The specialization field of materials and production under discussion

New materials are true drivers of innovation and often make new developments of products and technologies possible in the first place. No wonder, then, that Bayern Innovativ is strongly positioned as a business and innovation promoter in this field: Our specialization field Material & Production is home to clusters and networks on the topics of new materials, mechatronics/production, additive manufacturing, textiles, solid construction and paper. But who are the people who fill these networks with life? And how do they advance Bavaria as a business location? Find out in an interview with our experts Dr. Nicole de Boer, Dr. Eva Halsch, Frank Hoppe and Tina Johnscher.

Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview! Before we get started, can you please introduce yourself briefly?

Dr. Nicole de Boer: I am Nicole de Boer, PhD in materials science and head of the Specialization Field Materials and Production . My main task is to manage the various topics in the specialization field. These include New Materials , Artificial Intelligence in Production, additive manufacturing , digital production and engineering .

Frank Hoppe: My name is Frank Hoppe. I am a project manager in the areas of construction , paper and Mobility . I studied geography with a focus on applied geography/foreign transport geography.

Dr. Eva Halsch: My name is Eva Halsch. I have a PhD in chemistry, and my professional focus at Bayern Innovativ is on environmental technology, circular economy and sustainability .

Tina Johnscher: I am Tina Johnscher, a materials scientist and deputy head of the Materials and Production specialization field. My areas of expertise are Additive Manufacturing and the Digital Production & Engineering area.

Why are new materials so important for innovation? And how are they developed?

Dr. Nicole de Boer: New materials are so important because their very specific properties often make innovation possible. They are developed using either the push or the pull principle. With the push principle, new materials are discovered as part of basic research and used in suitable applications; in other words, the material pushes the innovation. With the pull principle, it's the other way around: For a specific application - for additive manufacturing, for example - very specific materials have to be developed so that the innovation can work at all. When developing new materials, researchers are also increasingly relying on the use of artificial intelligence .

Dr. Eva Halsch: The pull principle also comes into play as a result of customer needs or legal requirements - one example is the European chemicals regulation REACH. REACH ensures, for example, that substances that have been classified as being of concern have to be replaced by others. As a result, materials, formulations and manufacturing processes change.

Tina Johnscher: It is also important to always keep the various production techniques in mind when developing new materials, because these have a significant influence on the properties of the materials.

What are the materials of the future and where will they be used? Are sustainability aspects also taken into account?

Dr. Nicole de Boer: Sustainability aspects are playing an increasingly important role. When developing new materials, the "design for recycling" approach is essential. This means that materials must be designed in such a way that they can be permanently integrated into a material cycle. The goal here is to conserve resources and avoid waste.

Dr. Eva Halsch: Due to the well-known issues surrounding plastic waste and microplastics, biobased materials will play an increasingly important role. It is important to note, however, that the development of entirely new materials is not the driver of innovation in all industries: In the textile industry , for example, processing and functionalization is crucial and ensures that innovative products are created. For example, depending on how it is processed, polyester can be used to make very different products - from sneakers to ball gowns.

Frank Hoppe: Paper - one of the oldest materials of all - also has great potential for the future. Due to its low weight, it is also increasingly used in lightweight construction in very different industries.

Tina Johnscher: In addition to bio-based and biodegradable materials, high-performance materials are also of great importance. These include, for example, extra high-strength materials that are used in aircraft turbines due to their heat resistance, or titanium alloys that have a low density and high strength. What is striking is that the boundaries are being pushed further and further here, meaning that the materials are meeting ever higher expectations.

Frank Hoppe: Used innovative materials everywhere - whether in aerospace, automotive industry , in medicine or in construction. That's why materials development is an absolutely cross-industry issue. Many companies are also becoming increasingly aware of this, and are increasingly looking for solutions across industry boundaries.

As innovation and business promoters, it is our task to further advance Bavaria as a business location. How do Bayern Innovativ's offerings contribute to this?

Dr. Nicole de Boer: Through our cluster and network work, we ensure that Bavarian players from business and science network - and in some cases across industry boundaries. Bayern Innovativ offers many networking opportunities, for example the various cluster and network partnerships , our various event formats , but also the Experten Netzwerk Bayern , a digital platform that further develops and strengthens knowledge exchange in the Bavarian ecosystem.

Dr. Eva Halsch: There are also many services in the area of consulting and funding that help companies. These include offerings from our technology and innovation management , for example the Digital Innovation Platform (DIP) , innovation assessments as well as navigation to suitable funding .

Frank Hoppe: When designing our offerings, we always keep our customers' needs in mind. In the New Materials Cluster , for example, we have the digital format "Innovation Coffee" launched via my colleague Judit Jane Soneira, where a company or academic institution can present their innovation. Following the presentation, participants can then exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere.

What does cross-network collaboration look like at Bayern Innovativ? How can you mutually benefit from your expertise?

Tina Johnscher: The different clusters and networks have very many thematic overlaps, so it is natural for us to work together in an interdisciplinary way. One example of this is the topic of construction: not only does the Network for Innovative Solid Construction deal with this, but also the cluster energy technology (energy efficiency) and the coordination center additive manufacturing (3D printing of houses). It is very easy to benefit from the expertise and contacts of other colleagues.

Dr. Nicole de Boer: It is also important that networking takes place not only internally, but also externally. We also work a lot with professional associations and bodies in the networks and clusters. In addition, the New Materials Cluster is currently involved in cross-cluster projects on sustainable printed circuit boards and to build new value chains .

Corona has transformed our day-to-day work. How is the collaboration in your team going?

Dr. Nicole de Boer: Since March 2020, a large part of us has been working mainly in the home office . This basically works very well. Meetings take place online, and digital coffees or similar formats allow us to exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere from time to time. Collaboration with our partners and customers also works well online, although it has to be said that online meetings cannot replace face-to-face exchanges. This is especially noticeable with new partners, where a face-to-face meeting is simply more suitable for getting to know each other better.

Frank Hoppe: As Nicole already says: Although the collaboration works very well online, the face-to-face meetings are definitely lacking - both the personal exchange at the events and network meetings and the spontaneous meeting in the coffee kitchen with colleagues. We are all already very much looking forward to the time when this will be possible again without any problems.