About Us

 

Welding and Joining Institute

For almost 60 years now the Welding and Joining Institute, ISF, of RWTH Aachen University has been doing research work about modern welding and joining technologies. The work of the ISF comprises almost all industrially relevant, non-detachable joining methods. Those methods include the arc joining methods with their modern process variations, the entire spectrum of the electron and laser beam welding methods, resistance and friction welding processes and also adhesive bonding. In connection, also work about the processing of modern materials with welding methods, about automation and mechanisation, process simulation and also about occupational safety and environmental protection is carried out.

Besides fundamental process analyses which are carried out within the scope of the above-mentioned fields, main emphasis is put on the application-oriented implementation of the gained results into advancement and further development of joining technologies for innovative material and structural design. Within the scope of our scientific work, great importance is placed on the direct industrial cooperation, reaching from smaller projects up to long-term development cooperation.

Thanks to the high core competence in joining it is possible to find adequate and target-oriented solutions for almost any joining problem. Approximately 30 research assistants, together with approximately 30 technical and administrational staff as well as a large number of student assistants and students working on their seminar or diploma theses form a fine network of specialists which are capable to come up with the technically or economically best solution for almost any joining problem. The close cooperation with the ZAT/Forschungszentrum Jülich within the scope of the "Centre of Excellence in Joining Technologies", FEZ, adds to the competences by expertises from the field of special machine engineering and processing of special materials.

The service departments “Chemical Analyses“ and “Metallography“ and also extensive material testing are used for the project work, for expertises and damage analyses and are thus provided also to external orderers. Priority is given to work on problems from the fields of material science, process technique and simulation for applications, for example, from plant engineering and tank construction, automotive engineering and vehicle manufacturing, shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, civil engineering and from electro- and electronics industry – fields which cover basic research but which are also reaching into the range of application-oriented research.