Research institute for precious metals and metal chemistry
| Research Institute Precious Metals + Metal Chemistry (FEM) | |
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 The FEM (pictured: application technology center) |
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| Carrier: | Association for the research institute for precious metals and metal chemistry |
| Legal form of the carrier: | registered association |
| Seat of the wearer: | Schwäbisch Gmünd |
| Membership: | Working group of industrial research associations "Otto von Guericke" |
| Facility location: | Schwäbisch Gmünd |
| Type of research: | Industry-related, application-oriented research and development |
| Areas of expertise: | Metallurgy, electrochemistry, light metal surface technology, plasma surface technology and material physics, analytics |
| Management: | Andreas Zielonka |
| Employee: | 80 (as of 2016) |
| Homepage: | http://www.fem-online.de/ |
The Research Institute Edelmetalle + Metallchemie ( FEM , proper spelling fem ) is an independent research institute founded in Schwäbisch Gmünd in 1922 , which carries out industry-related, applied research and development work, especially in the field of precious metals and galvanic surface refinement . All questions of material and surface technology around the material metal are dealt with. The institute is run by the association for the research institute, which is also based in Schwäbisch Gmünd. The Schwäbisch Gmünd location ties in with the important tradition of gold and silver processing there.
history
In 1922 the institute was founded as a "testing and research institute for precious metals". The initiative came from local companies, the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd and the state of Württemberg . It was housed in the rooms of the State Higher Technical School for the Precious Metals Industry . Four years later, an electroplating sample workshop was set up there.
In 1954 the FEM was one of the founding members of the AiF - Working Group of Industrial Research Associations "Otto von Guericke" eV
After the research institute had established itself and had grown to thirty employees, the move to the new building in Katharinenstrasse took place in 1958; the research institute is still located here today. From this point on, the institute expanded continuously. In 1965, the department came environmental analysis should, in 1977 the Department of aluminum - Surface Technology and 1989 the Department of Physical surface and thin-film technology (PVD), the 2004 Department of Plasma - Surface Technology and Materials Physics was.
Also in 1989, FEM was one of the founding members of the European Academy of Surface Technology (EAST). In 1996 the FEM became an accredited test laboratory .
The FEM was expanded for the first time in 2003, followed by the opening of a further extension in 2011, the so-called application technology center. Construction at the location in Katherinenstrasse became possible because the neighboring prison at the Schwäbisch Gmünd District Court was demolished.
Ernst Raub and his son Christoph J. Raub headed the institute from 1934 to 1995 and had a decisive influence on the history and development of the institute. In 1995 Hermann Jehn took over the management, and Andreas Zielonka has been running the institute since 2001.
Today, the FEM is one of the thirteen independent research institutes of the Innovation Alliance Baden-Württemberg (innBW) and of the Zuse Association , the Deutsche Industrieforschungsgemeinschaft Konrad Zuse eV, founded in 2015
Work areas
The FEM is divided into five departments. The institute conducts basic research as well as application-oriented research and development in all work areas. The metallurgy and electrochemistry departments are among the original areas of work, which were also requested by the companies located in the gold and silver city. Over the years, other departments have been added which are now divided into the departments of light metal surface technology , plasma surface technology and material physics and analysis .
Web links
- fem-online.de - website of the FEM
Coordinates: 48 ° 47 ′ 49.7 " N , 9 ° 47 ′ 22.3" E