At the inaugural speech of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Schöppner, polymer processing, 250 polymer experts from all over Germany were greeted by the Dean of Mechanical Engineers, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detmar Zimmer and University President Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Risch. After the lecture, which lasted about an hour, personalized plastics salt shaker created via the direct manufacturing process were handed out as presents.

How does the salt get into the salt shaker? Easy task. How does the salt shaker come from the direct manufacturing machine? A tougher task. And how does a salt shaker made of polymer come out of a direct manufacturing machine anywhere in the world within an hour, and even carries the initials of the University President? Really tough task.

During the inaugural speech, these questions, and many more, were answered by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Schöppner (46), who has been concerned with polymer engineering for 25 years. “In science it is all about researching new production techniques. This holds true for polymer processing as well.”

For a polymer engineer to deliver new and fast solutions, this means: study, permeate and understand the process, build the machine, and present the product.

The main question, of course, being which quantity is needed for the process to be profitable. Schöppner: “The salt shaker could also be a damaged part of a Boeing waiting in Kuala Lumpur to head off to Amsterdam. It that is the case, the main concern is if the machine will have to be under repair for a few days or for a few weeks in Kuala Lumpur.”

In the well occupied auditorium G, experts, students, and university employees alike listened to these kind of details concerning polymer engineering, among them University President Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Risch and Dean of Machine Engineering Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detmas Zimmer. They both agree: “In Schöppner, we found a scientist with 10 years of experience in industry. He will see to it that qualified engineers will come from the University Paderborn, and intensify already existing contacts with the industry as well as create new ones.“

After receiving his diploma, Schöppner worked as a research assistant and senior engineer at the old institute for polymer engineering, where he received his doctorate and qualified as a professor. After 10 years of working for Hella KGaA in Lippstadt, he returns as a professor to his training school. Together with his family, he lives in Verl.