DID YOU KNOW...ABOUT FREE TRADE?

What free trade means for German mechanical and plant engineering - Ten facts and figures

TODAY THE GARAGE, TOMORROW THE WORLD

Ever heard of MULTIVAC? The world market leader develops its packaging machines in the very south of Germany. Marco, Manuel, and an entire region benefit.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT. QUICKLY!

Faster, higher, further - and now interactive, too. Welcome to the world’s most exciting roller coasters! And you’ll be amazed to see how young the engineers are.

"THE SMALLEST MACHINE IN THE WORLD"

When molecules can be linked mechanically and without friction.

STRONGER THAN 600 HORSES

Presenting the powerhouses among tractors.

KNOTTING, ROLLING, CRUSHING: IMPRESSIVE FOOD PROCESSING MACHINERY

A crispy pretzel or a filled praline is a quick moment of indulgence. But did you know how much sophisticated technology goes into inserting the tender, melting crème into a wafer-thin chocolate case that yields with an audible crack? Or why fish is better chilled in ice made from salt water than fresh water for splintering reasons? VDMAimpulse presents five food processing machines that process even delicate ingredients in next to no time.

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SET FORMULA FOR GOOD VEHICLE DESIGN"

Whether powered by electricity, hybrid engines or fuel cell technology, car engines are facing a period of transition. The impact this has on vehicle design and what it means when autonomous driving is added to the mix is explained by Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design.

"PRODUCT DESIGN CANNOT BE LEFT TO THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT"

How has the importance of industrial and product design changed? How strong is nature's influence on product design? And: what role plays design in terms of communicating technological change? Klaus Klemp, Professor of Design Theory and History of Design at HfG Offenbach, gives answers.

DID YOU KNOW …

… that the machine housing of wind turbines can be as large as a single-family home? We have gathered some astonishing facts on the wind energy industry.

DID YOU KNOW…

...that mobile networks are about to get even faster? 5G is set to follow 4G and LTE. It is currently still in development, but was tested at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and should be market-ready by 2020.

US TAX REFORM AND ITS IMPACT ON GERMANY'S MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SECTOR

Initial analyses suggest that the changes to US tax law will not only have an impact on the American economy, but also on other industrial nations and thus for German mechanical engineering.

IT ALL STARTED WITH CHINA

In 1993, Andreas Fäth (63) unexpectedly became a member of a project team working on the construction of Linde's forklift truck factory in Xiamen, southern China. This moment of fate was to have a lasting impact on his career. Linde (China) went on to become the largest foreign supplier of material handling solutions in the Chinese market and the market leader in the premium segment - a success story of Sino-German cooperation. For Fäth, it was the beginning of a long-term love affair.