In January, ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH presented awards to the winners of the INNOVACE 2024 student competition at the company's headquarters in Langenfeld. Philipp Leipholz and Jan Ruben Wittkowski from the Technical University Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum, received the winning trophies from Managing Director Dr. Peter Kremer at the sixth edition of the competition launched by ACE for aspiring academics from technical universities. With their solution for the construction of a device for the improved diagnosis of climbing injuries, they came out on top in a field of 11 candidates. The jury awarded their presentation and implementation with prize money of 5,000 euros as well as the additional sum of 2,000 euros for Prof. Dr.-Ing. Prof. h.c. (KusSTU) Stefan Vöth, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the THGA, who accompanied the work and thus succeeded in bringing the victory to Bochum with a team for the third time in the history of the competition.

Visit to the radiology department for even more insight

Niklas Backhausen from ACE's Development and Innovation department, speaking on behalf of the jury, emphasized the commitment and high standard of the work submitted by young engineers as part of INNOVACE 2024. According to ACE, all of the design drafts were characterized by their very good structure, and those shortlisted were also remarkable for their pronounced practical relevance. This was also achieved by the fact that the Cellitinnen-Severinsklösterchen Hospital of the Augustinian Sisters in Cologne, and in particular Dr. med. Frank Schellhammer, Head of Radiology, made it possible for the participants to attend an on-site appointment in the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner at the beginning of the tendering phase.

The winning duo Leipholz and Wittkowski from the THGA Bochum succeeded in taking the top spot with their practical, easy-to-transport solution. Both intend to continue working on it and maintain contact with ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH. In Langenfeld, in addition to pursuing this project, the plan is to continue to inspire aspiring technicians for ACE's services and activities.