The workshop, together with two laboratories, plays a key role for the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology to conduct dedicated measurement campaigns. Without the continuous support of the employees working in these areas, such campaigns would be virtually impossible.
Mechanical works that are necessary for the institute´s experimental program are provided by the workshop that is run in collaboration with the Universität Hamburg.
Through this workshop, the institute has access to the full spectrum of machines that is necessary to handle all major metal, plastic, and wood work, including digitally controlled high precision machinery. Many measurement devices required for research projects of the institute are not commercially available. Therefore, they must be produced in the institute, requiring a well-equipped workshop and highly qualified staff.
Highly precise instruments are built in co-operation with scientists. These are capable of meeting special requirements, such as those arising from their use in the HALO research aircraft, on research ships or in special measurement containers for cloud observation, for example at the cloud observatory of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology on Barbados (Link zur Website Barbados Cloud Observatory). The employees of the workshop perform a wide range of operations, such as welding of high-quality materials, bracing of special metals, and electroplating. This versatility is also reflected in the different professional backgrounds of the employees: Carpenters, metalworkers and precision mechanics work in the workshop. The technicians of the workshop are on site of the individual excursions for the set up and work hand in hand with the scientists to prepare the experiments.
Since 2015, the institute has also been training apprentices. Training as a precision mechanic takes place in the training workshop. Within the framework of the training, practice pieces are produced as well as commissioned work within the institute for practical scientific purposes. In addition, the apprentices are specially trained in CNC-technique, pneumatics/hydraulic systems and welding technology, partly in inter-institutional courses. In the last ten years, the apprentices have been top of the class in the city of Hamburg three times. The workshop also offers internships for school students and basic internships for various courses of study.
