As the transportation sector accounts for approx. 30% of energy consumption in Germany, a gradual increase in the number of electric vehicles (1 million should be operating by 2020) can make a significant contribution to road transportation sustainability. We need to plan and construct multi-functional infrastructure corridors to accelerate the introduction of electric vehicles. These not only include the actual transportation infrastructure, but equipment for obtaining energy (solar power units and wind turbines) and the necessary recharging systems (charging points, places and lanes). Zwickau University of Applied Sciences has conducted a feasibility study to mathematically calculate the technical design criteria and energy balance (energy requirements/output) along a section of highway, depending on the electric car quota, the section’s parameters and various energy generation scenarios; this involved driving simulation and real driving experience. The experiment results clearly show that, when designing transportation infrastructure, it makes sense to plan so-called multi-functional infrastructure corridors, which enable independent energy production, parallel energy distribution through cables and directly supplies from the recharging infrastructure. The real transportation infrastructure must develop from a simple to an intelligent roadway. The road standards must take into account the new requirements for alignment and cross-section design. Zwickau University has developed a new methodology for planning and designing multi-functional infrastructure corridors. It generates them with computer support, taking into account points of constraint. Genetic algorithms serve as the mathematical model. Pilot scheme results show that it will be possible to transfer this process to engineering offices in the near future.

Highly developed, European industrial countries normally have a dense network of rural highways. The future focus of roadwork in Germany, where there is a high density of 1.6 km of rural highway per km² of land, will involve upgrading and rebuilding rural highways prone to accidents. As new guidelines are not completely relevant for upgrading existing highways and exceptional permits are often required, there is an increasing need to use simulation in the design process to assess discrepancies from the standards and their effect on traffic safety. Using virtual driving (automatically using a defined driver profile or a driving simulator), it is possible to objectively assess expected driving behaviour using characteristic feature graphs and quantitative parameters derived from them. Zwickau University of Applied Sciences has developed a new multi-stage methodology for upgrading rural highways by using a 3D design working place simulator. The highway is automatically retraced using survey data and genetic algorithms in stage 1 (preliminary review) and is broken down into the horizontal and vertical projection design elements. Stage 2 involves determining the shortcomings on the road by superimposing the design elements, the actual accident figures and virtual driving runs. The actual replanning work occurs in stage 3, taking into account the minimum and maximum standard figures for the design elements. The replanning work is feasible, even if the standard figures are not met along parts of the route, but the graph figures, parameters and virtual driving runs prove that there is no reduction in traffic safety. Otherwise, the route needs to be realigned. After finishing the testing period of the hard- and software components, the methodology and the working place can be used from designing engineers for the preparing process of practical projects.

Powder forging has progressed in three decades through the stages of incubation, growth, and maturity, now accounting for 8% of the 5 B global PM market. In this presentation, a history of the technical development of powder forging will be recounted, from early failed attempts and misconceptions, through seminal academic and industrial research, to technical and commercial success. Discussion covers the contributions of government and industrial funding, fundamental knowledge development, and industrial champions for successful implementation. The focus is on lessons learned that may be beneficial to the transition of other technologies for the powder metallurgy industry.

A new approach to sintering loose packed, coarse aluminum alloy powder to full or near full density is presented. A controlled amount of water vapor is introduced into the sintering atmosphere, which disru pts the oxide film and allows metallurgical contact between particles. In addition, supersolidus liquid phase sintering is used to sinter the part to full density. Since the method is particularly applicable to uncompacted powders, it is potentially useful for sintering aluminum powder preforms manufactured by 3DPrinting and powder injection molding.