Wegener, Konrad, Prof.

Institute of Machine Tools + Manufacturing

 

Areas of Interest:

• Mechanics, Structures and Manufacturing

Biography
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Konrad Wegener has been Full professor of production technology and machine tools of ETH Zurich since October 2003 and is head of the IWF (Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigung).
Born the 16th of Mai 1958, he studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Braunschweig and wrote his PhD thesis on constitutive equations for plastic material behaviour as assistant of Prof. Stickforth and Prof. Steck. He began his industrial carreer at Schuler Presses GmbH & Co. KG, where he was charged with reorganising the design departments, and layout planning of press lines. After 4 years he became head of departement "design services". Besides implementing the regulations of the European machine directive, tasks for the implementation of ISO 9001, ERP / PDM he prepared and planned the engagement of the Schuler group in laser technology. After acquisition of a small company he was charged with the general management, where he built up the company from 12 to over 50 employes. Under his leadership large welding machines for shipbuilding and construction of aeroplanes, welding and cutting machines for the automotive industry and cutters for fabric have been developed and built.
Parallel to his industrial work, he gave lectures on tensor calculus and continuum mechanics at the Technical University of Braunschweig and on forming technology and forming machines at the Technical University of Darmstadt.

The research of the institute is focused on machine tools, manufacturing processes and process chains, as well as methods for development, evaluation and optimization of production machinery.
The goal of his teaching is building up core competence and abilities in development of machine tools and manufacturing processes as well as in implementing production strategies in industrial environment.
The transfer of methods and scientific results to industry is one of the missions and is practised via a transfer center, industrial projects, profound and practice oriented education of engineers and seminars and symposia for and with industry.