With the German-African Innovation Award (GAIIA), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) honours outstanding achievements by African researchers. The prize promotes the further development of research findings into innovative solutions that address the social and ecological challenges on the African continent and benefit the population. It was awarded for the first time in 2018.
To date, 16 researchers from 10 African countries have been honoured and - together with their German cooperation partners - have received funding of up to 150,000 euros for the realisation of a joint research project with high exploitation potential.
One of the prizes was awarded to Dr.Ing. Wamai Mwangi from Kenya in collaboration with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Henning Zeidler, TU Bergakademie Freiberg for the RAMMforIU project.
The project is dedicated to how renewable additive manufacturing materials can be used for industrial applications.
Project description
Additive manufacturing, also known as "3D printing", produces components by applying material layer by layer. It can be used as a key technology for new business models in Kenya if the material costs, machine costs and application are harmonised.
Waste from local agriculture and production, which is abundant and inexpensive in Kenya, is also suitable as a raw material for additive manufacturing. The innovative use of this local waste therefore offers great potential for the development of biodegradable, environmentally friendly and affordable products. A sustainable circular economy can be established and contribute to economic stability and growth in Kenya.
In order to successfully transfer waste and residual materials to industrial utilisation through 3D printing, the "RAMMforIU" project aims to close the final gaps in research and promote university spin-offs in Kenya. A transfer centre will provide the necessary expertise in the field of additive manufacturing from bio-based residues, from identifying and processing suitable bio-based materials and designing components to testing and recycling strategies. Kenyan researchers and industrial companies are supported in using research results economically, whether as material suppliers, producers of end products or recyclers.
Dr Wamai Mwangi receives the German-African Innovation Award (GAIIA) for his excellent research on the use of novel bio-based materials in additive manufacturing (AM) in combination with a convincing proposal for a German-African cooperation project that further develops these research results into use-oriented solutions.