Industry partnership for the materials, technology and methods of tomorrow’s vehicle manufacturing

Joint research and university development promising breakthrough will be carried out with Knorr-Bremse’s HUF 10 million contribution in cooperation with BME’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

"Our students gain access to state-of-the-art knowledge with the industry’s help, and Knorr-Bremse has been one of the best partners in this respect for decades. Our partnership is indispensable for ensuring the quality of engineering studies", emphasized Tibor Czigány, member of the Academy, dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. "The cooperation contributes to the fact that our faculty issues degrees in technology with the highest prestige in Hungary. As a result our degree programmes are at the top in national rankings, and they also take good positions in international rankings ahead of the universities of the neighbouring countries", stressed Tibor Czigány.

"The best thing that can happen to the students and a company is to put researchers and professionals in real life situations. Fundamental research might get a boost from the theoretical knowledge of final-year students, interns and teaching staff being put to the test in real life situations. Meanwhile the company’s staff is enriched by the new members with excellent and state-of-the-art knowledge", added Attila Kovács, head of the design engineers at Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems Budapest.

By intensifying the cooperation going on since June 2011, the faculty together with the company developing, designing and manufacturing high-technology works on joint research projects that will yield the materials, technology and methods of tomorrow’s vehicle manufacturing. The mechanical engineering students of BME explore, among other things, issues associated with the production of high-tech railway brakes, and do research into the future methods of vehicle manufacturing. The designs and ideas of the Hungarian engineers working for Knorr-Bremse are being utilized worldwide in places where high-speed trains or, for instance, freight trains running through the frozen tundra must be stopped safely.

The cooperation helps the most talented students as scholarship holders of Knorr-Bremse to participate in the company’s innovation activities through project work, degree thesis, dissertation, or PhD research. The company offers internships to interested students, who may take part in the calibration of the brake units for the high-speed railway being built in China or the Shinkansen running in Japan.

With Knorr-Bremse’s support the virtual design laboratory of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering will be further developed (editor’s note: for the article on the opening of the laboratory in summer 2014 click HERE). The company also donated HUF 2 million towards the purchase of educational softwares.

On the occasion of the signing of the cooperation, Knorr-Bremse held an open day for the teaching staff and the students of the faculty, where those interested acquainted themselves with the processes of design and production.

The Knorr-Bremse Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. Last year they reported sales of nearly EUR 6 billion. The Group is present in 30 countries employing 25 thousand people that develop, manufacture and service braking, entrance, control, and power supply systems, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, driver assistance systems as well as powertrain related and transmission-control solutions.

The Knorr-Bremse Group’s two sites in Hungary use the most advanced technology. Budapest is centre for the design and production of installations for railway brake systems, while in Kecskemét brake systems are produced for commercial vehicles.
 

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Source: Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems Budapest

Source of photos: Uniomedia