Tolerance management at KTmfk
The quality of technical products is significantly influenced by geometric component deviations. Consequently, limiting these deviations through tolerances is a crucial task during product creation. Holistic tolerance management is thus a prerequisite for economic success in the face of international competition. For over 30 years, tolerance management has therefore been a key component of research activities at the Chair of Engineering Design. The guiding principle behind this research is the integrative consideration—across all phases of virtual product development—of all quality-impairing component deviations that inevitably arise during the manufacturing process.
Key areas of focus include:
- Development of methods to address the challenges of tolerance management during the early stages of product development.
- Realistic calculation of the impact of component deviations on product properties critical to function and quality, by accounting for form and position deviations in tolerance simulation.
- Investigation of the operating behavior of rolling-element bearing assemblies subject to deviations, with the aim of deriving recommendations for manufacturers and users.
- Cost-optimal tolerance allocation for dynamic systems as well as statically under-constrained and over-constrained systems, utilizing tolerance analysis and synthesis.
- Integrative, process-oriented tolerance management that takes into account specific application areas such as plastic injection molding, CFRP manufacturing, and additive manufacturing.
Tolerances in Education and Further Training
Tolerance management is an integral part of the studies for Mechanical Engineering students from day one. They are introduced to every facet of the field, ranging from the application of standard-compliant annotations on technical drawings to the comprehensive assignment of tolerances based on statistical principles.
To foster the exchange between industrial practice, research, and teaching—and to spark student enthusiasm for tolerance management—the KTmfk has also organized a biennial “Tolerance Management Summer School” since 2013; it is a unique event of its kind in Germany.
Cooperation in research and with industry
To meet the future challenges of tolerance management, KTmfk focuses on strengthening international research collaborations and fostering intensive cooperation with industry. Numerous successful projects with our industry partners demonstrate this commitment. Please feel free to contact us!