Dr.-Ing. Kai Hilgenberg
Source: BAM
The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has appointed Kai Hilgenberg as the new head of the Component Safety department. With many years of experience in laser material processing and additive manufacturing, he brings comprehensive expertise in the assessment of safety-relevant technical components.
His new role ties in directly with his previous positions at BAM. He has been with BAM since 2014, initially as a junior professor in cooperation with the Technical University of Berlin. From 2017, he developed the field of additive manufacturing and has headed the Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components department since 2021.
Looking to the future, Hilgenberg sees major challenges and potential in the further development of materials and manufacturing processes, for example through new technologies such as AI. His vision is that methods for assessing component safety must keep pace with these developments – through digitalization, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Research for safe technical systems
The Component Safety department at BAM investigates the safety of technical components in mechanical engineering, plant engineering, and transportation. The focus is on welding and additive manufacturing processes for metallic materials. Using state-of-the-art testing technology, the team simulates real-life stresses, describes damage mechanisms, and develops new testing methods and test facilities.
The department works closely with industry and other institutions and is involved in standardization and technical regulation. This allows scientific expertise to be transferred directly into industrial applications.