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A new process, called flexible T-profile-rolling, is being developed to produce T-profiles with variable thickness distribution in longitudinal direction by flexible rolling. These tailored thicknesses allow for load-adapted and weight-optimised design of stringer profiles for aircrafts. The new process can replace the chemical milling currently used in the production of stringers and enables a more environmentally friendly and resource-saving production of the thickness changes. In order to achieve uniform thicknesses in the web and flange of the T-profile, a new rolling stand with rolls inclined against the T-profile and varying roll radii was developed. However, the varying roll radii cause different longitudinal strains in the profile cross-section due to the varied contact areas between the roll and the rolling stock, resulting in unwanted profile bowing. This bowing depends on the profile dimensions, as the adjacent roll radii vary over the profile cross-sections.

Roll forming is a sheet metal forming process in which flat sheets are incrementally formed into a desired profile geometry. The process is characterized by high material utilization and output. Along with these advantages, process-related longitudinal strains occur, causing profile defects such as bowing and twisting of the profile, which require subsequent straightening. Conventional straightening methods use overbending and twisting to eliminate existing profile defects. However, this approach is purely experience-based and iterative due to the complex interactions between the various bending and twisting operations. Therefore, a closed-loop control of the straightening process is currently not implemented. This can be remedied by the novel knowledge-based straightening method of partial rolling.

Liquid chromatography (LC) is well established for the comprehensive characterization of complex macromolecules with multiple distributions. Hyphenated chromatographic methods in their various forms are currently one of the most promising and powerful methods for the fractionation and characterization of complex sample mixtures in different property coordinates. Modern detector technologies open up new ways to investigate various properties with high sensitivity even in the low concentration ranges used in chromatography. This paper discusses possibilities and applications for the advanced characterization of macromolecules.

Liquid chromatography of polymers is traditionally a slow technique with analysis times of typically 30 min per sample. For the application of liquid chromatographic techniques to combinatorial materials research the analysis time per sample must be reduced considerably. Analysis time in SEC can be reduced to about 2 min per sample when high-throughput columns are used. For HPLC small columns with improved separation efficiencies can be used. As compared to conventional technology, time savings of more than 80% are achieved. Chromatogram from conventional SEC column compared to high-speed SEC column tested on an identical instrument with polystyrene standards in THF.

Mass determination by mass spectrometric methods (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS)) of sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)-separated proteins is a well known procedure and reliable protocols are available. In our efforts to use the established methods to determine the molecular mass of the disulfide brigded, heterodimeric glycoprotein GP3 and to determine the carbohydrate content of each protein subunit we developed an in-gel chemical deglycosylation method. For this purpose we established experimental conditions that allow maximum extraction of the high molecular mass protein subunits and developed a routine method to apply the HF–pyridine deglycosylation protocol to proteins isolated from polyacrylamide gel pieces. The novel protocol and extraction procedure described can be used to analyze O-glycosylated proteins up to 150 kDa after SDS-PAGE separation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mass spectrometric techniques are presented which allow one to analyze the sugar part bound to hydroxyproline in hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins. The hydroxyproline (Hyp) glycans obtained by alkaline hydrolysis give abundant [M + Na]⁺ ions by electrospray ionization which after collision-induced dissociation (CID) yield inter alia [Hyp − H + Na]⁺. In mixtures a parent ion scan of this species will indicate the various molecular species which can then be analyzed by MSⁿ after CID in an ion trap, where successive losses of the sugar units are observed. Methylation techniques allow one to distinguish between linear and branched isomeric structures. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A screening method was developed for the fast identification of known pyoverdin-type siderophores produced by fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. It is based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of the Sep-Pak RP-C18 culture supernatant extracts. The siderophores of five bacterial strains were characterized by their molecular masses obtained from their doubly protonated molecular ions [M+2H]²⁺ and their UV/visible spectra recorded with a diode-array detector. Additional structural information was gained by skimmer collision-induced dissociation experiments. For all strains new minor siderophores were found. A table of fully or partially identified pyoverdins and related siderophores is provided which will be the basis for screening studies. Copyright © 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Pyoverdine, Siderophore, Bacterial Classification From Pseudom onas fluorescens 9AW and from Pseudomonas putida 9BW identical pyo-verdine-type siderophores were isolated and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and degradation studies. These novel compounds are of interest as they contain L-threo-ß-hydroxy histidine in their peptide chains, an amino acid sofar encountered in nature only rarely. The co-occurence of the same pyoverdine in different Pseudom onas species and its significance for the classification is discussed.