Joint German-Australian Research Group „Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Management“

Future engineering solutions will have to provide economically, socially and environmentally sustainable products, services and processes, addressing global challenges and taking into account local capabilities and constraints to achieve a sustainable development. The Joint German-Australian Research Group “Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Management” tackles these global challenges in an international team.

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Scientific Background

Products and services to ensure a high standard of living worldwide are linked to the use of natural resources, which are limited and not evenly distributed. The use of these resources is also linked to environmental impact over all stages of a product life cycle from material extraction, transport and manufacturing through usage to the end-of-life. Future engineering solutions will have the potential to address global challenges by providing products and services while taking simultaneously into account economic, social and environmental targets.

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Group picture from industry workshop “Energy and resource efficiency in manufacturing” with Prof. Herrmann and Prof. Kara, Sydney, June 2011 © Joint German-Australian Research Group „Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Management“

Project and Objectives

“Life Cycle Engineering and Management” is a topic of strong and rising interest in research and industry. Against this background, the Joint German-Australian Research Group “Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Management” contributes with a one-stop, cradle-to-cradle development of technologies and knowledge along the product life cycle in a multidisciplinary and international environment. In a first step, this comprises the coordination of infrastructure and standards, e.g., for measurements in manufacturing processes, and the definition of a research roadmap. Goals of the Joint Research Group are joint projects and publications, the bilateral exchange of students and researchers, cooperation in education as well as the establishment of research structures which are self-supporting in the long term.

Aspects of Research Structure

Within the last years a very active cooperation has been established. The bilateral exchange of students and researchers and joint research projects (funded by DAAD, ARC and others) lead to several joint publications. A book series titled “Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management” was established in cooperation with Springer publishing house. Joint activities in education are brought together within the “Joint Group Academy”. Under this umbrella several events such as lectures, seminars for research and industry or a summer school already took place.

Funded in the context of the BMBF funding programme to establish joint research structures of German universities with partners in APRA. More information on APRA.