Last Sunday it was that time again. The Saxon state government opened its doors and invited visitors to the "Open Government Quarter". The event entered its 18th round this year under the motto "See and be seen".

Saxony5 and the five Saxon universities of applied sciences had the opportunity to present their extensive and fascinating work on the first floor of the SMWK ministry building on September 4.

Dipl.-Ing. Ronald Wolf-Wagenführ, a research associate at the HSZG, presented a number of innovative products that were created within the "Additive Manufacturing" co-creation lab of the ^Saxony5 joint transfer project.

These included:

• A 3D-printed scoliosis corset, which was developed together with the HSZG, the Fraunhofer IWU in Zittau and the orthopaedic company Orthopädische Werkstätten Görlitz - Sanitätshaus Rosenkranz GmbH.
   
• The O-Mask (respiratory mask), which was developed from the idea to series production in a very short time with the help of additive manufacturing. The HSZG and the Fraunhofer IWU worked together and supported the companies HPF GmbH & Co. KG and Organ.Nico GmbH & Co. KG in the implementation.

Last but not least, in addition to the research focus in the field of sustainable plastics technologies, he was able to introduce many visitors to the great training opportunities at the HSZG and inspire potential future students for the region and the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. "However, the young people were most fascinated by the HSZG grape sugar sweets they brought along," the graduate engineer sums up with a grin.

He sees the "Open Government Quarter" as a unique opportunity to introduce a broad audience to the type of research and transfer at the HSZG. With up to 5,000 visitors, the event proved to be an absolute magnet for visitors.

This special form of research and transfer can be wonderfully demonstrated by the exhibits brought along, explains the graduate engineer. Each of these products was developed in close cooperation between research and industry. The problems that existed beforehand could always be solved in a productive and transparent environment, so that initial successes could be recorded after a short time and provided additional motivation. "The special approach: to live research and transfer together and to consider the sustainable focus not only along the materials used, but also between the actors involved, distinguishes the people in the region and thus also the HSZG," Ronald Wolf-Wagenführ is convinced.