Interview with Emanuel
What’s your name?
Emanuel Tack
What are your hobbies?
In my spare time I like to organize tribology events such as the 1st and 2nd YTRS of the GfT, as well as the Swiss Tribology 2019 & 2021; I find my balance to work in outdoor sports such as jogging or in the fitness trail. My biggest hobby is my family consisting of my wonderful wife Tanja, my three years old son David, and my eight-month-old daughter Amelie. If I still have time, I dedicate myself to product development with 3D printing, of course with Tribo-filaments.
What did you study and what is your highest educational attainment?
In 2012, I successfully graduated in general mechanical engineering at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg; Afterwards I completed my doctorate in mechanical engineering as an industrial doctoral student at the Daimler AG in the field of Group Research & Sustainability on the subject tribology of internal combustion engines. Prof. Poll from the University of Hanover supervised my dissertation. Prof. Bartel from the University of Magdeburg was my second supervisor. Thanks again for your great support.
Where do you work and what’s your position?
I am working as a Senior Project Manager for Tribology & Analytics at Oerlikon Balzers in the Automotive department and I deal with development topics related to DLC coatings and tribology in general. Before that, I worked at Schaeffler, Daimler, and Thyssenkrupp. I was infected with tribology more than 10 years ago.
Since when are you part of working group “Young Tribologists“?
I was there from the beginning when the working group was founded in 2015. Prof. Poll told me at a GfT conference that Mirjam Bäse is about to found the working group and I immediately reacted.
In which part of the group are you currently participating?
Now I am active in the field of public relations, but I am less involved since the birth of my children. I especially enjoyed redesigning the actual website and organizing the first two YTRS symposia.
Why are you a member of working group “Young Tribologists”?
The tribo network that I gained here helps me to speed up my daily work.
How did you end up in the field of tribology?
My start was in the year 2010 at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg … I was investigating DLC coatings regarding friction and wear behavior, as well as their hardness, roughness, and surface wettability. Thanks again to Prof. Meerkamm / Prof. Wartzack and Prof. Hosenfeld for this nice introduction to the world of tribology.
What topics are you working on and are there any connections to the field of tribology?
- Recording of surface topographies using a 3D confocal microscope, evaluation using Mountains Map 7 & 8
- Supervision of a self-built pneumatic impact test stand for DLC-coated piston pins
- Testing of piston pins in a piston pin test bench with regard to friction, in-situ wear and structure-borne noise analysis
- Layer characterization with regard to roughness, hardness, thickness
- Pre- and post-treatment of component surfaces using vibratory finishing, laser, and similar pre- and post-treatment processes
- Improve existing technologies
Do you have any favorite anecdote about the broad field of tribology?
Sorry, I don’t have any special story to share. What I enjoy about tribology is the fact that you can gain new tribo-knowledge every day. Tribology is so all-encompassing. Tribology is everywhere.