Manufacturing technologies

This field brings together all degree programs that deal with materials in industrial production: This deals with the specific properties of materials, such as paper, wood, ceramics, glass, plastic or textiles, as well as their processing, preparation and assembly. This also includes the design of industrial products and environmental protection issues in industrial production.

• The “Printing and Media Technology”, “Paper Technology” and “Packaging Technology” degree programs are dedicated to reproduction and typesetting technology, printing plates and printing processes as well as the production and further processing of pulp and paper products and packaging materials (paper, cardboard, foil), including environmental aspects (Recycling).

• Wood processing and processing into finished products such as furniture and its use, especially in the chemical wood industry, have given rise to study programs specializing in wood such as “Wood Technology”, “Wood Technology and Wood Management” and “Wood Construction and Finishing”.

• Courses such as “Clothing Technology” and “Textile Technology” deal with the processing of natural fibers and the production of chemical fibers, their further processing into yarns and textiles, including dyeing and finishing, as well as the further processing of finished fabrics into home textiles, day and nightwear, and outerwear and technical textiles.

• Courses such as “Plastics Technology” and “Plastics and Elastomer Technology” deal with the production, processing and application of plastics (including the rubber raw material rubber) and the machines and equipment used.

• Courses such as “Manufacturing Technology” are about planning, implementing and monitoring the production of industrial products, taking into account modern quality assurance measures and business aspects.

• Courses such as "Print and Media Technology" initially teach basic skills in mathematics, physics, information technology and business. Students also learn how to use publishing software. In addition, there are modules on media technologies, printing processes, machine elements, production planning and control, controlling, and materials. There are also modules on occupational safety, materials cycles, sustainability and foreign languages. In some cases, specialization is possible, e.g. digital publishing or media technology and economics. Accordingly, knowledge of media production or the technologies of prepress, printing and the Print processing as well as in the commercial and economic areas. In the master's program, the focus can be on an industry segment or area, such as print management or packaging technology.

• Courses of study such as "Paper and Packaging Technology" or "Paper Technology" impart basic mathematical and scientific knowledge and in-depth engineering skills from the fields of mechanical engineering, process engineering, materials and plant technology for the paper and packaging industry. The range of courses on offer is manageable, and in some cases these skills are taught in bundled form in new courses such as "Sustainable Science and Technolog

• The range of modules in the "Wood Technology" degree program includes basic and advanced subjects in natural sciences and engineering as well as forestry and wood economics, such as process technologies in the wood and wood-based materials industry, construction and production technology, design and calculations in furniture and wood structures, CNC technology, quality management, ecological issues in wood processing and business administration. Depending on what the university offers, fields of study and majors such as plant automation, wood industrial production, furniture construction/design, forest utilization and technology, wood biology or business management allow for specialization.

• Courses such as “Textile Technology” and “Clothing Technology” teach mathematical, scientific, technical and subject-specific basics. These include modules such as mathematics and technical drawing, physics, (textile) chemistry, statistics, information technology, materials and machines, textile raw materials, basics of textile production and finishing as well as basic business knowledge. In the further course of the course, the application-oriented deepening takes place through modules on automation technology, production control, CAD, safety and systems engineering, fiber, weaving, mesh technology, composite materials, technical textiles, textile testing, chemical analysis, polymer chemistry, dyeing, textile printing, environmental analysis and management. Finally, there is content on product and process development as well as deepening business knowledge in organization and marketing. In some cases, focal points can be formed in areas such as textile management, clothing management, textile technologies or product development.

• The study of “plastics technology” begins with modules from mathematics, natural sciences, engineering and materials technology. Building on this, application-related modules impart knowledge of plastics, material-appropriate design and plastics processing as well as in the areas of polymer chemistry, measurement technology, thermal engineering, electrical and drive technology, technical mechanics and tool making. There are also non-technical modules such as business administration, quality management and project management. Depending on the university, the focus may be more on mechanical engineering and process engineering or chemical engineering.

• In courses such as “Ceramics, Glass and Building Materials Technology”, scientific modules in mathematics, physics and inorganic or physical chemistry are part of the curriculum. The curriculum also includes mineralogy, crystallography, ceramics, ceramic computing, fundamentals of engineering and foreign languages. There are opportunities for further study in materials science, mechanical and thermal process engineering, measurement and control technology, glass and glazes, industrial design, silicate Fine ceramics, architectural ceramics, structural and functional ceramics, refractory products as well as business administration, recycling and quality assurance.

Some universities carry out an internal university selection process.

• Print and media technology engineers work primarily in printing shops, in the production of artwork, in print finishing, in supplier companies, in specialist retailers for the graphic arts industry, in mechanical engineering companies (printing, bookbinding machines, etc.). Since many newspapers and books are now offered online or as eBooks and printed advertising materials have been partly replaced by digital ones, there has been a decline in jobs in this area in recent years.

• Wood farmers and wood technology engineers work primarily in the wood processing industry, e.g. in the sawing and planing industry, in plywood, wood fiber and chipboard factories, in the wood processing industry, e.g. in furniture manufacturing, in the glued wood construction industry, in prefabricated house construction companies, the production of wooden components and wooden goods as well as in the chemical wood industry, e.g. in the production of wood preservatives, varnishes and glues as well as in the production of paper, cardboard and pulp. Further employment opportunities are offered by the timber trade, the construction industry, manufacturers of wood processing machines and systems, research and teaching, authorities and timber industry associations.

• Engineers - clothing technology or textile technology work in the clothing, textile and chemical fiber industries as well as in the textile machinery and dyestuffs industry, but also in textile-related industries and user markets such as the automotive, aerospace and aerospace industries (e.g. development and production of car seat covers ). There are also career opportunities in research and testing institutes as well as in retail.

• In addition to the ceramics and glass industry, engineers for Materials Technology with a focus on ceramics and glass find employment wherever ceramic and glass components are used (including traffic engineering, automotive engineering, railways, aerospace, chemical industry, energy and environmental technology Etc.)