Every September marks the season for the yearly Modelling Week of the Elite Graduate Program “Scientific Computing”. After working on their projects with industry partners for around three months, it is finally time for the students to present their work in front of professors, company partners, and fellow students.
This year, there was a wide variety of projects on display. Among the industrial partners was a group of new companies participating the modelling seminar for the first time. Some projects were application-oriented, others dedicated to numerical methods, and of course, there was a touch of AI in the mix.
One of the companies participating in the modelling seminar for the first time this year specializes in providing advanced numerical models for challenging engineering applications. For their first seminar project, they investigated whether it is possible to perform simple modal analysis on phase-field models in the same way as on solid models, without the need for major changes. This question was inspired by topology optimization tools, which have become a standard part of modern design processes.
Another newly added company works with modern automotive electronic systems, where functionality depends heavily on the reliable transmission of signals between components. Spring contacts provide a pragmatic and flexible solution for this purpose, but they have not yet been thoroughly investigated in this application area.
The students first developed a mathematical model of elastic spring contact and then analysed it in terms of its mechanical and thermal properties, particularly regarding potential signal interruptions. In addition, the project modelled and examined in detail a signal failure caused by corrosion at the contact points.
The Modelling Seminar is not only a scientific event, but also an opportunity for the students and su-pervisors of the Elite Graduate Program “Scientific Computing” to enjoy some social activities and get to know more about the culture of the area around them. This year’s seminar took place in the Ober-pfalz, specifically in Waldsassen. In addition to visiting the Basilica of Waldsassen, the students and supervisors hiked to the nearby Trinity Church “Kappl”. Despite the cold and windy weather, the con-versations along the way were warm and lively.
