Dillinger is continuing its strategic partnership with the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Saarland University and the Steinbeis Research Center for Materials Science (MECS).

With this Steel Development 4.0, Dillinger is promoting the university’s research into the microstructure of special steels. Also it is bolstering its position as an innovation driver in heavy plate production. The steel specialist has supported steel-related joint research projects with almost €2 million since 2015. Dillinger will now continue the research partnership with almost €1 million in funding over the next three years. As part of the continuation, two scientific projects in the field of steel research will be made possible at the university.

The experts at Dillinger are incorporating these two projects as components within the integrated approach of their own microstructure based materials development. The focus of the scientific work lies on the microstructure of the steel as well as its formation. Also the work concentrates the possibilities for selectively influencing these. It is the nature of this steel microstructure, that determines the subsequent properties of a heavy plate. This integrated research partnership aims to advance the development of Dillinger’s special steels more quickly and economically. It enhances the company’s ability to respond flexibly to customer requirements. Also it enables them to answer to a wide range of applications.

Advantage of the long standing research partnership

“The research at Saarland University in the subject area of special steels and heavy plate is valuable for us. It supports and accelerates our own research efforts. Dillinger’s fast and flexible research work safeguards and creates our competitive advantages in the highly competitive heavy plate market,” Chairman of the Dillinger Board of Management, Dr. Karl-Ulrich Köhler, explained. “The long standing research partnership with the MECS and Saarland University also offers the advantage of enabling us to secure our potential. Our young talent for the future lies in this region. Numerous materials science and engineering graduates have joined Dillinger in recent years. After completing their research there, they are making important contributions to the continuous improvement of our steel products.”