Olaf Bruch

Prof. Dr. Olaf Bruch serves as a full Professor at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg within the Department of Engineering and Communication, specifically affiliated with the Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-efficient Engineering (TREE). His academic base is located in Sankt Augustin at Grantham-Allee 20, where he maintains office B 203 and can be reached via telephone +49 2241 865 318.

His research spans critical areas in engineering mechanics with particular emphasis on finite element methods and polymer materials. Key focus areas include the integrative simulation of plastic components considering manufacturing-specific characteristics, prediction of shrinkage and warpage in extrusion blow molding using advanced viscoelastic models, development of experimental-numerical methods for material parameter identification, fluid-structure coupling for liquid-filled containers, and structural optimization of generatively manufactured automotive components. This work directly addresses industrial challenges in resource efficiency and sustainable manufacturing.

Prof. Bruch leads and contributes to multiple significant research initiatives including PAExSiDur (polymer aging for service life extension), DigitalTwin-4-Multiphysics-Lab (urban and industrial digital twins), TreeOpt (simulation-based lightweight product development), ROForm (resource-optimized forming), and TRE³L (energy lab for powder metallurgy and sustainable mobility). His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to polymer processing simulation, with recent work focusing on VMAP interface standard implementation and crystallization effects in polyethylene systems.

As co-affiliated with Dr. Reinold Hagen Stiftung, he bridges academic research with industrial applications through projects like SmartBlow (intelligent blow molding machines) and Fortissimo 2 (ultra-clean containers). His leadership in the Structural Analysis and Optimization Working Group demonstrates his commitment to advancing simulation methodologies for complex engineering challenges in polymer manufacturing and structural design.