Ulf Karnath
Graduate engineer
studied mechanical engineering with a focus on aircraft construction at RWTH Aachen University. After graduating in 1989, he started as a computational engineer at Airbus Germany in the same year. The main focus of the activity was structural mechanics with the usage of FEM. Advanced materials (CFRP, aluminium alloys) were a matter of course in aircraft construction.
In 1992, he founded the engineering firm SIGMA GmbH, which he managed as a partner and managing director until 2004. Early on, the company developed a broad base of topics and tasks. The first projects from aviation, wind power, shipbuilding and general mechanical engineering were implemented together with the customers. From today’s perspective, working on the Max Planck Society’s Wendelstein 7-X nuclear fusion project is certainly a highlight.
In 2008, he founded k2 engineering consulting GmbH together with Christian Kirchner. Here, as well, the use of the FEM calculation (Finite Element Method) is the focus of the task. The extensive, in-depth knowledge gained from many years of consulting work forms the basis for successful cooperation with current clients.
He has been a member of the expert advisory board of the BWE Bundesverband Windenergie since 2022.
In his free time, Ulf Karnath is passionate about hang gliding and ultralight flying.
Christian Kirchner
Graduate engineer
studied civil engineering with a focus on structural design at the Bauhaus University in Weimar. Between 1998 and 2000, he deepened his knowledge in FEM calculation and general steel construction as a computational engineer at Expectra Deutschland GmbH.
In 2000, he moved to SIGMA GmbH and was employed as a junior computational engineer. In the following three years, cross-sector knowledge in the use of the finite element method could be developed.
From 2003 to 2007 he took over the disciplinary and technical team management at SIGMA GmbH. He worked there as a senior engineer with technical responsibility in the area of metal structures. The focus of the work was on static and dynamic structural calculations in the aircraft and wind energy industry.
Since 2008 he has been managing the engineering office k2 [e+c] GmbH [engineering + consulting] in Hamburg together with Ulf Karnath. The knowledge of structural mechanics built up to that point in various fields of engineering and the use of FEM form the basis for successful activity in projects with current clients.
Christian Kirchner’s hobbies are cycling and football.