Rolls-Royce work/study trainees investigate the world of 3D printing

• 13 young professionals complete their work/study training at Rolls-Royce with flying colors
• Design guideline for engineers as student research project
• One million euros being invested in mtu Apprentice Training

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY

How can the new 3D printer in mtu Apprentice Training be put to best use by Rolls-Royce in Friedrichshafen, what properties does the material have, and how does the printer compare with others? Three dual work/study mechanical engineering students investigated this and wrote a total of four theses as design guidelines for engineers. Steffen Mors, Jens Droxner and Timo Bischof are among the 13 sandwich degree students who have successfully finished their training at Rolls-Royce Friedrichshafen. Eleven of them have been given full contracts of employment in their specialist fields, with two students enrolling in a Master's program with a promise of re-employment.  

A close look at 3D printing

To develop design guidelines for subsequent manufacturing processes, Steffen Mors and Jens Droxner reviewed and evaluated several specimens from the 3D printer for cost, manufacturing speed, material properties, visual effects, and accuracy. Timo Bischof researched the properties of plastic materials and compared their quality with materials from other printers. The result showed that the Rolls-Royce printer performs very well indeed.  

The new 3D printer is part of the rebuild of the apprentice training center which is to open this autumn/fall and allow students to trial new technologies such as 3D printing. Rolls-Royce has invested a total of one million euros in mtu Apprentice Training in its centenary year.  

Dual work/study trainees complete their degrees

13 sandwich degree students have successfully completed their vocational training at Rolls-Royce Friedrichshafen this autumn/fall, and are now starting their professional careers or taking up master's degree courses. “We are pleased to be able to take on all sandwich degree trainees directly as permanent employees or promise to take them back on after their further studies,” said Martin Stocker, Head of Apprentice Training, before adding: “Bringing young talent into contact with new technologies from the very beginning not only increases the attractiveness of our company, but also promotes the knowledge and skills that we're going to need in the future.”  

Works Council Chairman Thomas Bittelmeyer praised the finishers, saying, “The success of the trainees not only reflects the quality of our training, but above all shows the ambition and commitment shown by the young professionals during their studies.”

The 13 finishers comprise 7 mechanical engineers, 3 industrial engineers and 3 electrical engineers. Since this year, Rolls-Royce has been training in a total of 13 industrial and commercial professions as well as in five sandwich degree courses. Computer science has now been added to the list. As well as our computer science apprenticeship majoring in application development, there will also be dual work/study courses leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and majoring in information technology, mobile IT or IT security.