Innovative beaker drying machine developed as part of a student project makes day-to-day catering operations easier at the Ulm tent
What began as a practical problem encountered in day-to-day event management has now become a fully functional technical solution: a beaker drying machine developed by students at Ulm University of Applied Sciences (THU) is now being used to support the catering operations at the Ulm Zelt and has successfully completed its first assignments.
For safety reasons, glasses and bottles are often not permitted at large events. Instead, reusable plastic cups are used. However, these pose a major problem after washing: water remains inside them, and when the cups are stacked, this water does not dry out, meaning that until now they had to be dried by hand. With more than 1,000 cups in a single evening, this meant an enormous time commitment. Six to eight volunteers spent up to three hours drying them – a laborious task that was also not ideal from a hygiene perspective.
This is precisely where the THU project came in. Under the supervision of Prof. Dr Stengele, students developed a machine to automate the drying process as part of a total of more than 25 project assignments. Numerous rounds of iteration were required from the initial idea to the system now in use. The design, control system and sensor technology were repeatedly revised and improved.
The beaker drying machine has been in practical use at the Ulm Tent since 2023 and is undergoing continuous further development. Current areas of focus for optimisation include the residual moisture remaining in the beakers, the speed of the drying process and the noise level of the machine. The control system was also fundamentally overhauled during the course of the project, after it became apparent that additional control outputs and new sensors were necessary for reliable operation.
The project serves as a prime example of how mechanical engineering students tackle real-world challenges and, in doing so, develop innovative technical solutions. At the same time, it highlights just how versatile and exciting mechanical engineering is: analysing problems, designing technology and, together with project partners, developing solutions that deliver immediate benefits in everyday life.
The beaker drying machine is therefore not only a practical aid for event operations at the Ulm Tent, but also a fine example of the successful transfer of knowledge between the university and the industry.
