Brief Introduction of the Research Advisory Boards

Board of the Research Advisory Board

Prof. Dr.-Ing. André Zimmermann

Hahn-Schickard

Institute Director & Chairman of the Research Advisory Board 3-D MID e.V.

André Zimmermann is Professor of Microtechnology at the University of Stuttgart and heads the Institute for Microintegration (IFM) at the University of Stuttgart as well as the Institute for Microassembly Technology at Hahn-Schickard in Stuttgart. He is active in numerous committees and scientific associations (incl. chairman of the Advisory Board 3-D MID e.V., Executive Board Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung, expert activities). His work is focused on packaging and interconnect technology and covers the areas of precision machining, injection molding, surface structuring, microassembly, sensors, actuators, modeling and reliability. He has many years of experience in MID technology since working at Robert Bosch GmbH. One focus is the application of MID technology in the miniaturization of assemblies.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marcus Reichenberger

Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm

Faculty efi – Laboratory Manager Packaging and Interconnection Technology & Vice Chairman of the Research Advisory Board 3-D MID e.V.

Mr. Reichenberger is Professor for Electronics Technology and Production at the Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences and heads the Laboratory for Packaging and Interconnection Technology at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Precision Engineering and Information Technology (efi).

Before joining the TH Nuremberg, he held various positions of responsibility in electronics production at Continental AG, most recently as Director Manufacturing Technology.

The research activities in the Laboratory for Packaging and Interconnection Technology focus on process-related issues of hybrid printed electronics, i.e. the combination of printed components and elements of conventional electronics. The focus is on alternative approaches to the electrical functionalization of dielectric planar and three-dimensional substrates as well as the selection, characterization and evaluation of suitable interconnection technologies for mounting electronic components on printed functional structures.

Furthermore, Marcus Reichenberger is active as vice chairman of the Research Association 3-D MID.

Markus Barth

TEPROSA GmbH

Managing Director

Mr. Barth is the Managing Director of TEPROSA GmbH from Magdeburg. He has been with the company since it was spun off from Otto von Guericke University in 2009 and was responsible, among other things, for knowledge and technology transfer and business field development before being appointed to the Management Board in 2016. TEPROSA GmbH operates as a technology service provider in the fields of 3D-MID, laser fine machining, and the testing and inspection of electromechanical assemblies.

Prof. Dr. Christoph J. Brabec

Lehrstuhl für Materialien der Elektronik und Energietechnologie (i-MEET)

Chair Holder

Mr. Brabec is a professor at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and heads the Chair for Materials in Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET). In addition, he is, among other things, scientific director at ZAE Bayern e.V., scientific director at the Energy Campus Nuremberg (EnCN), director at the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen Nuremberg (HI-ErN) of the Research Center Jülich and honorary professor at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. In his many years in industry, Prof. Brabec has held positions at Quantum Solar Energy Linz (QSEL), Siemens AG and most recently as Technical Director and General Manager at Konarka Technologies Inc. and Konarka Germany GmbH.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roman Dumitrescu

Fraunhofer IEM

Director

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roman Dumitrescu is director at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronics Design IEM and head of the “Advanced Systems Engineering” department at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute of the University of Paderborn. His research focuses on the product development of intelligent technical systems. Prof. Dumitrescu is also the Managing Director of the technology network Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe (it’s OWL). Among other things, he is a member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech), a member of the Advisory Board of the Westfalen Weser Energie Group, a member of the Expert Group of the Innovation Dialog of the German Federal Government, a member of the Research Advisory Board of the Research Association 3-D MID e.V. and a member of the Board of Directors of the RKW Competence Center.

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Gehde

TU Chemnitz, Fakultät für Maschinenbau, Institut für Fördertechnik und Kunststoffe

Thomas Harder

ECPE European Center for Power Electronics e.V.

Managing Director

Mr. Harder is Managing Director of the ECPE European Center for Power Electronics e.V. in Nuremberg, an industry-led research network in the field of power electronics with over 100 member companies from Europe. The ECPE network organizes industry-funded collaborative research and hosts expert:ing workshops and training courses to educate engineers. Furthermore, Mr. Harder coordinates the Power Electronics Cluster within the Cluster Offensive Bavaria. His scientific background is in the field of packaging and interconnection technology in electronics and microsystems engineering. As a graduate physicist, he worked at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology in Itzehoe, among others.

Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Hellmich

MID Solutions GmbH

Managing Director

In addition to his function as Managing Director of MID Solutions GmbH, Mr. Hellmich is an active member of the Research Advisory Board of the Research Association 3-D MID e.V..

In the course of his professional career, Mr. Hellmich was employed by Polychrome, Siemens AG and Fuba Printed Circuits GmbH, where he last headed the 3D-MID division. By founding his own company in 2009, Mr. Hellmich started a new phase in his life.

For 10 years now MID Solutions GmbH is represented in the MID technology and is one of the leading companies in the metallization of intelligent electrotechnical and mechatronic components.

Dr. Benjamin Hertweck

KERN-LIEBERS Firmengruppe

Senior Vice President R&D

As Senior Vice President R&D, Benjamin Hertweck is responsible for advanced development at the KERN-LIEBERS Group of Companies. Prior to that, he held several positions within the group of companies.

After studying physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, he earned his doctorate at the FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg at the interface between materials, process and production engineering.

The development of mechatronic integrated assemblies for a wide range of applications from automotive to medical technology and industry is one of the focal points of his current activities at KERN-LIEBERS.

Thomas Hess

HARTING AG -Biel

Head of Project Management, Product & Technology Development

Thomas Hess is responsible for the development of 3D-MID proprietary products and project management at Harting. Before working at Harting, his path led via industrial automation technology – where he worked for many years in both Switzerland and Germany – to the company Multiple Dimensions. Here, Mr. Hess acquired the know-how for the production of 3D-MID and was able to gain a lot of experience regarding series production through various customer projects.

In addition to a technical degree in electrical engineering and communications technology, he also completed further training in business administration and successfully completed the EMBA program at the University of Rochester-Bern.

Dr. Joachim Heyer

hc-heyerconsulting

Owner

Mr. Heyer worked for many years at the company Enthone, now MacDermid Enthone, and most recently headed the research and development division in Europe. Among other things, the company is involved in the development of chemical processes for the metallization of MIDs. Since 2014, he has been working as a consultant in the surface industry and in the field of MIDs. He has been involved in 3-D MID e.V. since 1998, was on the Board of the Research Association for six years in between, and most recently was a member of the Research Advisory Board, where he represents the company MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions. He is also a member of the Research Committee of the German Society for Electroplating and Surface Technology.

Dr.-Ing. Christoph Jürgenhake

Bernhard Jürgenhake Gesellschaft für Kabelkonfektion und Metallverarbeitung mbH

Owner and co-shareholder

Christoph Jürgenhake studied mechanical engineering with a specialization in aerospace engineering at the Technical University of Braunschweig. There, he specialized in the field of lightweight fiber composite construction and adaptronics. After his studies, he worked in requirements management at a major European aircraft manufacturer. Since 2006, he has been the owner and co-partner of the Jürgenhake Group in Lippstadt, where he is active in the areas of strategy, innovation and new product and manufacturing technologies. Since 2011, he has also been an employee at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronics Design Technology IEM in Paderborn. Since 2013, Dr. Jürgenhake has headed the integrated mechatronic systems group, which focuses on the development and manufacture of spatial circuit carriers. Since 2022, he has also been deputy head of the Systems Engineering department.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl Kuhmann

Evonik Operations GmbH, Innovation Management High Performance Polymers

Director Polymer Technology Development

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl Kuhmann studied mechanical engineering, specializing in plastics technology, at RWTH Aachen University. After graduating, he was initially a Research Assistant at the Chair of Plastics Technology at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), and then Senior Engineer at the Chair.

He was then responsible for process development at Hengst Filterwerke. Today, he is responsible for plastics processing technology in Innovation Management High Performance Polymers, Evonik Operations GmbH. At the end of 2016, he was appointed Honorary Professor in the Department of Plastics Technology at FAU.

Dipl. Inf. Wolfgang Mildner

MSWtech

Owner

Johann Obermaier

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES

Chief Architect

Mr. Obermaier has been developing mobile communications antennas for more than 25 years.

In all this time he has been a driving force for innovation and the introduction of new materials and processes in antenna technology. Very early on, he recognized the potential of MID technology for mobile communications to overcome the complexity of today’s antenna systems.

In his current role as Chief Architect, he is researching future system architectures and their implementation for 5G.

Huawei Technologies is the market leader in mobile infrastructure with more than 1.3 million antennas installed per year.

Dr. Carsten Plüg

Merck KGaA

Global Head Innovation & Application

Mr. Plüg is currently Head of Global Innovation & Application PM-PR at Merck KGaA.

After his chemistry studies in Kiel (PhD) and post doc in Brisbane, Australia, Mr. Plüg worked at BPB Formula, Clariant and Samsung Cheil Industries in leading research positions around particle technology mainly for coatings, electronics, printing inks, plastics and ceramics.

Dr. Thomas Reitberger

Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG

Product Manager 3D Measurement Technology

Mr. Reitberger has been employed since 2020 at Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG and works there as a Product Manager in the field of 3D measurement technology. Micro-Epsilon develops precise sensor innovations for future-oriented industries. The portfolio ranges from sensors for displacement and distance measurement, infrared temperature measurement and color detection to sensor systems for 3D measurement and defect detection. The MID technology is a future-oriented technology for the company, which could also find its way into various sensors. Mr. Reitberger was able to build up broad expertise in the field of 3D-MID technology, especially during his time at the chair of FAPS. In the context of his dissertation, he was also able to lay the foundation for 3D-opto-MID technology.

Dirk Rettschlag

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG

Technical Sales Manager LDS Technology

Dirk Rettschlag is the contact person at LPKF Laser & Electronics AG for the Laser Direct Structuring technology division. His responsibilities as Technical Sales include sales, worldwide support of customers and representatives in questions regarding LDS technology, application and product management in the area of new and further developments.

After successfully completing his training as a state-certified technician in the field of communications electronics, he initially worked for 4 years at MTU Maintenance Hannover in the field of engine electronics for commercial aircraft engines. In 2000, he moved to the mechanical engineering sector for electronics production. For 10 years, Dirk Rettschlag worked at Viscom AG in the Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) division before moving to LPKF AG in 2010. Since then, he has been loyal to LDS Technology.

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Hartmut Rohde

Robert Bosch GmbH

Project Manager

Mr. Rohde is a Project Manager in the industrialization of driver assistance systems at Robert Bosch GmbH in the Immenstadt/Blaichach plant.

Through his studies of microelectronics and various activities in the field of process development and production planning for electronic products, he brings a wealth of experience in the field of electrical packaging technology, especially in the automotive environment.

In the field of MID technology, Mr. Rohde introduced the first MID part into large-scale production at Robert Bosch GmbH. Mr. Rohde developed the basic principles for this during his work in the Central Research and Advance Engineering Department – Plastics Division of Robert Bosch GmbH.

Dr.-Ing. Stefan Stegmeier

Siemens AG

Principal Key Expert Research Scientist

Mr. Stegmeier works in central research and development at Siemens AG. In his role as “Principal Key Expert Research Scientist” he is responsible for innovative process technologies as well as for corporate strategy in the field of Power Electronics. He has published more than 20 journal/conference papers and holds more than 30 patents in the fields of sensor technology, optoelectronics, packaging, electronic assemblies and power electronics.  He is also active in numerous associations/committees, such as ZVEI, Aeneas (Association for European NanoElectronics ActivitieS) and GMM (Gesellschaft Mikroelektronik, Mikrosystem- und Feinwerktechnik).