Here you will find the lecture program for the SolutionCenter in Hall 5! The SolutionCenter offers product and technology presentations from exhibiting companies. Trade visitors can gain practical insights into specific solutions from the process industry. Product presentations by exhibitors will take place on both days of the trade fair.
>>> The program will follow shortly.
Wednesday, 18.03.2026
SolutionCenter, Hall 5
Bulk material handling & processing
Moderation and discussion leader:
Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director
Partner:
Center for Artificial Intelligence, RWTH Aachen University
10.00 – 10.30 am
AI and robotics in powder handling – from manual processes to Smart Factory 4.0
Description
Manual powder handling causes high labor costs, health risks, and inconsistent quality. Fully automated solutions provide a remedy.
Speaker:
Thomas Eules
Business Manager DACH, F.LLI SACCHI S.N.C.
10.30 – 11.00 am
Production of animal feed additives in the LÖDIGE Pflugschar® mixer
Description
Calcium butyrate is often used as an additive in animal feed, especially for pigs and poultry, to promote intestinal health. This additive can be produced reliably and energy-efficiently in Lödige plowshare mixers. This presentation will introduce a two-stage process that is often used for this purpose.
Speaker:
Dr. Dirk Jakobs
Head of Sales Mixing and Reacting Technologies, Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau GmbH
11.00 – 11.30 am
Handling of flexible bulk containers, taking into account containment requirements
Description
Various containers are used in the manufacturing industry to transport solids. The product is stored in different primary and secondary packaging.
The presentation will introduce the containers and liners used and the challenges posed by the corresponding containment requirements.
Speaker:
Reiner Lemperle
Team Manager Sales, Hecht Technologie GmbH
11.30 – 12.00 pm
Your application, our solution: How customized can weighing and dosing be?
Description
The 20-minute presentation describes the current and future requirements of industry and legislators for weighing electronics for use in user-specific industrial weighing and dosing systems in a wide range of industries. The complexity of weighing terminals is illustrated using a model that combines the functionality of a measuring device, a controller, an interface multiplexer, an HMI interface, data evaluation, and calibratable logging. Special attention is paid to customer-specific programmability (including examples) and the prerequisites required for this – on the part of the software development environment, but also on the part of continuous product development and technical support.
Speaker:
Vitaly Galustian
International Sales, SysTec Systemtechnik und Industrieautomation GmbH
12.00 – 12.30 pm
SIEBTECHNIK GmbH Multiple Deck Sizer MDS – Efficient classification for the bulk solids industry
Description
The Multiple Deck Sizer MDS from SIEBTECHNIK GmbH offers precise separation accuracy in a compact design. The presentation shows how the modernized MDS concept enables energy-efficient material classification and can be flexibly integrated into recycling and bulk material processes.
Speaker:
Stefan Bormann
Product Manager – Screening Machines, SIEBTECHNIK GmbH
lunch break
Occupational safety, fire protection, and explosion protection
Moderation and discussion leader:
Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director
Partner:
Center for Artificial Intelligence, RWTH Aachen University
13.30 – 14.00 am
Assessment of fire and explosion risk
Description
Die Beurteilung eines Brandrisiko in Filteranlagen erfolgt mit der UEG, BZ und MZE. Als vorbeugende Maßnahmen sind das Vermeiden brennbarer Staubablagerungen und wirksamer Zündquellen anzuwenden. Die bestaubten Filterelemente (Brandlast) erfordern Maßnahmen zur Erkennung, Meldung und Bekämpfung.
Speaker:
Klaus Rabenstein
Responsible for fire and explosion protection, Herding GmbH Filtertechnik
14.00 – 14.30 pm
Flameless explosion pressure relief for combustible dusts: Analysis of the effects of dust retention filters on safety, containment, and hazard zone classification
Description
Dieser Vortrag vergleicht die flammenlose Explosionsdruckentlastung mit und ohne Staubrückhaltesiebe. Fokus sind die Auswirkungen auf Partikelfreisetzung, sekundäre Explosionen und die ATEX-Zoneneinteilung. Experimentelle Daten helfen Fachleuten bei der Wahl der sicheren Entlastung Lösung.
Speaker:
Jim Vingerhoets
Fike Germany
14.30 – 15.00 pm
Start-up keynote speech: Battery.Sort: From risk to resource
Description
Every day, improperly disposed lithium batteries cause fires in sorting facilities—a growing risk to people, the environment, and equipment. This presentation shows how we can turn this danger into an opportunity through innovation, responsibility, and smart technologies such as the Battery.Sort solution.
Speaker:
Daniel Hayn
Head of Sales, WeSort.AI GmbH
Thursday, 19.03.2026
SolutionCentre, Hall 5
Process automation / Artificial intelligence (AI)
Moderation and discussion leader:
Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director
Partner:
Center for Artificial Intelligence, RWTH Aachen University
10.00 – 10.30 am
Digitized belt scraper – a small component with a big impact
Description
HOSCH scrapers have been making a significant contribution to the cost-effectiveness of conveyor belt systems for 50 years. With HOSCHiris, HOSCH is opening up further potential for process automation and system availability in belt conveyor systems. Experience gained from over 7 years of digital transformation
Speaker:
Björn Friedrich
Customer Success and Support Manager, HOSCH Fördertechnik Recklinghausen GmbH
10.30 – 11.00 am
Integration of bulk material data into predictive maintenance strategies
Description
By intelligently linking process, vibration, and status data, maintenance and downtime in bulk material handling systems can be proactively managed. The presentation shows how AI and IoT enable predictive maintenance in the process industry in a practical way.
Speaker:
Sebastian Pohl
Managing Director/CEO, Greif-Velox Maschinenfabrik GmbH
11.00 – 11.30 am
From data to decisions: Make value streams visible, integrated, and usable in real time.
Description
The presentation shows how machine and plant manufacturers as well as operators in the process industry can strategically leverage change. With 33 years of practical experience, Jürgen Opdenhoff demonstrates how digital value streams, openness, and retrofits create new opportunities—supported by OPDPROCARE.
Speaker:
Dipl. Ing. Jürgen Opdenhoff
CEO & Owner, OPDENHOFF Technologie GmbH
11.30 – 12.00 pm
Digitization and automation in powder wetting: Practical examples of process optimization and avoiding production bottlenecks
Description
Digitization and automation in powder wetting: Using specific examples, we show how digitization and automation can improve powder wetting processes, prevent production bottlenecks, and increase process reliability through reproducibility. Processes can also be easily scaled with ystral technology. Practical examples of process optimization and prevention of production bottlenecks
Speaker:
Dr. Holger Becker
Process & Application Engineer / Area Sales Manager, ystral gmbh maschinenbau + processtechnik
12.00 – 12.30 pm
Consistent quality assurance in bulk material handling: Scalable QA processes through modern sampling
Description
Modern sampling and sample preparation technologies enable a consistent, scalable quality assurance process. Current practical projects illustrate where typical weak points occur in existing systems and how customized solutions can address them in a targeted manner.
Speakers:
Meike Jungbluth
Managing Director
Istvan Elek
Development Engineer
Roskopf Maschinen- und Metalltechnik GmbH
lunch break
Maintenance & wear protection
Moderation and discussion leader:
Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director
Partner:
Center for Artificial Intelligence, RWTH Aachen University
13.00 – 13.30 pm
Preserving asset value through sensible wear protection
Description
The economic efficiency of production facilities is determined by operating costs, maintenance and repair costs, and downtime costs. Wear and corrosion are the most important causes of failure. Most damage to equipment is caused by no, insufficient, or incorrect wear protection and a lack of maintenance. The targeted limitation of wear to easily replaceable components (wear parts) is an essential way to increase the service life of machines and equipment, save costs, and prevent production downtime.
Speaker:
Detlef Bauer
Managing Director, PUCEST protect gmbH
Sustainability & Resource Efficiency
Moderation and discussion leader:
Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director
Partner:
Center for Artificial Intelligence, RWTH Aachen University
13.30 – 14.00 pm
Value stream management of mineral construction waste – from CO₂ driver to circular resource
Description
STRABAG AG – North Rhine-Westphalia Division understands value stream management as a systematic approach combining soil management and regional recycling sites. Genuine waste is separated from supposed waste and recycled building materials are produced.
Speaker:
Melanie Hegemann
Technical Operations Manager (M.Sc.), STRABAG AG