Current research and development projects

The KTM is constantly involved in a variety of publicly funded projects (ögP). In addition, there are several industry working groups and bilateral R&D projects with companies. You can find a small overview below.

Students are actively involved in all ög projects. This gives them the opportunity to conduct their semester, bachelor’s or master’s theses on highly interesting and practical topics.

Industry working groups and projects

  • Industrial working group “Tribometry
    Ongoing working group with currently 5 companies that jointly fund research in the above-mentioned field (since 2015)
  • Industrial working group “Plastics and bonded coatings
    Ongoing working group with currently 7 companies that jointly fund research in the above-mentioned field (since 2008)
  • Industrial project to research the friction and wear behavior of joints in flap fittings
    Sub-project IV: Influence of materials and coatings on service life (07/2024 – 06/2026)
    Industrial project since 11/2017; now part 4

Publicly funded research projects as of 2016

  • Re-Refined Base-Oils (FVA 1057-I)
    Cooperation project with the TH Nuremberg and the RPU Kaiserslautern-Landau;
    financed from FVA’s own funds, 15 months, 01/2023 – 03/2025
  • Development of a test bench for the first tribological tests in ammonia
    Cooperation project with the company Optimol-Instruments, Munich
    Funding program “Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM)”, 01/2025 – 06/2027
  • Development of an intelligent and self-learning inline sensor system for oil condition monitoring
    Cooperation project with the company ZILA, Zella-Mehlis
    Funding program “Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM)”, 10/2024 – 03/2027
  • Development of a novel hybrid process for the additive production of injection molds made of polymer with a heat-resistant release layer to significantly increase abrasion resistance and service life
    Cooperation project with the company Oberhofer Kunststofftechnik, Schönau
    Funding program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)”, 09/2024 – 02/2027
  • Use of machine learning in the development of lubricating greases (DGMK 871)
    Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF); processed via DGMK, 30 months, 03/2024 – 08/2026
  • Influence of grease degradation due to thermo-oxidative aging on the lubrication of sliding applications with long stroke (“Dwell behavior during grease degradation”, FVA 987-II)
    Cooperation project with the TH Nuremberg; financed from FVA own funds, 9 months, 10/2024 – 05/2025
  • (Pre-)development of a test strategy for the qualification of lubricating greases for lifetime lubricated sliding applications with long stroke (“grease presence”, FVA 987-I)
    Cooperation project with the TH Nuremberg; financed from FVA’s own funds, 15 months, 03/2023 – 06/2024
  • Industry project “Machine learning in tribology
    Privately funded research project, 5 companies (2022 – 2024)
  • Development of novel formulations of various high-performance lubricants based on ionic liquids for applications in clean rooms or high vacuum
    Cooperation project with the company Materiales, Hamburg
    Funding program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)”, 10/2021 – 09/2024
  • Collaborative research project “In-Tribology” as part of the Komet2 program
    Scientific partner in various individual projects 03/2020 – 02/2025
  • Development of a stick-slip-free hydraulic cylinder with innovative piston damping and optimized seal design
    Sub-project: Development of a tribomechanical simulation model for the targeted design of stick-slip-free hydraulics and research into the optimal material pairings and hydraulic fluids for reducing the stick-slip effect by 88-90%
    Cooperation project with the companies Elbe Dichtungen Hydraulik und Pneumatik GmbH and Gegner Hydraulik Systems GmbH;
    Funding program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)”; 10/2020 – 11/2023
  • Investigations into the failure mechanisms of grease-lubricated rolling bearings – significance of the aging of different thickener systems
    Cooperation project with the Oel-Waerme-Institut GmbH (OWI) An-Institut RWTH Aachen; DGMK funding program of the AiF, 30 months, 08/2020 – 01/2023
  • Development of a new type of modular rolling bearing test bench for special e-mobility requirements
    Cooperation project with the company Innowep GmbH, Würzburg
    Funding program “Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM)”, 06/2020 – 11/2022
  • Development of a pressure-resistant shaft seal for first-time use up to 100 bar
    Cooperation project with the companies Seal Concept GmbH, Bobingen and Dipl.-Ing. Brecht GmbH, Wannweil;
    Funding program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)”; 04/2019 – 09/2021
  • Fluid-free lubrication systems for linear guides subject to high mechanical loads through coating optimization of the functional elements
    Cooperation project with the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST), Braunschweig
    Priority Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG) “Fluid-free lubrication systems with high mechanical loads” (SPP 2074); 12/2018 – 11/2021
  • Development of a 3D-printed plain bearing with integrated active and passive cooling, emergency lubrication and previously unattained sliding properties
    Cooperation project with the companies IDS Miesbach GmbH, Miesbach and Kunz Engineering GmbH, Bautzen
    Funding program ” Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)” ; 11/2018 – 10/2020
  • Development of new evaluation criteria in the field of brake systems due to increasing tribological requirements as a result of electrification and increased noise requirements
    Cooperation project with the German Institute for Rubber Technology e.V., Hanover; Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts; Robert Bosch GmbH, Abstatt, Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG, Frankfurt and ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lucas Varity GmbH, Koblenz
    Funding program “WiPaNo – Knowledge and Technology Transfer through Patents and Standards” in the funding area “Standardization”; Project Management Jülich (PTJ), Berlin; 10/2018 – 09/2020
  • Development of a process for the targeted control of solid lubricant transfer films to reduce friction and wear
    Cooperation project with the company GGB, Heilbronn
    Funding program “Research at Universities of Applied Sciences” (FHproUnt); 08/2018 – 07/2021
  • Development of a stick-slip-free, low-noise worm gear for use in an electromechanical scissor lift unit
    Cooperation project with the companies Panther GmbH, Aying-Munich and DSM Engineering Plastics B.V., Geelen/ NL
    Funding program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)”; 06/2018 – 03/2020
  • Tribomechanical modeling for improved prediction of the reliability of plastic components in moving machine elements
    R&D project of the in-house Karl Völker Foundation; 11/2017 – 10/2019
  • Development of a new type of component test bench for testing rolling and plain bearings for electric and hybrid vehicles
    Cooperation project with the company Kemmerich Elekromotoren GmbH & Co. KG, Gummersbach
    Funding program “Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM)”; 09/2017 – 02/2021
  • Industrial project on the rolling behavior of cam disks; scientific project partner in the international joint research project “Xtribology” under the leadership of the Austrian Competence Center Tribology (AC²T)
    Sub-project SRP3.1: “Online monitoring methods for wear processes of “hard to watch” tribo-contacts”, 2015 – 2019
  • Development of a screening test method for lubricating greases by coupling thermo-oxidative test methods with a mechanical-dynamic multi-station rolling bearing test bench
    Cooperation project with the Oel-Waerme-Institut GmbH (OWI) An-Institut RWTH Aachen; DGMK funding program of the AiF 12/2015-05/2018
  • Machining technology – understanding the quantitative relationships between material and application properties to strengthen the competitiveness of machine and tool manufacturers
    ZAFH project of the MWK Baden-Württemberg as a cooperation project 11/2015 – 10/2018
  • Development of a novel highly dynamic and controlled EDT process for finishing and texturing of  shaft sliding surfaces by means of electrical discharge machining; development of a novel test method for internal combustion engine plain bearings to evaluate the influence of the surface structure on friction and wear
    Cooperation project with Hytron GmbH, Bensheim
    Funding program of the BMWi – Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology “ZIM” ; 08/2015 – 07/2017
  • Entry into the practical laboratory simulation of “fretting corrosion” (tribochemical reaction) (feasibility study Karl Völker Foundation, 10/2015 – 03/2016)
  • Development of a novel lubricant in the form of a ready-formulated gear oil for use in tribological systems and a screening method for fast, reproducible and economical testing of industrial gear oils
    Cooperation project with the company Rewitec GmbH, Lahnau
    Funding program of the BMWi – Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology “ZIM” ; 10/2014 – 03/201