Norbert Hofmann

Prof. Dr. Norbert Hofmann is a Lecturer in thermo-mechanical and casting simulation at the Institute of Thermal and Fluid Engineering within the School of Engineering and Environment at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). His career spans over 25 years of research and teaching in computational mechanics and advanced manufacturing processes.

• Roles: Lecturer, Researcher, Conference Organizer
• Expertise: Numerical simulation, casting optimization, thermal analysis
• Collaborations: Swiss Nanoscience Institute, ETHZ, international automotive/energy sectors

Research Interests focus on:

• Thermo-mechanical simulation of industrial casting processes
• Advanced solidification modeling with finite element methods
• Process optimization using automated systems
• Thermal management in electronics packaging
• Microspecimen mechanical testing at extreme temperatures

Publication Trends show consistent contributions to casting technology innovation, spanning from aerospace turbine blades (1990s) to modern nanoscale bonding applications. His work bridges computational modeling with experimental validation across disciplines.

Scientific Awards:

• Best Paper Award (2000) for innovative casting process development
• Outstanding ranking for thermophysical property data contributions

As educator, he has mentored numerous students in Computational Mechanics and Advanced Manufacturing through hands-on simulation projects. His research has been supported by collaborations with ABB Turbo Systems AG, Honda Research Center, and Ford Research Center.

Labs & Teams: Active participant in the Final COST526 Workshop and APOMAT research consortium. Maintains close ties with Foundry Center FHNW and Swiss NanoScience Institute at Basel University.