Michael Blauth
Leader of the Precision Engineering Department
Research focus
Professor Blauth and his team primarily research on the fundamentals and technologies of electrical connection technology. He works closely with the electrical connection technology industry and the automotive industry.
- Electrical connectors and interconnection systems: Contact physics, design and simulation
- Tribology and contact surfaces: Fretting corrosion, wear, oxidation, coatings and lubricants
- Aging and failure mechanisms: Experimental and analytical characterization of electrical contacts and interconnection systems
- Reliability and lifetime prediction: Failure criteria, condition assessment, and models for describing and predicting service life
- Accelerated testing and field-to-laboratory correlation: Transfer of real-world loads and failure modes to reproducible laboratory tests and development of application-relevant test methods
Professional career
During his doctoral studies, Blauth focused on parameterized models for the design of optimized electrical connector contacts. He then worked at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG in the areas of technology development and product development, and finally as a specialist consultant for “customer-specific product development” in device connection technology.
Since 2024, he has been head of the Precision Engineering department in the Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics division at the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Arts (TH OWL).
Academic education
Blauth studied mechatronics as a dual student at the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.
Activities in associations and committees
- Associate Dean in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Bagamoyo e.V. Friends Association
- Member of the Innovative Materials Research Focus
- Member of the Programme Committee of the Electrical and Optical Interconnection Technology – Connectors Symposium
- Member of the Industry Advisory Board for the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics
- Chair of the VDE/VDI-GMM Technical Committee 3.4 “Optical and Electronic Interconnection Technology” (https://www.vde.com/de/gmm/arbeitsgebiete/optische-und-elektronische-verbindungstechnik/773310-773310)
