Working group of industrial research associations "Otto von Guericke"

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Working group of industrial research associations
logo
legal form registered association
founding June 22, 1954
Seat Cologne
Employees 41 (without subsidiaries)
Members 100 research associations as full members; 10 associate members
Website www.aif.de

The working group of industrial research associations , mostly just AiF for short , is a national industry-driven organization for the promotion of applied research and development in German medium-sized companies.

When using the abbreviation AiF , its two wholly-owned subsidiaries, AiF Projekt GmbH and AiF F • T • K GmbH, are often associated with the association. This applies to use by the AiF itself as well as to external use of the abbreviation.

AiF's namesake has been Otto von Guericke , the founder of vacuum technology , since 1966 . As a politician, scientist and engineer, he was active in various areas and interfaces, as is the case with the activities of the AiF.

The aim of the institute is to initiate research for small and medium- sized enterprises, to qualify young scientists and specialists in innovative fields, and to organize the exchange of results from scientific research. As the umbrella organization of around 100 industry associations - the research associations - with 50,000 companies involved, it is the task of strengthening the competitiveness of Germany's economy. As a non-profit association based in Cologne , the AiF is responsible for joint industrial research (IGF), to which around 1200 research centers have participated in the last five years. Together with AiF Projekt GmbH and AiF F • T • K GmbH, the AiF oversees other public funding programs and measures, in particular the “R&D cooperation projects” funding pillar of the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM). Every year around 500 million euros in public funds are used by the AiF for medium-sized companies.

The AiF, founded in 1954 on the initiative of the economy, represents the interests of medium-sized companies in several international organizations in the European research landscape. It advocates the appropriate participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the funding measures for research and development (R&D) of the European Union (EU).

Members (research associations)

As a self-governing organization of the economy, the AiF comprises 100 industry-based research associations. These ordinary members are associations of companies - especially small and medium-sized ones - in an industry or a technology field and business associations with a nationwide radius of action. Around a third of the research associations maintain their own research facilities (institutes). The research associations, which bundle the research needs of medium-sized companies, form the basis of a globally unique innovation network that links business and science and cooperates in partnership with the state. The range of topics covered by the AiF members covers all technologies relevant to SMEs. It ranges from materials research to biotechnology to information and communication technologies.

Appraisal

According to the contract with the Federal Republic of Germany dated December 19, 1996, the AiF guarantees an evaluation of joint industrial research and development (IGF) projects for which funding is to be applied for from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy . The AiF and its member associations organize a competitive process for the selection of IGF projects. The core element of this procedure at the AiF level is a system of independent and temporary volunteer experts.

Around 180 researchers and developers from science and industry invest their time and knowledge in the quality assurance of IGF projects.

Funding programs

From research in the pre-competitive interests of entire industries to the implementation of research results in operational practice, the funding programs supervised by the AiF and its subsidiaries pursue the goal of strengthening the innovation and competitiveness of the economy by promoting research and development. The programs and measures coordinated by the AiF form important pillars of research, technology and technology funding for small and medium-sized companies in Germany.

The pre-competitive and technology- open joint industrial research (IGF) is a research funding program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy , which the AiF has been supporting in terms of content and organization in partnership with the ministry since 1954.

When Central Innovation Program SME (ZIM) is a technology-open research funding program of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy , whose production column "R & D cooperation projects" in charge of the AiF Projekt GmbH as a loaned promoter.

Research award

Since 1997, the AiF has been awarding the “Otto von Guericke” Prize, endowed with € 10,000, which recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of joint industrial research by small and medium-sized enterprises, which include research and implementation through to practical application.

history

The AiF was founded on June 22, 1954 in the “House of the Countries” in Königstein im Taunus on a joint initiative of industry and the state in order to pursue ideal and material goals in the field of community research. Representatives from eight research associations signed the minutes of the founding meeting as well as the statutes of the AiF. Martin Westermann was elected the first president of the AiF. Until the first ordinary general meeting of the AiF on October 27, 1954 in Wiesbaden, another twelve research associations had joined the AiF. This created the basis of a cross-sector innovation network for industrial medium-sized companies, which quickly attracted the attention of other sectors. By the end of the first decade of its existence, the AiF showed rapid growth: the number of members tripled. By 1964 it already had 59 research associations. In 2013, the AiF had a total of 100 research associations as full members.

The 13th general meeting of the AiF on December 5, 1966 in Bad Godesberg named Otto von Guericke, the founder of vacuum technology, the namesake of the AiF.

In 1974 the "Federation of European Industrial Co-operative Research Organizations" (FEICRO) was founded in Cologne with the significant participation of the AiF as a European umbrella organization for industrial community research. In 1999, FEICRO was merged into the newly founded " European Association of Research and Technology Organizations " (EARTO).

In 1978, the AiF was first active as a public sector project sponsor for company-specific funding measures for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises. Since then she has been in continuous use in this role.

On November 15, 1990 - six weeks after German-German reunification - the Berlin branch of the AiF was opened.

From 1995 onwards, with the AiF as the federal project management agency, the later so-called “intec.net”, a network of contact points for international technology cooperation, which until its expiry at the end of 2008 had a total of 15 such points in eleven countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in India and China included. In 1996 the AiF took over the federal project sponsorship for the promotion of research at universities of applied sciences. She held this role until mid-2012.

On January 1, 2010, the AiF in Berlin was founded as a wholly owned subsidiary of the association under the name “AiF Projekt GmbH”. In May 2011, another one hundred percent subsidiary of AiF eV was founded under the name “AiF Research • Technology • Communication GmbH” (AiF F • T • K GmbH). The two subsidiaries are continuing the association's previous tasks as project management agencies in the context of research funding and international activities and are expanding this service portfolio.

Honorary Presidents

Source:

  • 1954–1958: Martin Westermann
  • 1958–1962: Hermann Rathert
  • 1962–1968: Herbert Stussig
  • 1969–1974: Günter Peddinghaus
  • 1975–1978: Nikolaus Fasolt
  • 1978–1982: Carl-Otto Bauer
  • 1982–1986: Erwin Müller
  • 1987–1992: Otto H. Schiele
  • 1993–2001: Hans Wohlfart
  • 2002–2007: Johann Wilhelm Arntz
  • 2008–2012: Thomas Gräbener
  • 2012–2017: Yvonne Karmann-Proppert
  • since 2018: Sebastian Bauer

Selected research associations of the AiF

Society for the Promotion of Applied Computer Science

The Society for the Promotion of Applied Computer Science (GFaI) is a non-profit association based in Berlin . The statutory task of the GFaI is to promote science and research as well as education. The GFaI is a non-profit research association. With around 90 employees, GFaI works on scientific projects and carries out R&D orders and services. It promotes R&D in applied informatics and organizes joint industrial research in this area within the framework of the AiF. GFaI is an affiliate of HTW Berlin and BHT Berlin .

Important research areas of the GFaI are:

One of GFaI's research and development projects is the acoustic camera , a complex system for locating and mapping sound sources. The acoustic camera has won several national awards and nominations.

The GFaI runs some well-known events such as the 3D-NordOst (application-related workshop for the acquisition, modeling, processing and evaluation of 3D data), the EVA Berlin (Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts; co-organizer) and the BeBeC (Berlin Beamforming Conference ; Co-organizer). In addition, she has already received several awards, including the nomination of the innovation team “The Acoustic Camera” for the German Future Prize 2005, the Otto von Guericke Prize of the AiF in 1998 and 2001 for outstanding achievements in the field of industrial joint research small and medium-sized companies that include both research and implementation through to practical application.

Research Group of the Food Industry (FEI)

The Research Group of the Nutrition Industry eV (FEI) based in Bonn promotes pre-competitive, practice-relevant food and nutrition research in order to give small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry access to innovative research results. It was founded in 1953 on the initiative of research-active companies and is the only cross-sector research organization in the German food industry. The core idea of ​​his work is the organization of practical research . The FEI coordinates around 100 joint industrial research (IGF) projects every year, organizes conferences and publishes various publications for experts.

Through direct membership as well as over 55 trade associations and branch organizations, around 90% of the around 6,000 companies in the German food industry and large parts of the food industry belong to the FEI . In addition, 120 research institutes are affiliated with the FEI. The FEI is a non-profit organization and is one of the founding members of the AiF (Working Group on Industrial Research Associations). A close cooperation with the Food Association Germany and the Federal Association of the German Food Industry (BVE).

Research Association for Precision Mechanics, Optics and Medical Technology (FOM)

The research association for precision mechanics, optics and medical technology , based in Berlin, supports projects via the AiF with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy . The proximity to SPECTARIS, the German industry association for optical, medical and mechatronic technologies, ensures access to an excellent industry network.

Research topics from the field of photonics, optics, imaging, bio and analytical technology and medical technology are promoted.

The main focus of the research association is to stimulate pre-competitive research and thus strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized companies. This gives SMEs the opportunity to improve their technical know-how and the quality of their products and to reduce production costs.

The aims of the FOM are: • Interdisciplinary solution of research tasks • Promotion of SMEs with the involvement of large companies • Strengthening of the dialogue between industry and research • Industry-based academic institutions

Society for Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (DECHEMA)

DECHEMA is a non-profit, scientific and technical company based in Frankfurt am Main. It was founded in 1926. More than 5,500 natural scientists, engineers, companies, organizations and institutes are members. An important task of DECHEMA is to promote and support research and development in chemical engineering and biotechnology. DECHEMA sees itself as an interface between science, business, the state and the public. ACHEMA, organized by DECHEMA, is the world forum for the process industry and an international trend-setting technology summit for chemical engineering, environmental protection and biotechnology.

The DECHEMA research institute conducts research in the fields of materials, chemical engineering and biotechnology. The tasks of the employees in the institute are:

  • Basic-oriented and pre-competitive research in the fields of chemical engineering, biotechnology, environmental technology, apparatus and plant engineering and materials science
  • Participation in teaching at universities in the subject areas represented by DECHEMA
  • Implementation of advanced training courses for participants from industry and the university sector
  • Scientific support for the work in the technical and working committees as well as DECHEMA conferences
  • Development of solutions to problems from industrial practice

Association for the Research Institute for Precious Metals and Metal Chemistry (fem)

The Research Institute for Precious Metals and Metal Chemistry is an independent institute that was founded more than 85 years ago by industry, the state of Württemberg and the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd . The sponsor is the Verein für das Forschungsinstitut eV According to the statutes, the fem has the task of conducting scientific and applied research, especially in the field of precious metals and other less common metals as well as metal refinement in its various applications. In addition to more extensive research and development projects, technical investigations, advice and expert opinions are carried out, especially for small and medium-sized companies. The up-to-dateness of the institute's work and the transfer of technology are ensured through the inclusion of new areas of work, through lectures, lectures, seminars and training courses at home and abroad as well as through the activities of visiting researchers.

The fem conducts basic research as well as application-oriented research and development. The research work is carried out in direct cooperation with industry (especially SMEs) and in the context of publicly funded projects. In addition, fem offers services in the areas mentioned (e.g. material and layer tests, standard analyzes, analyzes of drinking and wastewater).

The fem is active in the following fields: metallurgy, electrochemistry, light metals, plasma surface technology-material physics (POT-MPh), analytics.

Short-term problem solutions are offered as well as complex and extensive developments of coating processes and layer systems. The fem has been an accredited test laboratory for around 200 test procedures since 1996, initially in accordance with DIN EN 45001 , and since 2001 in accordance with DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025 .

European Research Association for Thin Films (EFDS)

The European Research Association for Thin Layers eV (EFDS) is the non-profit industry association for vacuum and plasma-assisted surface technology.

The members of the EFDS - companies, research institutes and private individuals - are active in process development, plant construction, material technology, contract coating or in the application areas of surface technology. They currently come from Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The European Research Association for Thin Layers and its members work closely with companies, research institutions and associations in these industries, such as vehicle construction, mechanical and plant engineering, tool technology, plastics technology, in projects of industrial joint research (IGF), in technology transfer and in the preparation of events. Optics and fine device technology, solar technology, building glazing and lighting technology, microelectronics and data storage technology, medical technology, consumer goods industry.

The EFDS office is located in Dresden, the largest center of the European semiconductor industry and, after the Aschaffenburg-Hanau region, the second most important center for vacuum engineering in Germany.

literature

  • Joachim Böttger: Research for SMEs - The History of the Working Group of Industrial Research Associations “Otto von Guericke” eV (AiF) in the context of economic policy . German Economic Service, Cologne 1993, ISBN 3-87156-167-3

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. http://www.aif.de/aif.html
  2. AiF Infoflyer (status 03/2013), available at http://www.aif.de/highlights/publikationen/aif-infoflyer.html
  3. a b AiF press release “Heart of the AiF: Industrial Community Research” (as of January 28, 2013), available at http://www.aif.de/presse/digitale-pressemappe/allgemeine-presseinformationen.html
  4. http://www.aif.de/aif/zahlen-und-daten.html
  5. http://www.aif.de/innovationsfoerderung/international.html
  6. a b http://www.aif.de/innovationsfoerderung/industrielle-gemeinschaftsforschung/cfc.html
  7. http://www.aif.de/aif/lösungen.html
  8. a b AiF-Infoflyer (status 03/2013), available at http://www.aif.de/highlights/publikationen/aif-infoflyer.html?L=0
  9. http://www.aif.de/innovationsfoerderung/industrielle-gemeinschaftsforschung/gutachterwesen.html
  10. a b http://www.foerderdatenbank.de/Foerder-DB/Navigation/foerdereinrichtungen.html
  11. http://www.aif.de/aif/otto-von-guericke-preis.html?L=0
  12. a b c d e AiF aktuell No. 26, (2004), "Special edition for the 50th anniversary of the AiF", available at: http://www.aif.de/service/news/news-archiv/archiv- aif-current.html
  13. http://www.aif.de/aif/lösungen.html
  14. http://www.aif.de/innovationsfoerderung.html?L=0
  15. http://www.aif-projekt-gmbh.de/referenz.html
  16. http://www.bmbf.de/de/324.php
  17. a b http://www.aif.de/aif/aif-im-profil/historie.html