Obituary for Prof. Wolfgang Voelkner

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of our colleague, companion, mentor and friend Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Wolfgang Voeklner, who passed away on Monday, May 12, 2025.

With him, we have to let go of a personality who dedicated himself to science and academic teaching in an exemplary manner throughout his life. He was closely associated with TU Dresden for more than 70 years - starting as a student, through his doctorate and with his appointment as a full professor, he took over the Chair of "Production Engineering / Forming Processes and Tools" from 1979 to 1992, which became the Chair of Primary Forming and Forming Technology in 1993. He held this position until his retirement in 1999 and has been continuously active in an advisory capacity at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology since 2001. His scientific creativity, interdisciplinary expertise and ability to motivate his own staff to achieve top performance were exemplary.

Despite his many functions, he always demonstrated his wide-ranging scientific expertise. He was involved in the development of DIN 8580 until 1961 and played a key role in the founding and management of the "Impact Extrusion" coordination agreement. After completing his doctorate in 1968, he headed the Institute of Forming Technology as a Senior Academic Associate until 1970. He was then head of department at the Research Center for Forming Technology in Zwickau. In 1973, he habilitated at the TU Dresden and from then on was a university lecturer in the field of forming technology until his appointment as professor. After reunification, he became a member of the first Senate and the first Council of the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering at TU Dresden. In the same year, he was also appointed Director of the Production Engineering and Machine Tools Section and, from 1991, Spokesman of the Institute's Production Engineering and Machine Tools Association. In 1992, he was also elected Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering. In his function as spokesman for the CIM Technology Transfer Center (1991 to 1996) at TU Dresden, he made a significant contribution to the founding of the CIM Technology Centers in the new federal states.

In addition to his professional expertise and great commitment, we have also lost a very good friend, always ready to help with advice and action and always with an open ear for the concerns of his fellow human beings.

On behalf of all employees of the Institute of Manufacturing
Alexander Brosius, Andrés Lasagni, Hans Christian Schmale, Thomas Arnold