Development center
What we do?
The Research and Development Centre was established at the Dačice plant at the turn of 2005 and 2006. We are engaged in the development of products that are then put into mass production here in Dačice. We work on projects for our customers, which are automotive and steering manufacturers. On the European level, we cooperate intensively with our colleagues from Germany and gradually we are starting to cooperate with our branch in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Who are we?
We are about forty of us, mostly machinists with a focus on chassis parts and joints. The department is divided into four teams: research (R&D), application development, prototyping and test lab. There are also several European support roles, such as IT or Instrumentation (test equipment development). The average age of our department is 37 years (in 2018).
What are we aiming for?
We aim to become experts who offer solutions to our customers, not just fulfil their requirements. That’s why we are dedicated to training our employees, but above all we strive to be in close contact with our production, quality, technology and program management departments. We consider it a great advantage that we develop and test the products that will be manufactured in our plant.
How are we developing?
Every year we invest hundreds of thousands of Euros in our development centre. This is mainly investment in new equipment, but we also try to improve the environment, whether it be workshops, laboratories or offices.
Branch Brno
A separate office in Brno was opened in June 2021 to strengthen THK Automotive’s development activities in the Czech Republic and to establish deeper cooperation with Brno University of Technology and other scientific institutions. A team consisting of both experts and young up-and-coming technicians and engineers is tasked with supporting our development centres in Dačice and Düsseldorf. Currently, the focus is on simulations using accurate material models, their creation and subsequent use in calculations of, for example, fatigue states or assembly process simulation. The office currently employs 6 experts, but the intention is for continuous growth and thus the possibility of expanding the team with additional colleagues from the field.
Purchase
The team in the Brno office also includes two colleagues from purchasing who are responsible for purchasing direct materials and communication with suppliers for both plants in Europe.
SPOLUPRÁCE
S UNIVERZITOU
BUT Brno is one of the two largest universities in the country and offers a wide range of opportunities for both students and companies. Our goal is to establish cooperation with the Faculty of Engineering, especially in the field of materials, simulations and calculations using the finite element method. Also with the Institute of Design and Engineering Technology. As another advantage, the company considers the possibility to offer student part-time jobs directly on site or to offer interesting job positions to school graduates.
However, THK does not only focus on cooperation with BUT, but also with other universities and research institutes. An example can be cooperation with the University of Zlín on the development of rubber material and the new design of some rubber components.