Vita
Studies
In 1947 I was born in Hanover where I studied mechanical engineering. I received my doctorate from the Institute of Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Hanover in cooperation with Continental AG on the subject of “the normal force distribution of belt tyres”.
Career
In 1974 I took up my first position after university at the Battelle Institute in Frankfurt am Main, where I dealt with the reliability and service life of military vehicles and intensively studied the operating conditions on the Leopard II in particular.
In 1977, I was hired by Metzeler Kautschuk in Munich as head of technical tyre development. There I developed the entire range of tyres from bicycles to tractor tyres. However, a special focus was the complete new development of H-tyres for passenger cars and dropped centre tyres for trucks.
A research project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Research was the development of cast tyres.
In 1981 I received a call to the Ulm University of Applied Sciences to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Engineering, where I gave lectures on vehicle and tyre technology in addition to mechanics. In 1983 I founded the transfer center “New Technologies in Traffic Engineering” (www.stz-verkehr.de) and developed software for the simulation of vehicles for driving dynamics and fatigue life, which is sold worldwide. A large number of publications have been produced.
I handed over the transfer center to my successor Jakob Häckh on 30.12.2018, but still work as a freelancer to a limited extent.
Working as an expert
In 1984 I was publicly appointed and sworn in as an expert for tyre damage by the IHK-Ulm and since then I have prepared approx. 500 expert opinions. Scientifically I have dealt with and published the calculation of tyres with the help of finite elements and with the question of the ageing of tyres.
Due to my more than 20 years of activity in the field of simulation of fatigue life, I also prepare expert opinions and analyses on the failure of metallic components in the fields of vehicles, mechanical engineering and power engineering, in particular wind turbines.
I still carry out this expert activity with enthusiasm and am happy if I can contribute to the clarification of damages through my expertise.
Prizes
© Stadt Ulm
Science Prize of the City of Ulm
In 1989, I received the Science Prize of the City of Ulm for the development of the powertrain simulation software for city buses in Ulm’s regular service. The prize, which is endowed with 10,000 DM, was presented to my former employee Eva Jehlicka and to me by Lord Mayor Ernst Ludwig on the traditional Schwörmontag in Ulm.
© Steinbeis GmbH & Co KG
Löhnpreis of the Steinbeis Foundation
Together with the project partner Voith Turbo (Dr. Tillmann Körner and Dipl. Ing. Carsten Polifke) I received the transfer prize of the Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung Stuttgart in 2004. We were awarded the prize for the development of the Voith Powertrain Optimization Program (VASOP). The prize is endowed with 60,000 Euro.
© Grafikbüro Leineke
Steinbeis Transfer Prize
During my farewell party from the Steinbeis-Transfer Center New Technologies in Traffic Engineering I received the Steinbeis Prize. It was awarded to me in 2018 for special services rendered by Steinbeis founder Dr. Johann Löhn and Dr. Michael Auer.
Clients
Judges and prosecutors
- Judges who need an expert in legal proceedings. The expert will be determined by mutual agreement between the parties.
- Prosecutors who are involved in preliminary proceedings.
The costs are covered by the court or the public prosecutor’s office so that there is no dependence on the parties. The costs of the expert opinion are calculated in accordance with JVEG / ZSEG.
Other clients (private expert opinions)
- In order to clarify the facts, a neutral expert opinion is prepared, on the basis of which further action can then be decided. (e.g. filing an action)
- Extrajudicial clarification between several parties (e.g. vehicle manufacturer and supplier) who is responsible for a damage. The parties agree to reach an out-of-court agreement on the basis of the results of the expert opinion.
The costs are covdered by the assigning party(s). The costs of the expert opinion shall be freely agreed in advance between the expert and the client.
