SV Motus Students’ Association

Last month, we went on a study trip to Hamburg with SV Motus, the student association for Mechatronics at Avans University of Applied Sciences. Together with our members and students from SV-WIM, we enjoyed a week full of technology, innovation, fun and, of course, a taste of German culture.

The trip got off to an early start, with a coach full of students, suitcases and plenty of enthusiasm. Once in Germany, technical visits, group activities and free time alternated. It was precisely this combination that made the trip not only educational, but also a great way to get to know each other better outside the lecture theatres.

A look behind the scenes during our study trip to Hamburg

One of our first technical visits took us to a water treatment plant in Dortmund. There, we saw just how much technology is required to reliably treat the wastewater of nearly one million residents every day. During the tour, we were given an explanation of pumping, process automation and the various treatment stages. At that time, the plant was even being expanded to include an additional treatment stage. To make this possible without halting the process, temporary mobile control cabinets were deployed to take over parts of the control system.

The large aeration tanks also made a big impression. By blowing air into the water from below, biological processes are stimulated that help to treat the wastewater. For us as Mechatronics students, this was a great example of how mechanics, electrical engineering, software and control engineering come together in a system that must continue to function reliably every day.

In Hamburg itself, we visited Miniatur Wunderland. At first glance, this seems primarily to be an impressive tourist attraction, but it soon became clear just how much engineering lies behind the miniature worlds. Moving trains, cars, aeroplanes, lighting and entire cities all function there as one large automated system. The airport section in particular demonstrated just how much programming, control and fine-tuning are required to ensure everything moves in sync and realistically. From the control room, we were also given a glimpse into the technical infrastructure behind the scenes.

At the Prototyp Museum, we delved into the history of vehicle development and motorsport. Amidst classic racing cars, sports cars and prototypes, we saw how vehicle technology has evolved over the years. A small wind tunnel setup demonstrated just how much design influences aerodynamic drag and airflow. This clearly showed that vehicle development involves much more than just speed and power: aerodynamics, choice of materials, production techniques and safety also play a major role.

A technical highlight of the trip was the backstage tour at Hansa-Park. Here, we were given an explanation by the engineers responsible for the park’s infrastructure and its mechanical and electrical systems. During the tour, we learnt, amongst other things, about the rollercoasters *The Oath of KÄRNAN* and *Escape of Novgorod*, and about the *Highlander* freefall tower.

At ‘Escape of Novgorod’, we were told that the train accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in around 1.4 seconds. For a train weighing around four tonnes, this requires enormous power. At The Oath of KÄRNAN, too, it became clear what forces act on the structure and rails when a train weighing around six tonnes experiences peak loads of up to approximately 5G. At Highlander, we saw how braking systems using eddy-current brakes and hydraulic systems are employed to ensure the free fall proceeds in a controlled and safe manner.

Thank you, KIVI!

As well as all the technical visits, there was of course also time to explore Hamburg, eat together, head into the city and make memories. It is precisely during moments like these that you realise just how valuable a study trip is: you learn not only from companies and facilities, but also from one another.

The study trip gave us a broad insight into the engineering profession. From water infrastructure and vehicle development to automation and amusement park technology: everywhere we looked, we saw how the knowledge gained from the Mechatronics degree programme is applied in real-world systems.

We would like to thank KIVI for supporting this study trip. Thanks to their commitment, we – as future engineers – had the opportunity to experience engineering outside the classroom and to delve deeper into the versatility of the discipline.