ENGEL Hands Over New e-mac 100 to the Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe

The Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (IVW) in Kaiserslautern and ENGEL Deutschland GmbH are intensifying their collaboration to promote hands-on teaching and innovative research. By commissioning a fully electric ENGEL e-mac 100 injection moulding machine, equipped with state-of-the-art software, the institute is expanding its capabilities in polymer processing and creating ideal conditions for pioneering research and excellent education.

IVW is closely affiliated with the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) and, in particular, its Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering. Currently, three professors conduct research at IVW and also teach at RPTU. Students and doctoral candidates benefit from a unique opportunity to work directly on practice-oriented projects in this setting. As a Leibniz Institute, IVW serves as a bridge between basic research and industrial application, enabling an early integration of theoretical knowledge with real-world applications—such as in the automotive, aerospace, or medical technology sectors.

Injection moulding plays a central role in IVW’s work, whether for producing test specimens in the course of new material developments or for manufacturing load-adapted, topologically optimized structures.

The ENGEL e-mac 100 provides ideal conditions for research and teaching:

• Energy Efficiency and Precision: Its all-electric drive concept enables highly precise production processes with minimal energy usage.

• Digital Networking: The e-mac 100, via an OPC UA interface, can transmit a large variety of process parameters to a central data platform, where they can be analyzed and optimized using artificial intelligence.

• Application-Oriented Digitalization: Assistance systems like iQ weight control and iQ clamp control adjust process parameters in real time to ensure consistently high quality with minimal waste, especially when using recyclates.

A key aspect of training future engineers is demonstrating how digitally assisted processes can act as enablers for process and product quality. Students gain insights into relevant processing technologies (e.g., tape laying, injection moulding, additive manufacturing) and engage extensively with digital methods. These skills are explored in even greater depth in a new master's program, “Digital Process Engineering,” set to launch at RPTU in fall 2025.

In his course “Digitally Supported Processing Technologies for Polymer-based Lightweight Structures,” Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Neumeyer, Research Director Manufacturing Science at IVW, directly links theoretical content with real-world applications. Through accompanying lab sessions, students can gain hands-on experience with the e-mac 100 and test complex processes like injection moulding under state-of-the art conditions.

“Our goal is to offer students an education that combines theory with practice. Thanks to ENGEL’s support, we can utilize the latest, highly relevant industrial technologies—optimally preparing them for the challenges of their future career,” emphasizes Prof. Neumeyer.

Of particular interest is the option to integrate simulations directly into the injection moulding process. With ENGEL’s sim link tool, students can apply simulation methods in real-life manufacturing—a major benefit for digital manufacturing education.

With this new university concept, the IVW not only focuses on innovative technologies but also forges a bridge between academic teaching and industrial practice—paving the way for a sustainable and successful future in plastics engineering.

“We are delighted to support the IVW with this important university initiative. Our e-mac 100 offers the perfect blend of modern injection moulding technology and digital connectivity to optimally prepare the next generation for the demands of tomorrow’s plastics engineering,” says Claus Wilde, Managing Director of ENGEL Deutschland GmbH.