Luca Stephan, a graduate of Ansbach University's Master's degree programme in Industrial Engineering and Management, has been awarded the prestigious VDI Sponsorship Prize. With this award, the Association of German Engineers (VDI) recognises particularly practical and innovative scientific work.

As Luca Stephan wrote his thesis at Bausch+Ströbel and now also works here, the award ceremony took place at the speciality machine manufacturer in Ilshofen. At the beginning of the event, the guests were given an exclusive tour to gain exciting insights into the company and the manufacture of pharmaceutical systems. Afterwards, Supervisory Board member Uwe Wehnhardt and the President of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences, Prof Dr Sascha Müller-Feuerstein, opened the event with their welcoming speeches.

The award-winning work was then presented and honoured. In addition to an introduction by Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Günter P. Petruschek from the VDI, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lukas Prasol emphasised the particular practical relevance and innovative strength of the work in his laudatory speech.

Luca Stephan then presented his award-winning master's thesis. It focussed on the use of modern additive manufacturing processes for metallic components in the pharmaceutical industry. Luca Stephan used a specific application example to show how components can be efficiently developed and produced using laser-based 3D printing technologies. It became clear how the entire development process - from conception to final implementation - can be optimised.

The results of the work offer great potential beyond the individual case: they can be transferred to other applications and contribute to making manufacturing processes more flexible, more efficient and of higher quality.

This was also emphasised by Frank Preißner, member of the Bausch+Ströbel Management Board, who was visibly delighted with Luca Stephan's award.

At the subsequent get-together, the participants from science and industry took the opportunity to engage in intensive professional dialogue.