Lucas Nierobisch from the Faculty of Engineering receives award from the Saxon metal and electrical industry for his Master's thesis
The Johann Andreas Schubert Prize
SACHSENMETALL and the Johann Andreas Schubert Foundation have continued their collaboration this year and honoured outstanding academic theses by students and young scientists at Saxon universities.
Until the beginning of April 2024, deans of Saxon universities had the opportunity to nominate outstanding theses related to the metal and electrical industry for the Johann Andreas Schubert Prize at SACHSENMETALL. The bachelor's or master's theses had to come from the fields of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering/process and energy technology, materials science/materials technology and transport sciences and be characterised by particular practical relevance.
The award ceremony took place on 5 August 2024 at SCHERDEL GmbH in Marienberg with Minister President Michael Kretschmer and Employer President Dr Jörg Brückner. Outstanding trainees, dual study graduates and training companies in the Saxon metal and electrical industry in 2023/2024 were also honoured on the day.
The award winner
Master's student M. Eng. Lucas Nierobisch, a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering programme in the Faculty of Engineering at HTWK Leipzig, impressed the jury with his thesis on "Development of a laser-based measuring apparatus for the reliable detection of loosening on tram tracks" and was personally presented with the Johann Andreas Schubert Prize by Minister President Kretschmer. The Master's thesis was supervised by M. Eng. Maik Wolf and Professor Mathias Rudolph.
The award-winning Master's thesis
In his master's thesis, Lucas Nierobisch developed a laser-based measuring device for analysing the condition of tram tracks. Due to the constantly increasing utilisation and load on tram networks, continuous and automated condition monitoring of the rails is required in order to enable prompt maintenance and optimal servicing. For this reason, current research into mobile rail condition detection is evaluating how statements on the real appearance of tram track damage (including loosening of the track) can be generated using laser-based measurement methods.
As part of his master's thesis, Lucas Nierobisch developed an application-flexible measuring apparatus and optimised its practical and static application on the track. The measuring apparatus developed can be attached directly to the tram for the automated inspection of tram rails and can be used on the move. Master's student Nierobisch carried out laboratory tests on a prototype tram track in advance and developed the metrologically reliable measuring system (good precision and repeatability) for detecting loosening (e.g. missing casting compounds and gauge changes).
The Faculty of Engineering congratulates its prize-winning Master's student Lucas Nierobisch and wishes him every success for future projects and endeavours.
