 mm) containing two portals and three hydrostatically mounted servohydraulic testing actuators (2x100 kN, 1x50 kN) with freely adjustable loads and load frequencies.
- Examine strain behavior in the micrometer range with optical deformation measurement.
- Tensile and puncture tests (40 kN) with crash-relevant speeds (up to 20 m/s).
The Result
Partnership for Sustainable Innovation: ZwickRoell and OHLF Advance Materials Research in the Automotive Industry.
The collaboration between ZwickRoell and the Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) creates numerous research opportunities in metals, plastics, and adhesive bonding, advancing the circular economy in the automotive industry.
The scientists and the head of the technical center appreciate the expertise and the diverse opportunities this partnership provides. ZwickRoell’s excellent maintenance and repair service is particularly noteworthy, ensuring a smooth research process.
This close partnership is crucial in developing innovative materials, significantly contributing to a sustainable future in the automotive industry. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies and testing methods paves the way for further materials development with a reduced ecological footprint.
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ZwickRoell testing systems impress with their precision technology, reliable performance and versatility for demanding applications.
Florian Holze, Head of the Technical Center, Research Campus OHLF in Wolfsburg
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ZwickRoell GmbH Co. KG.
For more information on this source, please visit ZwickRoell GmbH Co. KG.