Projekt

Defined surface structures called riblets can provide a substantial viscous drag reduction. They can be used to increase efficiency and to reduce energy consumption in fluid applications. However, no efficient technology to generate these functional surfaces on metal parts, like aircraft skins, pipes or turbine blades, is currently available. Hence, the research and development of two innovative rolling technologies to generate functional surfaces with riblet structures is proposed in form of a cooperation between researchers in the area of production technology and fluid mechanics. One of the proposed rolling technologies offers a fast surface structuring of large-area metal sheets made of soft materials. These sheets serve as semi-finished products for the manufacture of pipes and aircraft skins. The second rolling technology differs from the previously one mentioned by rolling riblet structures into finished machine parts like fan or turbine blades. These complex, thin-walled parts are characterised by free-form surfaces and consist of high strength materials.

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Fritz Klocke

  Rheinisch-Westfälische
  Technische Hochschule Aachen
  Lehrstuhl für Technologie
  der Fertigungsverfahren
  Aachen
  

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Hirt

  Rheinisch-Westfälische
  Technische Hochschule Aachen
  Institut für Bildsame Formgebung (IBF)
  Aachen
  

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Schröder

  Rheinisch-Westfälische
  Technische Hochschule Aachen
  Lehrstuhl für Strömungslehre und
  Aerodynamisches Institut
  Aachen