"Freundeskreis" of the Welding Institute

 

Board of Directors

Chairman: Dr. Stracke
Substitutional chairmen:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. U. Reisgen, Head of ISF
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Schmachtenberg, Rector RWTH
Managing director: Dr.-Ing. K. Pöll
Bursar: Dr.-Ing. R. Ortmann

 

History

In November 1960, Professor Henning invited the friends and supporters of the Welding Institute to Aachen. These activities lead to the foundation of "Freundeskreis des Instituts für Schweißtechnik der Technischen Hochschule Aachen e.V." in May of 1961. A couple of weeks after, the association had been entered into the Aachen register of associations. As Professor Opitz suggested during the foundation meeting, the main task of the Freundeskreis was to be the support of the institute through the contribution of ideas and suggestions for research. At the extraordinary general meeting in November 1965, on the occasion of the extension of the institute buildung, the president of the Freundeskreis, Dr. Canzler, introduced Professor Eichhorn as the new director of the institute. Prof. Krekeler was appointed honorary chairman.

In the course of the following years, Prof. Dr.- Ing. R. Spolders 1966, Mr. Neumann 1974, Dr.-Ing. Goerdt 1987, Dr.-Ing. Schulten 1996 and Dr. Stracke 2001 had, in the general meetings, been elected chairmen of the Freundeskreis. In the year 1989, the institute director resigned and Professor Dilthey became the new director. For his services to the institute and also to the Freundeskreis, Professor Eichhorn was appointed honorary member. In August 2007, Professor Reisgen became the new head of ISF.

In the course of the following years, the objectives and tasks of Freundeskreis were ever increasing. The Freundeskreis assists in initiating and holding the Industry colloquiae which are held once in a semester. The Freundeskreis, moreover, does not only place contacts between companies and the ISF - Welding and Joining Institute, but is also promoting contacts between the member companies. With the help of Freundeskreis, a vivid exchange of ideas between industry and ISF - Welding and Joining Institute has been established for more than 30 years now. Thus, new ideas and solutions for problems of many companies have been elaborated.

Apart from the non-material support of the institute, the Freundeskreis contributed financial help for the procurement of costly equipment which considerably facilitated the scientific work and the work for the industry.

Today, the Freundeskreis mainly consists of leading companies from the field of welding and joining and of former ISF - Welding and Joining Institute staff and friends.

The Freundeskreis is Editor of the actual information brochure ISF-Direct which is published twice a year.