Jun 07, 2024

From Germany to Taiwan: Erik Lutter on a discovery at NKUST with a TEEP scholarship

Erik Lutter, ein Student des ILK, steht zwischen den Professoren der NKUST

Erik Lutter, a student at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at TU Dresden, is in Taiwan from May 4^th to September 30^th, 2024 to complete an internship at the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). His stay will be partially funded by a TEEP scholarship.

At NKUST, Mr. Lutter will be supervised by assistant professor Chia-Cin Wu (Joe Chia-Chin) . In cooperation with the NKUST Department of Mold and Die Engineering and the company iPE - innotech Performance Exhaust, the internship involves working on the development and production of lightweight rims made of magnesium and CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) for sports cars.

The project consists of several phases: During the design phase, Mr. Lutter will perform finite element analyses (FEA) to evaluate the safety and durability of the rims to ensure their compliance with the design requirements. He will familiarize himself with the three most important functional tests for rims: the bending fatigue test and the radial fatigue test according to the TÜV standard as well as the 13-degree impact test according to SAE standard J-175. Based on the FEA results, he will optimize and refine the rim design until all criteria are met.

After the design phase, Mr. Lutter will follow the various manufacturing processes such as forging, flow-forming, heat treatment, machining and painting to understand the entire manufacturing process of a new forged rim. Once the prototype is manufactured, it will participate in the Design Verification (DV) tests to validate the rim design. There is also the opportunity to develop and manufacture CFRP rims during the internship.

The "Taiwan Experience Education Program" (TEEP) offers financial support of at least NTD 12,000 per month to cover living expenses. There is also non-material support. For example, Mr. Lutter received help in finding accommodation on or off campus, in choosing local health insurance and support in integrating into everyday life in Taiwan.

Students in their final year of a degree program in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, composites or polymer technology qualify for the TEEP internship. English language skills are required for effective communication and learning. Basic knowledge of composite or light alloy manufacturing and finite element analysis is also required.

Like Erik Lutter, take advantage of this unique opportunity to gain valuable experience in an international environment and apply and expand your knowledge in the field of lightweight and composite materials.

We wish Erik every success for the rest of his stay in Taiwan!

With a TEEP scholarship in Taiwan. Impressions