The cylindrical-grinding specialist Fritz Studer AG (www.studer.com) is running its sixth competition for the ‘Fritz Studer Award’ research prize, and students from European universities and technical colleges are invited to participate, with the chance of winning CHF 10,000.

Participation gives young researchers a ‘platform for their creative solutions’.

The goal of the award is to ‘advance and strengthen innovative developments in the machine industry’.

Studer is looking for research results with the following content: innovative machine concepts or components for precision machine tools; alternative materials in machine construction; simulation models for dynamic and thermal behaviour of machine tools; control and sensor concepts for machine tools; digital solutions to support the grinding process; and new or advanced manufacturing technologies, especially in precision machining, such as grinding and hard turning, for example.

Anyone who has focused on scientific topics or applied research areas in their student research project, college work or dissertation can participate.

They should be able to produce substantiated results (or partial results) from their research work.

Entries will be assessed by a team of judges that includes: Konrad Wegener, director of the Institute of Machine Tools and Production at ETH Zurich; Hans-Werner Hoffmeister, head of the production technology department at the Institute for Machine Tools and Production Technology at TU Braunschweig; and Frank Fiebelkorn, head of research and technology at Fritz Studer AG.