Interview on innovative development processes for hydrogen technologies with Thomas Leschik, CEO of Connova Deutschland GmbH

Mr Leschik, the Connova Group is known for its pioneering work in the field of composite materials. What challenges do you currently see in the hydrogen industry?

Thomas Leschik: The biggest challenge is certainly time. The development of hydrogen technologies, such as pressurised tanks or pumps, is time-consuming. We currently see development times of three to five years, followed by a further five years to ramp up production. These periods are too long to achieve the climate targets in Europe quickly enough.

How does the Connova Group deal with this? You talked about ways to shorten these development times.

Thomas Leschik: Exactly, our approach is to consider series production as early as the prototype phase. We develop prototypes in such a way that they can be reproduced under real production conditions. This means that we use several tools and material batches right from the start in order to precisely measure and control the quality and tolerances. This ultimately saves time and costs when the customer enters series production.

How does this affect the quality of the end products?

Thomas Leschik: By controlling the entire process and paying attention to quality right from the start, we can provide more precise information on component quality. Our customers not only receive the first prototype, but also reliable information on feasible tolerances and expected qualities. This leads to a faster start-up of stable series production without any major surprises.

What are the current safety standards, especially for pressurised hydrogen tanks?

Thomas Leschik: European standards currently require that a pressurised hydrogen tank must be able to withstand a burst pressure of 1652 bar at an operating pressure of 700 bar. These standards are over a century old and do not take account of advances in materials science and production technology. At Connova Group, we rely on state-of-the-art simulation methods and material knowledge, which allows us to reduce safety factors without jeopardising safety by making maximum use of theoretical material properties in real production. The result is lighter and more efficient components.

What can your customers expect from the Connova Group in the future?

Thomas Leschik: Our customers can expect continuous innovation and improvement of production processes. We are in the process of further expanding our capabilities as a “composite series manufacturer with a focus on robust precision” and extending our approach to controlled & efficient material processing in order to avoid unnecessary weight and costs. Our long-term series production and partnerships with global market leaders in various industries are testament to our commitment and reliability.

Thank you, Mr Leschik, for these insights into the exciting world of lightweight components and hydrogen technology.

Thomas Leschik: Thank you. It is an exciting time and we are proud to be at the forefront of these developments and driving the hydrogen industry forward.

Interested in further insights? Download the full presentation slides from Thomas Leschik’s talk at the Dresden Lightweight Construction Symposium here and find out more about our innovative approaches to hydrogen technology and composite processing.

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