SFB 516 dealt with method and component-related fundamentals for the design and manufacturing of active microsystems. Goals of the research were the provision of a systematic design process for active microsystems and the development of different manufacturing technologies and novel assembly techniques. In order to provide basics for components for guiding and supporting the moving elements of active microsystems, the wear and tear behaviour of microcomponents was investigated. On this basis active linear micro guides are developed. Institutes of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hannover, the FhG Institute for Coating and Surface Technology and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt are involved. The spokesman institute was the Institute for Microtechnology.
The goal of the Collaborative Research Centre is to work out method and component-related fundamentals for the development of robot systems based on closed kinematic chains (parallel robots) in order to better exploit the structural potential of these robots. The main focus is on high achievable speeds and accelerations, as required in the application field of handling and assembly, but an increase in accuracy is also aimed for.
In SFB 578, processes for the microbial production of new products with high added value (recombinant proteins and oligosaccharides) have been systematically investigated with the goal of recording, better understanding and modelling the interactions of biological, chemical and process engineering processes in order to provide tools that minimise the effort required to develop corresponding biotechnological processes. The SFB initiative, which was led by institutes of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, involved working groups from the fields of biology, chemistry and process engineering at TU Braunschweig, University of Magdeburg, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg and the GBF.