New Materials and Processes

As a result of increasing lightweight construction requirements, adhesive technology is becoming more and more important as a joining process in shipbuilding. However, a lack of long-term experience in the maritime sector stands in the way of integrating adhesive technology into production. The aim is to find suitable inspection procedures and intervals for ongoing operations and to expand the experience with adhesive joints in the maritime sector. In order to achieve this, imperfections in adhesive joints typical for shipbuilding are analysed with regard to their damage potential and impact on service life. Based on the data obtained, meaningful inspection intervals are determined for the use of adhesive joints in shipbuilding. In addition, non-destructive
inspection methods (NDT) for use in the shipyard as well as at sea are compiled and checked for applicability.

In principle, the use of composite materials in shipbuilding is extremely promising due to the great freedom of design, high corrosion resistance and considerable weight savings. However, strict fire protection regulations prevent the use of conventional fibre-reinforced plastic composites (FRP) with organic matrices, which burn with the release of heat in case of fire. The solution to this problem is to substitute the plastics with inorganic, non-combustible matrix systems. Conventional manufacturing processes for FRPs cannot, however, be easily transferred to the inorganic materials.
The AnorKomp project focuses on the optimisation and processing of inorganic systems and processes for the production of corresponding composite components.

Offshore Wind Turbines are constantly exposed to wind, water and salt. The protection of the steel structures is guaranteed by high-performance coating systems. The application of these liquid coating materials is associated with enormous effort due to environmental conditions and quality monitoring in the coating process. With the development of a foil coating system, the demands on technical hall equipment can be reduced considerably. For example, there is no need for costly ventilation systems or explosion-proof areas. The development of an automated application system is in the pipeline. In combination with the foil coating system, the need for quality monitoring is significantly reduced. Moreover, fewer employees will be needed to work in hazardous areas.