Research

The development of new technologies has a lengthy tradition in our sector. We are committed to designing national and European research programmes and provide information on ongoing subsidy programmes, project tenders and projects.

As the VDW is closely networked with the research and academic communities, relatively small companies are also given direct access to path-breaking studies and projects. Moreover, a large number of subsidy options are available, too. Here, we support our members throughout the application procedure, starting with the application concept and the search for suitable partners right through to consultative coordination with the relevant subsidising bodies.

We have been initiating and financing pre-competition research projects ever since 1922. Our activities in this regard are currently institutionalised in a research association called VDW- VDW-Forschungsinstitut e.V. This is a non-profit-making organisation that has set itself to encourage and promote joint research projects, and is a member in the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF)..

For joint research work, the contents of the individual projects are specified by the industry, and the projects then handled by suitable research institutions. While they are ongoing, the projects receive specialist support from an industrial working group. They are financed by the VDW Research Association’s own funds, and by subsidies from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) through the AiF.

Networking in research

Traditionally, the VDW also maintains close contacts with the leading researchers in the field of production and manufacturing technology worldwide. On a national basis, with the the German Academic Society for Production Engineering (WGP), which is a grouping of leading German production-engineering professors that brings together around 1,000 academics. Internationally, the VDW is a member of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP).