Green light for new technology transfer center in Main-Spessart district: Production to become digital and sustainable
University and donors sign funding agreement in the presence of Minister of State Markus Blume in Marktheidenfeld
Now it's official: the new Technology Transfer Center (TTZ) in Marktheidenfeld can get started. On Monday, twelve regional companies and institutions, as well as the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), signed the funding agreement for the Free State of Bavaria. The founders have committed to providing €175,000 annually for the endowed professorship over the next five years so that the TTZ can begin its work. After the five years, the university will continue to finance the professorship and also provide the administrative infrastructure. The future endowed professor will also be relieved of half of their teaching duties so that they can use this time for research and ultimately for knowledge transfer to the regional economy.
TTZ as a competitive advantage for the region
Minister of State Markus Blume, who was present when the funding agreement was signed, estimates the Free State's support through the High-Tech Transfer Bavaria initiative at eight million euros: "The TTZ Marktheidenfeld is already the fifth transfer facility of the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt – our Franconian TTZ champion. Here on the Main, 3D printing and AI are now coming together: additive manufacturing is a real plus and gives our industry an enormous competitive advantage." For THWS President Prof. Dr. Robert Grebner, the Marktheidenfeld TTZ is one of a total of three new technology transfer centers currently being launched in the Main-Franconia region: “For THWS, the new TTZs are the perfect way to join forces with the regional economy. This enables us to optimally fulfill our mission of conducting application-oriented research. The experience gained is naturally incorporated into teaching and ensures that we produce highly trained specialists – which in turn benefits regional companies.”
The Transfer Center Marktheidenfeld focuses on “sustainable digital and additive production.” Prof. Dr. Andreas Schiffler, who already holds a research professorship for production and data technology in mechanical engineering and additive manufacturing at THWS, explains what this means: "Customers are demanding greater sustainability, which means that sustainability and economic efficiency are becoming increasingly intertwined for companies. To meet this demand, companies need to rethink their entire life cycle management – from design to recycling – in production. The key to this is the digitalization of production in the transition to intelligent production systems." In concrete terms, this means digitally mapping and simulating all production stages in order to rule out quality defects from the outset and consume less energy and resources overall. Additive manufacturing is a technology that can make a significant economic and sustainable contribution for smaller quantities.
The following companies and institutions are involved as sponsors at the TTZ in Marktheidenfeld:
- FERTIG Motors GmbH
- Hilite Germany GmbH
- IHK Würzburg-Schweinfurt
- Kurtz Holding GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG
- Landkreis Main-Spessart
- Raiffeisenbank Main-Spessart eG
- Schneider Electric Automation GmbH
- Sparkassenstiftung für den Landkreis Main-Spessart
- Speedpart GmbH rechnergestützter Prototypenbau
- Stadt Marktheidenfeld
- WAREMA Renkhoff SE
- WENZEL Group GmbH & Co.KG
About technology transfer centers
With the Technology Transfer Center for Electromobility in Bad Neustadt, THWS has had a very successful TTZ since 2012. The current wave of TTZ start-ups will continue throughout 2023. In the spring, a TTZ was launched in Haßfurt, the center for corrugated pipe technology in Germany, which will work closely with the Faculty of Plastics and Measurement Technology at THWS. In addition, there will be a TTZ in Kitzingen (focus: robotics and artificial intelligence) and in Bad Kissingen (focus: laboratory analytics and medical technology). Through the “Hightech Transfer Bayern” program, the application strategy of the Hightech Agenda Bayern, the Free State will establish a total of 15 new TTZs, each of which will be linked to regional universities. The investment volume amounts to more than 100 million euros.
