Jun 16, 2026
Research conducted by the Chair of Joining Technology and Assembly is featured in a "Maus" documentary
Cell phones are made up of many individual components. But how well can they be recycled to recover valuable raw materials?
To explore this fascinating question in a fact-based story for “Sendung mit der Maus,” the production team from FLASH Filmproduktion visited the Chair of Joining Technology and Assembly at the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering on June 10 and 11, 2026.
Ludwig Drath (first person from the left) together with the flash Filmproduktion team led by Jan Marschner (second person from the left).
Using a mobile phone as an example, the educational story illustrates how the production and recyclability of electronic devices have changed over time. While older devices were often difficult or impossible to repair and recycle, today there is an increasing focus on the disassembly and reuse of individual components. The way in which individual components are connected plays a key role in this process. Screwing is an important joining method that enables the subsequent disassembly of electronic devices.
At the Chair of Joining Technology and Assembly, researchers are studying micro-screws and their screw connections. These tiny mechanical elements, with an outer diameter of no more than 2.5 millimeters, play a crucial role in the modern manufacturing of mobile phones. They can reliably connect even the smallest components in a smartphone in a multifunctional way while simultaneously facilitating later disassembly, repair, and thus recycling.
“The ability to more easily disassemble electronic devices at the end of their service life and return valuable components to the cycle—or significantly improve their repairability throughout their lifecycle—is an important contribution to resource conservation,” explains Prof. Hans Christian Schmale, head of the Chair. “I am very pleased that through the ‘Sendung mit der Maus’ segment, we can bring our research closer to a broad audience—and especially to young people.”
In the Chair’s screw laboratory, the unique features of micro-screw connections were demonstrated for the educational segment. Among other things, the special feeding mechanism for micro-screws, the screwdrivers used, and the tools developed for this purpose were showcased.
By 2027 at the latest, we can look forward to an exciting educational segment on “Sendung mit der Maus,” which will also feature research from TU Dresden.
Contact:
© R.Brodel, Braunschweig
Inhaber
NameProfessor Dr.-Ing. Hans Christian Schmale
Professur für Fügetechnik und Montage
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Professur für Fügetechnik und Montage:
George-Bähr-Str. 3c, Raum 326
01062 Dresden
Deutschland
© FTM
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
NameMr Dipl. -Ing. Ludwig Drath
Mechanisches Fügen, Schrauben, Hybridfügen
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).