SolarCar unites generations
When creative students meet experienced engineers the results can be impressive – in this case the new SolarCar. For the third time in succession, thyssenkrupp is supporting the construction of a solar-powered electric vehicle at Bochum University not only financially, but above all through an intensive exchange of know-how.
“Intensifying collaboration between academia and industry, and enabling knowledge transfer – that’s what the research cooperation between thyssenkrupp and Bochum University is all about,” says the new SolarCar project manager Patrick Tlauka, who joined the application concepts team at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe in 2013. The engineer – who started at thyssenkrupp’s plant service as a student worker – knows what is important: “Direct contact between students and Steel employees is particularly important as it enables them to learn from each other and achieve great results.”
And thyssenkrupp has provided just the platform they need: The two student workers have even had their own office in the application technology department in Duisburg since April 2016. “This is our chance to undertake practical work,” says Lukas Blömer. thyssenkrupp already has very clear ideas about how steel can be used in the new solar-powered car. Now it’s all about planning, calculating, testing and improving to develop a range of 3D diagrams of individual parts for the new SolarCar on the computer, which should be available by the end of the year. Quick communication channels and good cooperation on an equal footing characterize day-to-day work at the project office. “Everyone’s door is open to us when we have questions,” says Florian Hoffmann. “Our colleagues at thyssenkrupp are happy to take the time to help us.”
The student workers benefit most from the many years’ experience of the Steel employees. “We get to experience first-hand how an engineer works and what our future working life could look like.” They are not just creating computer diagrams and gaining insights and important contacts for the future, they are also working on real design parts for the 2017 SolarCar. “Here in the project office we are currently fine-tuning the details of the body and the interior,” says Lukas Blömer. “The rest of the team in Bochum has already started to produce individual components so we are now entering the critical phase.”
The student workers benefit most from the many years’ experience of the Steel employees. “We get to experience first-hand how an engineer works and what our future working life could look like.” They are not just creating computer diagrams and gaining insights and important contacts for the future, they are also working on real design parts for the 2017 SolarCar. “Here in the project office we are currently fine-tuning the details of the body and the interior,” says Lukas Blömer. “The rest of the team in Bochum has already started to produce individual components so we are now entering the critical phase.”
For Patrick Tlauka, working with the university students is definitely a win-win situation: “Interested students have the opportunity to work with us as interns and write their degree dissertations.” This enables thyssenkrupp to enter into direct contact with potential future staff. In July 2017 the new solar-powered car will be unveiled and two months later it will be off to Australia for the World Solar Challenge. Then at the latest the engineering work performed by Florian and Lukas will have to prove its worth in practice.
