The Machining Working Group was founded in 2019 with the aim of pooling the further development of machining manufacturing in research and teaching through regular scientific exchange, as well as developing collaborative initiatives among its members. Machining is the most widespread manufacturing technology in the metalworking industry. Machining technologies are used to process a wide variety of materials as well as produce diverse component geometries. The spectrum of products machined by cutting processes ranges from large parts such as turbines and motors for the generation of electrical energy, through tools and molds, to optical components and microcomponents for medical technology. The interlinked development of materials, tools, processes, and machine tools in conjunction with the increasing integration of measuring and sensor technology as well as information technology has led to a constant expansion of the range of applications of cutting technologies.

The Machining Working Group has set itself the goal of further advancing the performance of metal-cutting manufacturing through research by specifically intensifying scientific exchange in this field and developing joint initiatives to promote important research topics. The main focus is on the promotion of research on metal cutting manufacturing and interdisciplinary focus areas with an emphasis on bringing together scientific fundamentals and production engineering applications. In this way, the preconditions for the use of increasingly productive processes in industry are created in a coordinated and targeted manner.

The teaching of the institutes and professorships participating in the consortium forms an essential basis for the transfer of knowledge and methods for the further development of the field to the next generation of specialists. The coordination of teaching content supports both the reliable teaching of basic specialist knowledge and the training in scientific focal points at the various locations. The members of the Machining Working Group promote exchange and cooperation with industry and other sectors of the economy and the public sector by participating in transfer and joint projects as well as by offering professional training and public information events.The Machining Working Group supports international cooperation with foreign institutions, associations, and the like in the training and support of students in research and technology transfer.