Press & News

PRESS CONFERENCE
ALPEX CEO THOMAS JÄGER ON TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE THROUGH R & D

In the context of a press conference on 22.02.2021 with Federal Minister Margarete Schramböck, FFG Managing Director Henrietta Egerth, Provincial Councilor Patrizia Zoller Frischauf and Alpex Technologies CEO Thomas Jäger, the benefits of international research funding networks, such as Eureka for securing the location were discussed …

… Research and innovation are a guarantee for economic growth and prosperity – every euro invested in innovation triggers a long-term GDP increase of up to six euros, said Federal Minister Schramböck.

The managing director of the FFG, Henrietta Egerth, particularly emphasized the networking idea of Eureka: “Entrepreneurs benefit above all through international networking with project and business partners in the 47 Eureka member countries.” The fact that Tyrol is an attractive R&D and innovation location is also reflected in the increasing number of innovation-active companies, he said. Alpex Technologies CEO Thomas Jäger underlined the importance of this form of cooperation with Alpex Technologies’ already long-standing and successful involvement in various research funding networks. “Research funding makes a significant contribution to being able to operate an interdisciplinary, scientific research department as an SME. Jäger sees innovation as a key success factor for securing the company’s long-term future: “We in Europe are good at researching and making things better,” he says, adding that there is an “inventor culture”. The very good training of employees in this country would be a basic prerequisite for successful research and development. This results in innovations that sustainably secure Europe as a production location. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Alpex Technologies is currently simultaneously involved in several international research projects in different networks. Tooling Systeme in den Bereichen Advanced Forming & Automated Closed Mould Production Systems sowie Tooling Systeme für Thermoplaste, Automatisierung, Digitalisierung und KI bilden dabei die Forschungsschwerpunkte. The declared goal of Alpex Technologies is to continue to be a world leader in the engineering and manufacture of highly complex solutions for the production of CFRP components for the aerospace and automotive industries.

ALPEX WINS THE
MECHATRONICS CLUSTER AWARD 2019

Innovative concept for production processes for the manufacture of fiber composite structures in aerospace is awarded.

More than just a meeting of innovative companies from six industries: At the cluster partner meeting of the Standortagentur Tirol and the proHolz association, the most promising innovations “made in Tyrol” were honored with the Clusterawards.

From the “infinite expanses”, which former ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter reported on as a speaker, to the top innovations of local companies from the renewable energy, forestry and wood, IT, life sciences, mechatronics and wellness sectors, the 2019 cluster partner meeting covered a wide range of topics. Networking: yes, shop talk: yes, exchange and networking: yes, but above all awards for the most promising innovations from Tyrolean companies were on the agenda. A total of 32 companies from the five clusters of the Standortagentur Tirol and the proHolz wood cluster submitted their innovative products, services and processes for the Clusteraward in the run-up to the cluster partner meeting. The jury didn’t have it easy: the representatives from business, science and public administration conscientiously assessed each submission with regard to the respective project objective and content, the innovation content, the economic implementation, the regional relevance as well as with regard to the organization and quality of the cooperation behind the innovation. In the end, it was a head-to-head race between the projects submitted in each category, which speaks to the quality of the submissions.

ALPEX wins in the mechatronics category: ALPEX Technologies GmbH, Mils, for “EVEREST 4.0 “Production processes for the manufacture of fiber composite structures in aerospace and aviation are currently undergoing a radical new development towards industrialization and digitalization. Currently, the industries are hardly digitized or even hardly automated, as many production processes do not have the required stability and the type of failures are so diverse that they still have to be covered by the “sensor potential” of humans. Since this process is inefficient and cost-intensive, Airbus, for example, is currently moving in the direction of intelligent data management from raw material to the end of the component’s life. In order to initiate this path towards complete digitization or automation, the EVEREST4.0 research project of ALPEX Technologies has set itself the goal of tracking production processes in real time on the digital twin in parallel – “hybrid” – to understand them “digitally” and to control them fully automatically. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

More information about the Tyrolean Cluster Awards 2019 and the award winners can be found here >>

ALPEX TECHNOLOGIES IS:
“WINNERS BY PASSION 2019”

The best companies from trade and crafts were honored on May 23 at a gala evening at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. Among the honorees is also a Tyrolean company. ALPEX Technologies GmbH already won the Tyrolean Innovation Award in 2018 in the category “Concepts with Innovation Potential”. The company is now also “Winner. Out of Passion 2019”.

The company is “Winner. Out of passion”.

“The flagship of our location is the outstanding performance of the companies and their employees. This evening belongs to the “winners with passion”, who prove every day that they are among the best companies in Austria,” emphasized WKÖ President Harald Mahrer yesterday, Thursday evening. The previous federal government had set a clear focus with a location-friendly policy. Now, in view of the domestic political situation, it is important to achieve stability. But the next federal government must also take a location-friendly course and do its homework: “Only in this way is it possible to achieve excellent results. “”In any case, crafts and trades stand for a colorful mix of companies from many different sectors and internationally people like to ask how Austria manages to combine the multitude of traditional professions with the future,” said Mahrer, who referred to the special importance of the sector in apprenticeship training: “No other sector trains more apprentices and it is all the more important that we are successful in the digitalization of apprenticeship content, the implementation of trial apprenticeships, a strengthening of the master craftsman and vocational training and continuing education. This helps us the most as a location for skilled workers,” said Mahrer. The good cooperation with Federal Minister Margarete Schramböck, the Chamber of Commerce and the federal division is the basis for strengthening teaching and expanding to include digital content: “Alpex Technologies GmbH, founded in 1995, has specialized in the development and production of manufacturing equipment for lightweight carbon components since 2006. Today, ALPEX is the world’s leading supplier of tooling systems for the production of high-performance lightweight parts for the aerospace and automotive sectors. Last year, the company was awarded the Tyrolean Innovation Prize in the category “Concepts with Innovation Potential”.

Michael Esterl, Secretary General of the Federal Ministry for Digitization and Economic Location, emphasized the great opportunity offered by the expansion of teaching to include digital elements. “The next generation will grow up in a digital world. We therefore need to take digitization into all areas.” The creation of a digitization ministry for the first time in Austria sends out an important signal. In any case, he said, the previous federal government had achieved a great deal for the business location and had cooperated well at the technical level. Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster congratulated the winners in her capacity as chairwoman of the Federal Section for Trade and Crafts and pointed out the “great diversity, the extraordinary quality of the award-winning products and services, and the enormous innovative and developmental power of trade and crafts”, which forms the basis for the success of Austria’s largest employer section. Scheichelbauer-Schuster also emphasized the special relevance that dual education has for Federal Minister Margarete Schramböck. “Regardless of whether you are a hidden champion or a master craftsman: we score points with the

Quality of our products and the qualifications of our employees. In 2018, we recorded a 2.6 percent increase in apprentices, training 45.744 young people. Most recently, the increase in the first apprenticeship year was constant at around five percent. I am proud of our apprenticeship companies, which are working hard to train the skilled workers of tomorrow. At the same time, there is insane momentum in the division, digitalization is a strong driver, and we want to support our businesses as best we can with technological change,” said Scheichelbauer-Schuster.

Further inquiry reference: Dr. Andreas Henkel, federal party trade and handicraft, 05 90900-3276.

ALPEX TECHNOLOGIES CNC DINOMAX

ALPEX INVESTS IN NEW
PRODUCTION MACHINE FPT DINOMAX

Due to the increasing capacity requirements, the company successfully invested in a new 5-axis high-speed production machine FPT DINOMAX with integrated linear drive technology. With a machining size of 6000 x 3500 mm, we were thus able to optimally expand and extend the performance spectrum of our modern machinery.

ALPEX TECHNOLOGIES WINS:
“JOBS THROUGH INNOVATION”

In December 2018, we were honored to receive the “Jobs through Innovation” award from Patrizia Zoller-Frischauf, Regional Minister for Economic Affairs. The initiative of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) honors companies that develop economically excellent thanks to innovative products or services and offer their employees above-average working conditions.

ALPEX TECHNOLOGIES WINS:
INNOVATION AWARD

At the Tyrolean Innovation Award 2018, Alpex Technologies emerged as the winner in the category “Concepts with Innovation Potential”. In cooperation with SGL Group and the Universities of Graz and Linz, a C-SMC process was developed for the production of battery trays for use in electric vehicles.

ALPEX AEROSPACE

TYROLEAN COMPANY SUCCEEDS IN ENTERING
THE SPACE MARKET

The company ALPEX undertakes the complete development and manufacture of a production system for the manufacture of fuel tanks for a launch vehicle.

ALPEX AUTOMOTIVE

INTEGRATED AND
AUTOMATED

ALPEX simplifies the production of an aerospace component with a new type of tooling concept.

ECONOVA REPORT ABOUT
ALPEX TECHNOLOGIES

Econova reports in the series Tirol innovativ: Companies on their way up – figuratively as well as literally.

ALPEX AS AN INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

When one thinks of Tyrol, people think of mountains and tourism. But the region between Arlberg and Kufstein shows that it can play in the top league when it comes to innovation and the spirit of research.

ALPEX WINS THE MECHATRONICS CLUSTER AWARD 2015

INNOVATIVE TOOLING CONCEPT FOR CARBON COMPONENTS RECEIVES AWARD

Innovative tooling concept for carbon components receives award

On 23.06.2015, the Tyrolean Minister of Economic Affairs presented the Tyrolean Cluster Awards. ALPEX was one of the awarded companies, which creates and secures qualified jobs in Tyrol with continuous innovation work and development.

Innovative tooling concept for the production of carbon components.
In the awarded research project WATT – Maintenance-free Tooling Technology – ALPEX presented an approach through which the production of modern high-tech fiber composites (carbon) can be realized very economically. The project is supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and the province of Tyrol and will be completed by the end of 2015.

Increased profitability through fully automated processes.
The core topic of the WATT project is the realization of manufacturing techniques suitable for series production for implementation in fully automated processes. In the course of the developments, concepts are being worked out for the stable, reproducible and efficient production of automotive structural components in carbon fiber plastic composites using the resin transfer molding (RTM) process.ALPEX is making lightweight construction more economical and efficient with this project and is addressing a market from the USA to Japan.

More information about the Tyrolean Cluster Awards 2015 and the award winners can be found here >>

ALPEX ASSEMBLY JIG

“HIDDEN CHAMPIONS”
FROM TIROL

With know-how and innovative solutions, Tyrolean companies compete worldwide – without attracting much attention in this country. ALPEX is one of them.

Via the following link you can read a report about ALPEX, which was published in the magazine top.tirol as a supplement to the Tiroler Tageszeitung on 18.03.2015.

Click here for the magazine top.tirol 2015-03 >>

ALPEX CFRP WING

BALANCING ACT BETWEEN
NEW GROUND AND SERIES PRODUCTION

Alpex develops highly complex tools in Tyrol which are used in the construction of aircraft and in the automotive industry.

Via the following link you can read a report about ALPEX, which was published in issue 04/2014 of Raiffeisen Kompakt magazine.

Click here for the magazine Raiffeisen Kompakt 2014-04 >>

ALPEX BUILDS FOR RUSSIAN
“AIRCRAFT OF THE FUTURE”

With the MS21, the Russian aviation industry wants to build the “aircraft of the 21st century”. The jet is designed according to the latest technical aspects and will feature a high proportion of lightweight components made of carbon (CFRP).

MS21 JET IS BUILT WITH MANUFACTURING RESOURCES FROM TYROL.

ALPEX SUPPLIES PRODUCTION TOOLS FOR NEW A350

MANUFACTURERS OF LANDING FLAPS TRUST IN QUALITY FROM TYROL

The maiden flight of the new Airbus caused quite a stir in the aviation industry. ALPEX also watched the event with excitement and pleasure, especially since the landing flaps of the new A350 are manufactured with production tools from Tyrol.

More than 50 percent of the A350XWB is made of lightweight carbon fiber. The landing flaps of the new aircraft are also made of the innovative composite material. For years, ALPEX has specialized in high-quality production equipment for composite component manufacturers. That is why the producers of the landing flaps for the new A350 have also relied on the expertise of ALPEX.

“The development and manufacture of all the production molds and fixtures for the production of the landing flaps for the new A350XWB was a very extensive and challenging order for ALPEX. In total, we produced more than 500 different molds and jigs in the process,” says Managing Director Thomas Jäger. “The customer wanted a central contact for the entire tooling of the landing flaps and the coordination of the international supplier chain. We were able to score points here with our experience in the composites sector and our proven project management,” Jäger continues.

The new A350XWB is forecast to consume up to a quarter less jet fuel than comparable aircraft. In view of rising fuel prices, this is an important argument, especially since fuel accounts for around half of the costs of long-haul flights. Its cost-effectiveness therefore makes the new Airbus particularly interesting for the airlines. This is also reflected in the strong international demand for the A350 – around 600 aircraft have already been ordered.

ALPEX DOES RESEARCH FOR EU
INITIATIVE CLEAN SKY

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR HIGH-TECH CARBON STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

New production technologies are being developed for the manufacture of high-tech structural components made of carbon.

The EU Commission and the European aviation industry have launched the Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) “Clean Sky” as part of a public-private partnership to halve CO2 emissions and noise levels from aircraft and reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent by 2020.

ALPEX Technologies is developing efficient, economical production technologies for the manufacture of high-tech structural components together with partners from industry and research as part of the JTI Clean Sky project “LRI HIT”. In addition to the high mechanical requirements, these components must also be able to safely withstand critical environmental influences.

The challenge is to develop robust, reproducible processes that meet the generally high technical requirements of the aerospace industry, as well as the Airbus Eco-Efficiency requirements in manufacturing, while making optimum use of resources.

The focus is on the production of components that are used at high temperatures. The experimental design of the development is based on the shape of a maintenance gate of an aircraft turbine. This must be able to hold up reliably to the mechanical requirements in the operating range between -27°C at flight level and +250°C operating temperature.

Click here for the corresponding article in the daily newspaper Standard >>

LAMBORGHINI RELIES ON KNOW-HOW
FROM ALPEX

NOVEL PRODUCTION TOOLS FOR AUTOMATED SERIES PRODUCTION

ALPEX supplies novel production tools for the automated series production of carbon components

Lamborghini is known worldwide as a pronounced expert in the manufacture of exclusive, road-going sports cars and relies fully on lightweight construction using carbon. For the production of the carbon fiber roof structure of the new Aventator model, the Mils-based company ALPEX Technologies developed and manufactured completely new production tools. These novel production tools enable automated series production of carbon components throughout Europe for the first time.

ALPEX Technologies specializes in high quality manufacturing equipment for customers producing carbon components. In addition to long-standing aviation customers, these companies increasingly come from the automotive, mechanical engineering and numerous other industries. The company now enjoys an excellent reputation among manufacturers of CFRP components.

“As a professional engineering and manufacturing partner for our customers, our range of services covers the entire implementation from concept creation to manufacturing, assembly and quality control. Our CFRP expertise combined with years of practical experience in toolmaking and the use of state-of-the-art technologies in engineering and manufacturing form our core competencies” says Ing. Thomas Jäger, Managing Director of ALPEX Technologies. “Through our ongoing involvement in R&D projects, we are continuously expanding our understanding of CFRP manufacturing processes and acquiring cutting-edge technological know-how which we can apply to the realization of customer projects.”

While the topic of lightweight construction has always dominated the aviation industry, reducing vehicle weight and thus CO2 emissions is also becoming increasingly important in the automotive sector. New materials such as fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP or colloquially carbon) are making a significant contribution to lightweight construction. The manufacturing processes for these materials, however, are very complex and, to date, only slightly automated. “One of the biggest challenges currently facing CFRP component manufacturers is the development and manufacture of lightweight structures for large-scale production applications,” Jäger said. “The production tools we have developed for Lamborghini represent a milestone in the automation of CFRP production.” While weight savings of a few percent in the aerospace industry justify more complex and expensive production, the high cost and time pressure in the automotive industry only allows production methods that are competitive with those of conventional materials in terms of quantity and price per part.