Minister Brandes visits Campus Buschhütten

(v.l.n.r.): Prof. Dr. Axel von Hehl, Prof. Dr. Ralph Dreher, Prof. Dr. Peter Burggräf, Ministerin Ina Brandes, Dr. Axel Barten, Rektorin Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese, Dr. Gabriele Barten, Dr. Barbara Müller-Naendrup, Laura Mittas.

Prof. Dr. Axel von Hehl, Prof. Dr. Ralph Dreher, Prof. Dr. Peter Burggräf, Minister Ina Brandes, Dr. Axel Barten, Rector Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese, Dr. Gabriele Barten, Dr. Barbara Müller-Naendrup, Laura Mittas (from left to right).

In just a few years, the Buschhütten Campus, which sees itself as an "innovation hub for sustainable production technology", has established a considerable network. University research with currently six chairs, mainly at the University of Siegen, and industrial practice in the form of almost 100 companies from industry and IT, which have docked their expertise here, work together in creative alliances under one roof at Campus Buschhütten. The aim is to produce innovations of relevance to the economy and society relatively quickly. Research, demonstrations and prototype production are carried out here in state-of-the-art microfactories and innovation fields on cross-cutting topics such as "digital twins", organized by the SDFS Smart Demonstration Factory Siegen. In addition, teaching and further training with a focus on AI support is offered, organized inter-company by the SLB Smart Learning Factory Buschhütten. The guiding principle of the Buschhütten campus is: We produce. The future.

Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, learned about this modern format of knowledge and technology transfer during an on-site visit. The exchange with representatives of the Buschhütten campus focused on the importance of AI for technical sciences and new opportunities for the range of courses on offer as part of the amendment to the Higher Education Act.

Science Minister Ina Brandes: "Our economic prosperity in Germany is based to a significant extent on the fact that people here have always come up with something and developed a functioning business model from it. The Buschhütten campus is an excellent example of this: Here, new products are developed from scientific findings in order to generate added value. We owe good work, prosperity and social security to the triad of research, innovation and transfer - and thus strengthen North Rhine-Westphalia as a science and business location."

The interplay between research, industrial application and training clearly demonstrates the potential of AI-supported technologies for North Rhine-Westphalia as a business and science location. The Buschhütten campus offers a particularly vivid example of this, as new technologies are not only researched here, but also directly transferred into practical implementation together with companies.

Prof. Dr.-Ing Peter Burggräf, Chair of Production Management at the University of Siegen, also emphasizes how fundamental this topic is for the future of the industrial location: "The future of Germany as a high-tech location depends on how we integrate AI technologies into our industry. We must be able to understand, use and control AI. To do this, we need strong networking between universities and companies. This collaboration is already a reality at the Buschhütten campus."

The importance of AI in production technology is also evident during the tour:

Microfactory 1 is all about additive manufacturing for metal: for example, worn workpieces can be restored to as-new quality by welding metal powder onto them. Machine learning methods (AI) are used to optimize the production parameters.

Microfactory 2 focuses on robot-assisted welding processes that are further improved with the help of artificial intelligence and data-based methods. As part of an automated robotic welding process, image and process data are used to adjust welding paths and settings in a more targeted manner, improve seam quality and detect and correct deviations at an early stage. This reduces rejects and downtime in contract manufacturing at the SDFS Smart Demonstration Factory Siegen. For day-to-day work in production, this means less rework, more stable processes and a noticeable reduction in the workload of employees.

Microfactory 3 is all about the use of generative AI. It presents software solutions that support development and planning processes in production and enable new approaches in product creation. In this way, components are specifically designed for additive manufacturing as early as the development stage. Digital models are adapted in such a way that lighter, more material-efficient and functional components are created, which often cannot be produced in this form using conventional methods. This shortens development times, saves material and opens up new possibilities in product design.

The second topic concerns the Higher Education Strengthening Act. It requires universities to integrate further education more strongly into their courses: In the spirit of lifelong learning, they are to include continuing education programs as an integral part of their course offerings in the future.

In this context, the Buschhütten campus is a suitable partner. The SDFS, as a technical expert with experience in the further education of engineers, and the SLB, as a pedagogical partner, are working closely together.

"In an ageing and increasingly diverse society, continuing education and lifelong learning are crucial and more urgent than ever in view of the rapid changes brought about by AI. A worthwhile task for our university and an important bridge to the economy," said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Reese, Rector of the University of Siegen.

At the center of this success story is the SDFS with its spiritual father Peter Burggräf. Obviously, the right topics are being addressed here in the right way: "digitalization and sustainability of production processes", "circular economy" and "new manufacturing processes" such as additive manufacturing for metal. The benefits for the region: the innovative findings provide the partner companies in the pre-competitive field with valuable impetus that helps them to better position themselves for the future. In addition, the findings flow into university teaching and the inter-company range of modern training and further education modules.

When asked about the "success factors at a glance", Dr. Gabriele Barten, responsible for the strategy and concept of the Buschhütten Campus, says: "Above all, it is the holistic approach, specifically the transfer in practice, the commitment to sustainability, understood as a triad of ecology, economy and social issues, and collaboration under one roof. And all this in conjunction with a mindset that involves 'moving away from compartmentalization and towards open source'. After all, knowledge grows by sharing it."

The founding of the Buschhütten campus is based on the visionary idea of Dr.-Ing Axel Barten, who "as an old hand from the Siegerland" has managed the company Achenbach Buschhütten for 40 years as Managing Partner in the eighth generation after Engelhard Achenbach. Founded in 1452, Achenbach Buschhütten is probably the oldest family-run industrial company in Germany.