The Department of Mechanical Engineering, Microtechnology, Energy and Heat Technology was able to put two new machines worth 150,000 euros into operation.

The Giessen Machine Tool Laboratory has acquired a rapid prototyping system using federal and state funding. High-quality, fully functional molded parts and models can be produced directly from design data developed on a computer, for example, using a CAD programme. Just as a printer transfers text from a word processing programme to paper via a data connection, the new machine produces three-dimensional prototypes from plastic. This type of modeling, which drastically reduces development times, is used, for example, in the automotive and medical technology industries.

Also state-of-the-art is a 1.7-ton cycle lathe, which the university of applied sciences was able to purchase with the support of the Wetzlar-based company Saeilo. According to Department Dean Prof. Peter Orlowski, the new laboratory equipment will be used in teaching as well as for diploma and student projects.