Winands, Kai

Kai Winands, studied mechanical engineering with a focus on manufacturing technology at the RWTH-Aachen University. From 2009 till 2021, he worked twelve years as a research assistant in the "Directed Energy Manufacturing" department at the Fraunhofer IPT. Until 2018, the focus of his research work was on process development for surface functionalization by laser structuring. As part of this activity, he received the "International Bionic Award" from the Schauenburg Foundation of the Association of German Engineers - VDI in 2016, together with three other research associates.
In addition, until the end of 2018, he headed the "Laser Material Processing" group at the Fraunhofer IPT, which developed processes, applications and CAM software solutions in the field of additive manufacturing and laser surface structuring. From 2019 till end of 2021, he headed the "Additive Manufacturing" competence area at Fraunhofer IPT and was responsible in particular for interdisciplinary activities in the field of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) and Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM).
Begin of 2022, he has changed his profession and is now responsible for the area of occupational safety at the Fraunhofer IPT.