250 meters above sea level

(Interviewed in 2012)

Martin Morgenstern

During his studies, materials engineer Thomas Zwieg concentrated on corrosion and the surface treatment of materials. He did his PhD in ice-resistant coatings. In the world outside of academics, he has coated thick bridge cables which stand many meters above the sea. Today, he works as a product developer for delicate instrument stings.

Thomas Zwieg bridges the gap between his subject areas in an interview with Martin Morgenstern

You started your studies at a time of intense political upheaval during the reunification of former East and West Germany. In reminiscing about this time, how were these changes reflected in the university?
This period was one of the most exciting times of my life — especially the half year between the demonstrations in the fall of 1989 and the first free elections to the People’s Chamber in March 1990. Everyone was dreaming big. We no longer had to attend the previously mandatory political lectures, as they were replaced with additional technical courses relating to our specific degree programs. It was liberating. I was in the last class of students with a set seminar group and a defined study plan for the entire course of study. But in my opinion, this was no disadvantage. My professional success in Denmark clearly demonstrates that the level of educational training at TU Dresden — in particular at the Institute of Materials Science — was and remains at an exceptional, internationally competitive level.

Did the Peaceful Revolution and the reunification of Germany change your professional aspirations in any way?
No. I always wanted to study materials engineering and if given the choice again now — with 18 years of experience in my field — I would do it all over again.

Your Diplom thesis under the mentorship of Prof. Hartmut Worch researched the resistance to crevice corrosion of aluminum materials used for aviation and dental materials coated with titanium compounds used for dental implants. So, you had already delved into research on coatings early on?
Corrosion and surface treatment of materials were certainly some of my favorite subjects during my studies. My current work is heavily influenced by both subject areas — functional surface treatment, in particular.

In 1992, you spent half a year in Denmark for an engineering placement at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI). Upon finishing your studies in 1994, you were then taken on as a member of staff at DTI, where you were employed until 2007, most recently as a group leader in materials research. What did your position involve?
To start with, I worked on a research project focused on calculating the lifespan of critical power plant components. I was charged with examining corrosion processes in fatigue cracks and their impact on crack propagation. Later, I was involved in projects investigating the surface treatment of aluminum materials. These enabled me to specialize in “sol-gel technology,” a wet chemistry coating method in nanotechnology. I used this technology as a basis when forming my own workgroup on functional coatings in 2002, which ultimately included six academic staff members.

In 2006, you defended your doctor’s thesis at your alma mater in Dresden. You focused on ice-resistant coatings ...
My doctor’s thesis, “Biomimetical ice nucleating surfaces”, centered on developing surfaces with ice-forming and ice-resistant properties. These surfaces are important in cooling technology for generating ice, for example. So, I followed a new, biomimetic approach inspired by organisms that have adapted to the  Arctic cold, whose cell membranes allow ice to form without sticking to them. The exact structure and mechanism of these cell membranes are still not totally clear, so research is still being conducted on them. Fortunately, the mechanism that I have developed works quite well. However, we are still faced with the challenge of guaranteeing long-term stability for these surfaces in practical applications.

Is it true that you hold four patents, including for ice and graffiti-resistant coatings?
So far, I have received the global patent for biomimetic ice-forming and ice-resistant surfaces. I submitted the application for that back in 2001. The rest are still pending.

Speaking of “ice-resistant surfaces,” you had a real adventure over the Great Belt ...
Yes, one of the best jobs I’ve ever been tasked with was coating a segment of the main cable of the bridge over the Great Belt (Danish: Storebælt) — 250 meters high. I don’t think the rush from riding any roller coaster in the world comes close to what I experienced up there. Standing on the cable was one thing. But letting go of the safety cable and swinging from my own safety rope to coat the main cable from the side was another thing altogether — especially when it was windy. We also conducted trials with an ice-resistant coating on this cable at the time.

You have also taken courses in project management, fundraising and economics to supplement your work as an engineer. How does advanced training like this open up new opportunities and career paths for an engineer such as yourself?
These days, this knowledge is indispensable for an engineer’s professional success — not only in university research, but also in companies’ development departments, where project planning, design and implementation takes place. These projects require funding, and it is often the job of the companies themselves to apply for it. Public researchers, in particular, must constantly hunt for financial support and are subjected to extensive application procedures — factors which, in my opinion, lead to an enormous amount of wasted scientific potential.

You now work as a product developer for a renowned manufacturer of strings for musical instruments. What does that involve?
I head our department for product development and am responsible for the development of novel strings as well as for the continuous improvement of existing products. Our company Larsen Strings is one of the leading manufacturers of musical instrument strings worldwide. Our strings are primarily played by professional musicians in symphonic and opera orchestras. These musicians expect the highest quality and often have individual requests for their instruments and how we string them. We, as manufacturers, face the great technical challenge of translating the musicians’ desired tonal attributes into physical, high-quality material and processing parameters — and then developing instrument strings that fully meet these demands. This requires an excellent understanding of music and a musical ear to boot. Developing strings of this caliber typically takes several years because they are much more complex than people often realize. The process involves comprehensive acoustic trials and testing of how the strings play — both in the lab and together with musicians in the concert hall. It also means that the success of launching new strings on the market is that much sweeter. Hearing our strings played by famous orchestras or soloists in concert is the cherry on top, reminding us of the value of our labor.

Do you keep track of your alma mater’s current achievements?
Yes, I do — for instance via the website. The university has really grown, and research from Dresden is well-known and valued in Denmark. I was particularly pleased to hear that TU Dresden has been named a University of Excellence. Of course, my particular interests lie with the goings-on at the Institute of Materials Science.

In looking back, what would you say was missing from your experience at TU Dresden? Or, what tips could you give us with regard to the philosophy of science, research and development as well as successfully making the transition from student to professional?
Personally, I wouldn’t have changed anything. I find the additional training in methodology to be particularly important — how to formulate and head up projects as well as how to author technical publications. In Denmark, students have to give reports on a certain number of technical publications on the research topic in question before they can graduate.

From where you stand today, does TUD provide the education necessary to meet the needs of the professional world?
It’s hard for me to make a blanket assessment on that, as TUD has so many academic disciplines. But I can speak for Materials Science, whose program most definitely prepares graduates for the professional world. Today, in times of great (over)supply, additional specialization is particularly important, especially at higher levels of technical knowledge. This is true of both the end product and the technical knowledge and skills of the people manufacturing it. When I moved to Denmark, my expertise was comparable to that of my Danish colleagues. Yet, the emphasis and depth of this technical knowledge differed. My colleagues knew a lot more about how to create metallic materials, in particular how to cast metals. My knowledge of materials had a much broader scope, especially with respect to the relationships between structural properties, which included ceramic and polymer materials — even biomaterials — in addition to metal. It was during my studies that Professor Schatt asserted the importance of learning about metal, polymer, ceramic and biological materials on an equal plane, and Professor Worch consolidated this methodology. My knowledge of all of these materials has proven absolutely beneficial in the way that I approach the tasks assigned to me in my professional work.

Update 2020:
Today, eight years after the interview for the alumni portrait, I am still working at Larsen Strings A/S as Head of Product Development. For the past 7 years, I have also been the Deputy Director of our company. Working for and together with musicians is a great source of gratification for me. My four daughters are all grown up now. Three of them are pursuing their studies in Germany and Denmark. The eldest has already finished her degree and my wife and I have just become grandparents for the second time. You can undoubtedly find exciting and fulfilling fields of work in many countries around the world and make a happy life there. What sets Denmark apart is the social security and exceptionally family-friendly employment policy, where everyone — regardless of their profession or employment in the public or private sector — can take advantage of regulated working times, guaranteeing sufficient time at home with their families. On the whole, family takes a higher priority in Denmark than labor. And in my experience, this has never had a negative impact on the quality of work. On the contrary, this acceptance is a source of motivation and one of the main reasons why I have lived here for going on 25 years.

Contact:
LARSEN STRINGS A/S
Dr. Thomas Zwieg
Manager Product Development

Email: Thomas Zwieg

Web: Larsen Strings

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