Functional surfaces

Climbing holds, e.g., for bouldering, become very dirty and wear out quickly, which is why they need to be cleaned or replaced regularly. Until now, the assessment of grip and wear has been purely subjective. The project is developing a multi-criteria testing method for the objective evaluation of the properties of climbing holds. This method serves as the basis for the targeted development and manufacture of grip-resilient and sustainable climbing holds.

The manually operated plug-socket connections currently used in electric vehicles are limited by the low operating force required. In contrast, face-to-face connections offer the potential for significantly higher transferable electrical power. The geometry and topography of the contact surfaces are important factors in the development of a new type of face-to-face connection for electrical power transmission in the megawatt range.

Increased demands on machine tools require innovations in the size and design of currently used clamping systems in order to meet conflicting requirements for higher clamping torques to increase machining volumes and reduced normal forces for the implementation of electromechanical drives. To this end, friction-enhancing surfaces have been developed for the friction partners of the clamping system. 

Energy-controlled machining finishing and structural rolling provide new manufacturing methods for the finish machining of sliding surfaces. Lower coefficients of friction result in a longer service life for components with increased and expanded functionality.