Institut of Automotive Lightweight Design, University of Siegen, Germany
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Xiangfan Fang is a distinguished professor and director of the Institute of Automotive Lightweight Design at the University of Siegen. With a robust background in materials engineering and a career spanning several prestigious institutions and companies, he has made significant contributions to the field of vehicle body and chassis lightweight design. His expertise encompasses materials engineering, manufacturing technology, and the integrative approach to vehicle lightweight design. Prof. Fang has held key roles in both academia and industry, leading innovative projects and research that have advanced the automotive sector.
Profile
Scopus
Education 🎓
Prof. Fang earned his Diplom-Ingenieur degree in Metallurgy and Metal Physics in 1987 from RWTH Aachen, followed by a Dr.-Ing. in 1992 from the same institution. His education laid the foundation for a career characterized by a deep understanding of materials science and engineering principles.
Professional Experience 🛠️
Prof. Fang’s career began as a research associate at TU Hamburg-Harburg and RWTH Aachen. He then moved into industry, working as a project engineer at Adam Opel AG, where he introduced integrative approaches to weight reduction in car bodies. At Stahlwerke Bremen GmbH, he led the first series launch of non-linear laser welded blanks in vehicles. His tenure at MAGNA COSMA Europe saw him manage product and technology development, focusing on ultrahigh-strength steels and hot-forming technologies. Since 2010, he has been a W3-Professor and director at the University of Siegen, furthering research in automotive lightweight design.
Research Interests 🔬
Prof. Fang’s research interests are centered around developing methods for component development in vehicles, focusing on material selection, geometric section design, and the study of material loading limits under severe stresses and strains. He also explores novel manufacturing methods for multi-material-forming and joining, and the development of advanced vehicle chassis systems for fuel cell and battery electric vehicles.
Awards 🏆
Prof. Fang has received notable accolades, including the Springgorum Medal for his distinguished Diplom and the Borchers Medal for his outstanding doctorate from RWTH Aachen. These awards highlight his academic excellence and contributions to engineering.
Publications Top Notes 📚
C. Hartig, X. F. Fang, H. Mecking, and M. Dahms, “Textures and plastic anisotropy in TiAl,” Acta Metallurgica, 1992, pp. 1883-1894. doi:10.1016/0956-7151(92)90175-e.
U. Reichel, X. F. Fang, and W. Dahl, “Nummerische Verfahren zur Fließspannungsanalyse,” Steel Research, 1991, pp. 131-136. doi:10.1002/srin.199101262.
X. F. Fang and W. Dahl, “Strain hardening and transformation mechanism of deformation-induced martensite transformation in metastable austenitic stainless steels,” Materials Science and Engineering A, 1991, pp. 189-198. doi:10.1016/0921-5093(91)90769-j.