Durable and energy-efficient components: New CD Laboratory

Head of Laboratory Bernd Schönbauer (photo) and his team at the new CD Laboratory for Defect Tolerance of Steels in the High and Very High Cycle Fatigue Regime at BOKU University, supported by commercial partner Berndorf Band GmbH, are dedicated to research into the fatigue properties of steel belts, which, despite their low weight, have to withstand high stresses when used in industry: On the one hand, experiments are to be carried out so that a prediction model for calculating fatigue strength can be created on the basis of the data obtained using fracture mechanics concepts. On the other hand, the optimisability of cyclic strength using artificial intelligence is being investigated. The findings of this basic research by the CD Laboratory should form the basis for enabling the future development of competitive, resource- and cost-efficient steel belt systems.