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Whilst the lecture theatres were a little quieter, research was by no means in holiday mode. Whilst many were packing their bags for the beach, the mountains or a spot on the balcony, a number of researchers from our INW faculty were drawn to conferences, workshops and events both at home and abroad. There, they discussed the latest findings, presented innovative projects and represented Mittweida University of Applied Sciences as a leading centre of research. In short: the summer lull is clearly not welcome at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (HSMW). Instead, exciting encounters, fresh ideas and academic exchange filled the summer months with plenty of life. A look at selected events shows where HSMW members were active this summer and which topics were of interest to them.
Innovative heating technology and machine learning on the international stage
From 19 to 24 July 2026, the 17th World Congress on Computational Mechanics was held at the ICM in Munich, in conjunction with the 10th European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering. This leading international congress brought together a global audience of experts from academia, industry and public institutions.
At this conference, Justus Reuter, a PhD student in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, presented his research on additively manufactured TPMS heat exchangers. Together with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Mahn (HSMW) and Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rüdiger Schwarze (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), he combined experimentally validated flow simulations with machine learning methods.
The focus was on the so-called Fourier Neural Operator, which can predict temperature distributions in heat exchangers within milliseconds. The research results show a high degree of agreement between simulation and experiment, with a deviation of less than three per cent, thereby providing a promising basis for the accelerated development of efficient heat exchangers.
Looking ahead, this approach could enable numerous TPMS geometries and operating conditions to be evaluated quickly. This would allow particularly promising variants to be specifically selected before time-consuming CFD simulations are carried out.The presentation at the international mini-symposium ‘Applied Sciences on Metamaterials’ led to stimulating discussions with experts from academia and industry and raised the profile of application-oriented research from Mittweida.
Noise protection on the other side of the world
A little further afield – to Australia, to be precise – Professor Jörn Hübelt from the Chair of Technical Mechanics and Acoustics at the Faculty of Engineering Sciences found himself drawn. At the 55th International Congress and Trade Fair on Noise Control, ‘Internoise 2026’, in Adelaide, he gave a presentation on the topic ‘Determining the acoustic effectiveness of noise barrier attachments at greater distances using near-field measurements’. The aim of the research project presented was to develop a simple method for determining the acoustic effectiveness of these innovative attachments. To this end, measurements were carried out on real walls and FEM simulations were performed. The method is based on measurements taken in the immediate vicinity of the wall in accordance with EN 1793-4 and also takes into account the effect of the systems at greater distances via an angle-dependent correction term. The results enable the classification of the attachments and support the calculation of sound propagation in accordance with the guideline for sound propagation along roads – RLS-19.
The presentation met with great interest from the expert audience, and Professor Hübelt returned home having made new professional contacts.
Games at the summer festival
The Chair of Manufacturing Automation at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences caused a stir with an extraordinary exhibit at the SME Summer Festival on 27 August 2026 in the historic ROGO site in Oberlungwitz. A collaborative robot challenged visitors to a game of blackjack and quickly became one of the event’s crowd favourites.
But behind this playful approach lay far more than just a card game. At the heart of the system was an intelligent image recognition system based on artificial intelligence. This automatically recognises the cards played and enables the robot to react to them in real time. In this way, modern technology was brought to life in a vivid and entertaining manner. The exhibit was developed and programmed by students from Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.
Ehsan Matour and Christian Thormann were on hand to demonstrate the application and answer visitors’ questions.
An engaging exchange at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)
In mid-September, Professor Uwe Mahn and Justus Reuter visited the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) with the aim of initiating joint research activities. Following mutual introductions and the identification of common areas of research, they headed straight to the laboratories.
Particularly impressive were the insights provided by Olivier De Castro into the world of transmission electron microscopy, as well as into the mass spectrometry laboratories and the development of analytical systems. Together with Gaetano Giunta, they also offered a fascinating glimpse into the research work of the Structural Composites Unit.
Particular emphasis was placed on lightweight construction and simulation, as well as advanced composite materials, manufacturing technologies and materials testing. The laboratory tours demonstrated how practical and innovative the research into the materials and technologies of tomorrow is.
During the discussions, numerous shared interests and promising avenues for future collaboration emerged.
