AMAG is set to become a magnificent cathedral

AluReport: Professor Pogatscher, you are taking over the chairman­ship of the advisory board this year. Professor Uggowitzer has just described the shifts in aluminium research in recent years. What should we be preparing for?

Stefan Pogatscher: Although the global centre of gravity in aluminium research has shifted noticeably towards Asia, as mentioned, the long term strategy of AMAG reflected in the advisory board ensures that AMAG remains at the forefront in terms of research quality. For example, the top journal mentioned above awards the globally most prestigious prize for young researchers in metallic materials, the Acta Student Award. In March, this award will be presented in the USA to Dr. Philip Aster for part of his doctoral work supervised jointly with us. On the one hand, this highlights the high scientific excellence and visibility of AMAG’s research. On the other hand, it is important to emphasize that the award winning work is of high industrial relevance and not, as is often the case with scientific awards, of a purely academic nature. Specifically, the project brings Cu containing 6xxx alloys into entirely new realms of strength and formability, thus creating the foundation for future AMAG products.This combination of technological relevance and scientific excellence also strengthens other areas, such as attracting outstanding talent and AMAG’s perception as a premium producer among competitors and customers. Internationally, there is close attention to what is happening in Ranshofen. Research activity in China will likely continue to grow, challenging AMAG’s scientific technological adaptability. Furthermore, the rapidly changing framework conditions require ever shorter response times. Strengthening and above all efficiently leveraging AMAG’s scientific technological excellence is therefore a key factor through which the advisory board can contribute to competitiveness, especially in the medium and long term. The advisory board also acts as a strategic early warning system, ensuring that limited resources are deployed as precisely as possible, and as an acceleration mechanism enabling rapid responses to new technological questions.

AluReport: Which overarching capability within the scientific technological expertise you just described will, in your view, be most decisive in meeting these challenges?

Stefan Pogatscher: To respond effectively to change, AMAG must rely on a broadly and well trained workforce. From a scientific technological perspective, this means that a solid and, above all, universal foundational education is particularly valuable in times of transformation. Strategic networks with partner universities must therefore be maintained and expanded. These efforts, however, will only be successful if the expertise can be applied quickly enough. In the past, fundamental research often required considerable time. I believe we are at the beginning of a massively positive transformation, and AMAG is well prepared for it. Professor Uggowitzer has already described the systematic expansion of simulation capabilities in detail.With simulation, foundational knowledge can be channelled into rapid responses to technological challenges. Crucial to harnessing the fruits of consistent capability development in the years ahead is the integration of diverse simulation tools into user friendly environments. I have observed that this process has already gained momentum at AMAG.It is essential to understand that many simulations - key word “digital twin” - have been developed specifically for AMAG products and processes, forming a unique data resource. For speed and efficiency, it will be decisive to further strengthen the use of AI and machine learning and seamlessly combine them with physics based simulation expertise. Only the combination of AMAG’s now easily accessible data resources and highly trained personnel enables rapid, and above all accurate, responses to complex questions, supported by predictive models and live data analyses for flexible process control, ultimately ensuring cost efficient production.

AluReport: Do you have concrete proposals on how AMAG’s R&D activities should continue in the medium and long term?

Stefan Pogatscher: Medium and long term R&D activities should focus on technological relevance, speed, and decarbonization. First, the focus must be on recycling friendly alloys that can robustly incorporate low grade scrap while still enabling demanding property profiles. This includes widening tolerance windows and digitally coupling alloy design with process control to optimize properties such as formability and residual stress freedom in the final product.Second, we must continue to pursue cost efficient process design. Intelligently controlled melting processes, casting procedures, rolling schedules, and heat treatment cycles are examples of processes that can be further optimized through integrated, physics based simulations and ML supported systems to reduce energy consumption, scrap, and throughput times. Third, predictive maintenance can be expanded, with improved forecasts for equipment failures and extended service life. Finally, I would like to mention the rapidly advancing field of embodied AI, for example humanoid robots for tasks that are ergonomically demanding, repetitive, or safety critical. Given these developments, it becomes clear that AMAG with its excellent physics based knowledge base, often condensed into simulations, the existing data resources and AI, has all the essential tools for an acceleration system that enables “the right” technological decision in a short time. However, successful implementation is only possible with qualified personnel who can interpret the results. In light of declining engineering graduation rates and shrinking research budgets, including for doctoral projects, I propose developing a risk management strategy to ensure rapid responsiveness.

AluReport: The evolution of the advisory board since 2008 has already been discussed. Could you give us some insight into your personal experience with the board? Will you set new priorities as chairman to reflect the changing framework conditions?

Stefan Pogatscher: My experience with the advisory board goes back to first contact in 2009 as a young doctoral student and extends from guest to member as a professor. So I know the board well, and I look forward to the challenge of taking over the chair. I had the opportunity to help shape the strategic development of a globally leading aluminium research unit at Technical University of Leoben (MUL), and I see this as a blueprint for a successful cooperation with high transfer potential. Right now, maintaining this level is crucial. Long term models such as the Christian Doppler Laboratory launched in 2025 are valuable tools for this. To remain competitive with Asia in research infrastructure, we created the Aluminium Microstructure Analysis Gainhub (AMAGh) (AluReport 03/2023), a platform combining high resolution microstructure analytics with aluminium expertise while simultaneously providing long term talent development. Although I am convinced that AMAG’s current scientific technological depth is well aligned and should continue to grow, I also aim to introduce new accents. Specifically, I will work to place even more emphasis on speed. I have already highlighted this in my remarks on integrating fundamental research, simulation, and AI. Connectivity and breadth are essential resilience factors not only in this context.Universality and diversity should also be reflected in the composition of the advisory board, potentially beyond established specialist fields, while always keeping an eye on expansion potential towards markets and customers, especially as development partner. More­over, in my view, strong international partnerships and collaborations are required to address overarching, high risk research topics to keep pace with competition from China. It is essential to preserve a shared spirit, one that carries the enthusiasm for aluminium research from the advisory board into all areas of AMAG’s R&D and technology organization.

AluReport: Professor Uggowitzer, in light of your long experience, may I conclude by asking: With what wish or hope for AMAG’s future development would you like to bring your work on the advisory board to a close?

Peter Uggowitzer: Allow me to conclude with a metaphor expressing my hope that the Scientific and Technological Advisory Board will continue to play a guiding and inspiring role in the strategic development of R&D activities and thus in AMAG’s sustainable and successful growth.In the Middle Ages, cathedrals were built over generations. The people who worked on them knew that they might never see the finished structure. None­theless, they worked with pride, precision, and dedication - not for short term success but for something greater. Every master builder took responsibility for what he passed on: solid foundations, clean transitions, clear plans.The cathedral did not stand in the end because someone once invested extraordinary effort, but because each generation was willing to continue building with the same care and passion.

May AMAG become such a magnificent and enduring cathedral, preserved for generations to come.