6DOF Robot Arm Optimization for Harsh Manufacturing Environments
ABB robots in Mercedes-Benz’s OP-150 HD cleaning system were failing — the culprit: direct exposure to 600-bar water jets at 60–70°C. We applied Six Sigma root-cause analysis and redesigned the robotic cage with protective coverings, significantly reducing downtime.
Robot Arm Maintenance for Ford Foundry
Molten aluminum at 820°C, abrasive casting debris, relentless thermal cycling — KUKA robot arms at Ford’s Cologne-Niehl foundry were being pushed to their limits. I supported the development of preventive maintenance schedules, enhanced thermal protection, and programming optimizations to extend robot reliability.
Process Optimization for Laser Metal Deposition
Iron-aluminide alloys are lightweight, oxidation-resistant, and highly important for turbine blade applications. However, they are notoriously difficult to manufacture. At Fraunhofer ILT (RWTH Aachen), I was in charge of laser metal deposition processing of in-situ graded Fe-28at.-%Al, achieving densities exceeding 99.5%.
Improving Process Control for Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing
E-jet printing can deposit droplets as small as 240 nm — but only if electromagnetic noise does not drown out the signal. I diagnosed intrinsic and extrinsic noise sources and implement EM shielding strategies to enable precise droplet-charge sensing for feedback control.
