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Consulting

We solve your problems

You have a production problem or high reject rates hinder your production? You are not sure about material selection or product requirements? Are you looking for a practicable solution for determining optimal process or quality parameters?

We offer you comprehensive consulting services in this regard: We specifically search for suitable approaches for you, investigate your problem on site, provide you with contacts, carry out investigations for suitability testing and much more.

Thanks to our broad and up-to-date overview of the possibilities and potentials of plastics technology, we can respond to your individual tasks. This knowledge ranges from industrial methods to new technologies that are still in development or making the leap into initial practical applications. 

Our long-standing employees are also happy to support you in the initiation and implementation of funded projects for the further development and adaptation of your products and services to the needs of the plastics processing industry.

Matthias Ruff
Head of Sales Training & Research | Procuration
Würzburg
m.ruff@skz.de
Dr. Johann Erath
Innovation and Technology Manager
j.erath@skz.de

What can we support you with?

Material development

In the area of material development, we work with the abundance of polymers available on the market, with functional fillers and reinforcing materials, as well as with the whole variety of additives, in order to create compounds that are as universal or customised as possible, depending on the requirements. The formulations are either produced by special processes or laboratory machines are used, whose successful sample production can later be transferred to industrial scale ("scale-up"). 

Many years of cooperation with raw material manufacturers, research, market knowledge and an overview enable us to develop targeted formulations and carry out specific tests on them. We know the interrelationships between production and processing, and advise our customers on marketing, approvals, recycling, disposal and many other requirements for products made of plastics.


Contact:
Dr.-Ing. Michael Bosse | +49 931 4104-529 | m.bosse@skz.de

Manufacturing process

Optimising production processes or finding sustainable solutions to manufacturing problems in plastics processing often requires broad expert knowledge. Often, the causes of burners, streaks, dimensional deviations and warpage as well as defective component properties can only be eliminated through a systematic approach. We offer the appropriate process analyses and process optimisations as well as troubleshooting by specialists with many years of experience on site. In addition, we are happy to advise you on the optimal process selection or process development.

We provide competent support for process simulation and calculation (e.g. injection moulding simulation with Autodesk Moldflow and Moldex3D), sampling (mould, machine, process), support for series start-ups (DOE), production of standard test specimens, support for prototype production, etc. We not only advise you, but also help you to find the best solution. We not only advise you, but also carry out industrial trials in our pilot plants if required. More than 80 experts in compounding, extrusion, injection moulding, laminating, additive manufacturing or 3D printing, dispersing, welding, bonding and coating are at your disposal.


Contact:
Dr. Johannn Erath | +49 931 4104-472 | j.erath@skz.de

Product development

Customer demands are not becoming less. Therefore, the product demands are becoming more diverse. Determination of suitable requirement profiles and derivation of specifications, preparation of feasibility analyses (including risk analysis), process-optimised design, development of tool specifications, support for design suitable for plastics, component simulation and design are typical tasks in which we can support you. The topic of recycling must also be considered from the very beginning: Here, too, we help with analyses for Design for Environment and Design for Recycling.

Contact:
Dr. Johannn Erath | +49 931 4104-472 | j.erath@skz.de

Composite technology

The holistic view of fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP and GFRP), starting from the selection of materials and influencing the composite properties through to the technological realization of manufacturing concepts, opens up the scope for design in the conception of components and structures. In our practice-oriented courses, we convey the essential properties of fiber composites on the one hand and offer a high learning effect through practical exercises on the other.

In addition to technical consulting and support in various manufacturing phases, we assist you in finding solutions to your problems.


Contact:
Carina Heinze | +49 345 53045-13 | c.heinze@skz.de

Adhesive bonding

Adhesive bonding is gaining in importance as joining process of the 21st century. Advantages compared to welding or mechanical joining are possible gap bridging, combination of different materials, insulating and damping properties, low thermal loads as well as uniform stress distributions. In comparison, curing times and sufficient overlap must be taken into account. Adhesions cannot be tested non-destructively with regard to adhesion and strength, which is why trained personnel should be used when processing adhesives. Furthermore specific system requirements have to be taken into account when selecting an adhesive.

In addition to providing recommendations for the most-suitable adhesives, suitable pretreatment processes and test methods, we also support you in case of a problems, feasibility studies or tests, and aging trials.


Contact:
Michael Heilig | +49 931 4104-780 | m.heilig@skz.de

Metrology

"The quality of the products must fit". The customer is sure of that. But defining and determining this quality is not always obvious and very product (and customer) dependent. We are at your side to help you overcome these challenges: We find the right measurement technology (soft and hard sensor technology) for you: non-destructive or destructive or offline, atline, online or inline. We carry out accelerated, time-lapse tests and examine the long-term and ageing behaviour of your products. We also help you analyse quality data with regard to digitalised evaluations (including Big Data). And if there are no suitable measurement techniques or test methods, we will (further) develop them for you.

Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Benjamin Baudrit | +49 931 4104-180 | b.baudrit@skz.de

Sustainability assessment

In the meantime, there are tried and tested tools for assessing the sustainability of processes or products. Life cycle assessment (LCA), for example, is a tool for systematically assessing the environmental impact of products, services or processes. With more than 15 years of expertise in LCA with a focus on the plastics industry, we can offer you the right support for each issue individually.

Our services include:

  • Carrying out LCA studies according to ISO 14040/44
  • Carrying out critical reviews according to ISO 14040/44
  • Preparation of environmental product declarations according to ISO 14025 and EN 15804
  • Preparation of product CO2 balances according to ISO 14067
  • Preparation of CO2 balances for your company according to ISO 14064
  • Implementation of digital tools for environmental assessment

Energy can be saved in many areas of plastics processing. We can help you to realise such savings potentials and thus reduce your costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The following methods are available to us for this purpose:

  • Energy consumption analysis
  • Power measurement
  • Flow measurement


Contact:
Dr. Hermann Achenbach | +49 931 4104-266 | h.achenbach@skz.de

Training

Your problem has already been solved with the help of the SKZ or you are in the problem-solving process with us? Together we will take the next step and train your employees to anticipate future problems so that they do not arise in the first place. Benefit from our employees' expert knowledge of production processes such as injection moulding, extrusion, compounding, welding and bonding. We also train your colleagues in the area of trendy topics such as sustainability or the circular economy and quality issues.

Training courses can take place at the SKZ and in our in-house technical centres. We also offer the option of online sessions and are happy to come to you on site as part of an in-house training course. In our "trouble trainings", for example, we solve the challenge together with you and train your employees at the same time.


Contact:
Matthias Ruff | +49 931 4104-503 | m.ruff@skz.de

Research projects

You are in the orientation phase for a new project or development or would like to further develop your product? You would like to conduct joint research with us, but have never had anything to do with a research institution? Did you know that it is also possible to conduct joint research and development with other industrial companies without losing trade secrets or risking enormous costs?

Get your research activities promoted!
We are happy to help and support you in all phases of your development. No matter if you want to put your project completely in the hands of SKZ or if you need support in partial areas. Together we will find the appropriate project form and, if necessary, work out an individual project plan with you.
Contact us without obligation. We will be happy to advise you on the possibilities of cooperation projects



Contact:
Dr. Benedikte Hatz | +49 931 4104-432 | b.hatz@skz.de

Testing

Damage analysis

Every year, SKZ prepares more than 2,000 damage analyses on plastic products. Such expert reports are prepared for the following interest groups, among others:

  • Plastic component manufacturers (e.g. injection moulding, extrusion, etc.) and users of plastic components such as the automotive industry, construction industry, utilities, electrical industry, medical technology, etc.
  • Material manufacturers
  • Courts
  • Insurances
  • In the neutral expert reports or court opinions, a holistic view is taken of the cause of the defect from the plastic material, the processing, the product design and the environmental influences in the application. 

In our test laboratory, which is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025, we have access to a variety of test methods (destructive and non-destructive) in order to examine the respective case of damage individually.

Roland Kornprobst
Project Manager | Special Services and Expert Reports
Würzburg
r.kornprobst@skz.de
Ulli Eisenhut
Group Manager | Special Services and Expert Reports
Würzburg
u.eisenhut@skz.de
Alexander Ebenbeck
Head of Sale | Product Testing
Würzburg
a.ebenbeck@skz.de

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