The INPLAS working groups

The short path between industry and science

The INPLAS working groups

In our thematically focused, technology-oriented working groups

  • “Novel Plasma Sources and Processes.”
  • “Tool Coatings”
  • “Plasma4Life”
  • Focus group “Digitization and AI”
  • Joint Committee “Combined Surface Technology”

representatives of the member institutions from industry and science exchange experiences and jointly develop research strategies for the application fields of plasma surface technology, e.g.:

  • Automotive / Aerospace
  • Power Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Tools
  • Optics and glass
  • Environmental Technology and Life Science
  • Plastics and textile technology
  • Digitization and electronics

What happens in the working groups?

  • Exchange on special topics
  • “Processing” of the topics
  • Open discussion
  • Project initiation and design
  • Typically two working group meetings per year

What are the benefits for the members?

  • Co-design of the working groups
  • Introduction of own topics and tasks
  • Contacts to competent partners
  • Project design
  • Information

Who can participate in the working groups?

  • All INPLAS members and partners
  • Guests seeking membership if interested (2 sessions free).

The numerous tasks of surfaces require different processes – sometimes also the combination of different processes or layer types to obtain a special surface quality, which is useful for decorative layers, new materials or multifunctionality, among other things.

The joint committee “Combined Surface Technology”, founded together between the associations DFO, DGO, EFDS and INPLAS, is dedicated to combined coatings in the fields of electroplating, painting technology and plasma technology. Its mission is to bring together these individual sub-disciplines in order to contribute to the further development of surface technology by combining these processes of thin-film and thick-film technology. The pooling of forces, the increase in clout as well as the increase in political acceptance are to be overriding goals of the Community Committee. If you are interested, please direct your questions and ideas to

Prof. Dr. Petra Uhlmann at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research in Dresden or to the INPLAS office (organizational management).

The Plasma4Life working group covers all life science topics, such as environment, hygiene, medical technology, biotechnology, nutrition, health and agriculture. The aim is to exploit synergy effects, promote cross-industry dialog between suppliers, users and users of surface technology in the field of life sciences, and identify and efficiently address joint research and development topics.

Topics

Medical technology
Implants (production (3D); growth, wear behavior, cell growth) | Biosensorics | Microfluidics | Functionalization, internal treatments and coatings of tubes, packaging, disposables

Hygiene
Disinfection | Sterilization | Pest control

Medicine
Antiseptic therapy (also multi-resistant germs) | Wound healing | Skin diseases such as neurodermatitis and psoriasis | Stop bleeding

Cell culture and microbiology
Control of e.g. cell adhesion, protein adsorption | Coupling of antibodies | Cell transfection and -poration

Food, Agriculture, Environment
Disinfection | Water Treatment | Waste Gas Treatment | Sterilization

WG Management

Prof. Dr. Peter Awakowicz | Ruhr University Bochum

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Viöl | HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen

Dr. Kristina Lachmann | Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, Braunschweig, Germany

The working group “Tool Coatings” deals – as the name suggests – with various focal points on the subject of tool coatings. In the WG, current trends within coating technologies as well as relevant aspects around component/tool pretreatment, heat treatment and development of substrate materials are discussed. In addition, the meetings also offer the opportunity to ask topic-specific questions and discuss them together in the forum.

The aim of the working group is also to define concrete research tasks and ideally submit them as joint (funded) projects. A best-practice example of an approved project is the ongoing “ÖkoClean” project.

Specifically, the focus is on the following topics:

Tool manufacturing process chain
Digitization, materials & heat treatment (DCT), cleaning & pretreatment, diffusion treatment, thin-film coatings for wear protection and tribological optimization.

Tools
Metal cutting, Industrial cutting tools, Forming tools

Implementation of projects
Plasma technology in the production chain, Big Data, digitalization, Smart Coatings

Development & project approaches, Project proposals

WG Management

Hanno Paschke | DOC, Fraunhofer IST

A coating is only as good as its process. The know-how to achieve the right coating properties and a corresponding coating quality is often decisive for setting the respective desired surface functions.

The working group “Novel Plasma Sources and Processes” is therefore concerned with the evaluation of new processes and possibilities for the production of coating systems.

WG Management

Dr. Ulf Seyfert | VON ARDENNE GmbH

Matthias Nestler | scia systems GmbH
Dr. Anke Hellmich | Applied Materials

INPLAS matrix

  • Plasma surface technology is already the key to many innovative products. Applications range from high-tech products such as flat screens, photovoltaics, microelectronics and thermal insulation glass to everyday items such as food packaging and adhesive tape.
  • Only different technologies make it possible to overcome unresolved issues. Technological progress thus forms the basis for new or more powerful applications.