Biography:

Jan-Erik Rath is a researcher and team lead at the Institute of Aircraft Production Technology at Hamburg University of Technology. He has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clausthal University of Technology and specialized in aircraft production and MRO during an internship and his master's thesis at Lufthansa Technik. He has been with the Institute of Aircraft Production Technology since 2020, working on joint research projects with Airbus and CompriseTec. His team Advanced and Composites Manufacturing focuses on innovative technologies and processes for the sustainable production of complex lightweight components, mainly in the aviation industry. In his research, he developed a dieless robotic forming process for fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, offering a new, cost-effective manufacturing alternative for prototypes, individual parts, and small series.

About the Institute of Aircraft Production Technology (IFPT): 

Since 2010, the Institute of Aircraft Production Technology (IFPT) at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) has been conducting research on production automation with a specialization in large structures, lightweight construction, and small series production. These fields are typical for aircraft production and maintenance and require intelligent, hybrid, and mobile automation systems. In addition to industrial robotics and classic automation technology, artificial intelligence and human-machine interaction are also in the research focus. The institute cooperates on joint projects with large aviation companies from production and MRO, such as Airbus, Diehl, and Lufthansa Technik, as well as with SMEs from this sector. The IFPT currently employs 29 research associates across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechatronics.