Research projects
Here you will find an overview of all current and completed projects of the Chair of Joining Technology.
Our research focuses on product and process innovations for many future-oriented industries such as shipbuilding and steel construction, energy and environmental technology, rail and commercial vehicle construction, and mechanical and plant engineering.
Projects developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP are listed in the individual areas of expertise. (Competences)
Current projects
Innovative components and concepts for the NH3 operation of marine engines ‘INNO-COMP NH3 Shipping’
A collaborative project in the field of application-oriented research of excellence, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Partial project 4: Innovative thermal spray coatings for NH₃ engines ‘INNO-TS NH₃’
Project description:
The maritime energy transition requires the rapid introduction and widespread adoption of climate-neutral fuels. Ammonia (NH₃) is regarded as a promising hydrogen-based, carbon-free energy carrier of the future. The aim of this collaborative project is to lay the foundations for the safe, efficient and long-lasting use of NH₃ engines. The focus is on the development of innovative materials and coatings for heavily stressed engine components, new test methods for analysing the interactions between ammonia, materials and lubricants, and the investigation of the effects of NH₃ operation on exhaust after-treatment systems. Based on these investigations, which are to be automated, AI-supported models will be developed to predict damage mechanisms and service lives. The insights gained are intended to help provide reliable and sustainable technologies for the climate-neutral shipping of the future.
In this project, the Chair of Joining Technology is primarily providing support on issues relating to the effects of NH₃ operation on the microstructure and surfaces of metallic structural materials and coatings, as well as the associated damage mechanisms. Building on this, the consortium aims to develop new material and coating concepts for NH₃-resistant injection components, plain bearings (for connecting rods, crankshafts and camshafts) and exhaust components (e.g. exhaust valves). These engine components are considered to be particularly critical for ammonia operation.
For the Chair of Joining Technology, the project focuses on reducing the effects of material and surface degradation in engine components subjected to high NH₃ loads through appropriate coating strategies using thermal spraying, as well as the validation of these coatings using suitable destructive and non-destructive testing technologies and analytical investigations. Due to the novel nature of the application, extensive spraying experiments – for example, using plasma, arc wire and flame spraying – must be carried out for this purpose.
You can find more information on the INNO-COMP NH3 Shipping website:
https://www.inno-comp-nh3-shipping.uni-rostock.de/
You can find more information on the available processes and test methods on the website of our partner, Fraunhofer IGP:
https://www.igp.fraunhofer.de/en/competences/thermal-coating-systems.html
Project team:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Knuth-Michael Henkel
Dr.-Ing. Michél Hauer
M.Eng. Moritz Rath
Project duration:
04/2026 – 03/2029
Funding volume:
3,5 Millionen Euro
Project partners:
- Department of Piston Machines and Internal Combustion Engines – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bert Buchholz (Project coordinator)
- Chair of Materials Science – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Olaf Keßler
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry – Prof. Dr. Ralf Zimmermann
- Chair of Joining Technology – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Knuth-Michael Henkel
- Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Catalytic processes – Dr. Udo Armbruster
- Chair for Data-Driven Analysis and Design of Materials – Prof. Dr. Berit Zeller-Plumhoff
- Fraunhofer Institute for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilko Flügge
- Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Surfaces & Materials – Dr. Alexander Vahl
Industrial Advisory Board:
- Umicore
- Deutsche Ölwerke Lubmin GmbH
- WTZ Roßlau gGmbH
- DUAP
- Everllence
- GenSys GmbH MV
- NABU
- Boll & Kirch Filterbau GmbH
- OT Oberflächentechnik GmbH & Co. KG
- Gemeinschaft Thermisches Spritzen e.V.
Funding:
- Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
- Landesförderinstitut M-V (LFI) / Projektträger Jülich (PTJ)
Welding investigations relating to position-dependent parameters
Project duration:
04/2023 – 12/2026
Funding information:
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Completed projects
Prediction of process instability in MSG welding through the combination of arc welding
Projekct duration:
01/2023 – 02/2026
Funding information:
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Intelligent processing of arc signals to prevent process irregularities in MSG welding
Project duration:
02/2020 – 12/2022
Project partners:
- MERKLE Schweißanlagen-Technik mbH
- Fraunhofer Institute for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP
Funding information:
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy