EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH, part of the EEW Group, was founded in 2008. They manufacture foundation piles for offshore wind turbines, known as monopiles, at its facility in Rostock’s overseas port. These pipes have diameters of up to twelve meters, individual weights of up to 2,500 tons, and total lengths of up to 120 meters. With the production of over 2,500 monopiles, EEW SPC has established itself as the market leader in this segment.

Researchers at Fraunhofer IGP collaborate with EEW SPC’s development engineers on projects such as optimizing forming processes and improving process control during the rolling of large sheet thicknesses. Through this productive collaboration, we have gained valuable insights into the advancement of welding technologies and jointly developed a deep understanding of the processes involved in rolling thick sheets,” said Andreas Dörge. “In close cooperation with EEW SPC on the topic of rolling, we recently achieved a unique research breakthrough in forming technology that has gained international recognition,” added Prof. Flügge (Director of Fraunhofer IGP), further emphasizing the choice of award recipient.

In the field of thermal joining technology, the two organizations have also worked together to develop new process technologies for connecting high-strength offshore foundation structures (monopiles) – taking into account material properties, welding methods, and construction techniques. Special focus was placed on ensuring high structural integrity and durability, as well as time and cost efficiency.

In the near future, Fraunhofer IGP’s research areas – production planning and control, measurement of large structures, and thermal joining technology – plan to collaborate further with EEW SPC on projects aimed at advancing the company’s digitalization. These projects will focus on process development and optimization, quality assurance, and increased automation, including comprehensive data collection and analysis for quality monitoring and documentation, as well as the use of digital twins. “The collaboration between EEW SPC and Fraunhofer IGP has steadily grown over the years. Many graduates of theses and doctoral projects supervised at IGP have found their professional home at EEW,” said Prof. Flügge. This collaboration also facilitates the transfer of knowledge and expertise – a benefit for both parties.

Since 2018, Fraunhofer IGP has annually selected the recipient of its Technology Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of production technology, highlighting the technological, economic, ecological, and societal benefits gained through close collaboration between research institutions and industry partners.