The Regional Technology Institute (RTI) is  a modern engineering and technological research centre at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Bohemia. The Centre was founded mainly thanks to financial support from the European Regional Development Fund, the Operational Programme Research and Development for Innovation, Priority Axis 2: ‘Regional R&D centres’.

Construction work began in 2011 and RTI went into operation on July 1, 2015. Almost 100 researchers are employed in the laboratories, test rooms and workplaces, where they have the latest experimental, software and computer technology at their disposal.

RTI activities are divided into four research programmes dealing with research and development of modern vehicle design and their drive systems; machine tools and their modernization; forming technologies; and machining technologies.

More information about the Regional Technology Institute can be found at rti.zcu.cz/en .

RTI has a certified quality management system for "Education, research and development in the field of mechanical engineering, including applications in industrial practice".

RTI focuses on designing and testing advanced machines and equipment and research, development and optimization of engineering production technologies.

Research and development focuses on 4 main research programmes:

R&D of Modern Vehicle Structures and their Drive Systems
R&D of Machine Tools and their Modernization
R&D of Forming Technologies
R&D of Machining Technologies

Our research is connected mainly with flows and thermal issues in the primary and secondary circuits of nuclear power plants. We can solve experimentally and by numerical simulation issues of heat removal from active zones, two-phase flow in primary circuits, heat balance of power plants, research of flows in turbines and many other things.

One of our main activities is research into flows through the flow section of a single-stage axial turbine. Two basic types of measurements are performed. The first is the measurement and evaluation of integral characteristics from static pressure samples, temperature sensors, information from the dynamometer which provides data on torque and turbine speed, and last but not least from a standardised nozzle to determine the mass flow of the working medium. We can use these data to design the characteristics of the turbine, i.e. the change in its circumferential efficiency in relation to the dimensionless speed parameter u/c.

A second type of measurement is done using two pneumatic five-hole probes for detailed measurement of flow fields between the distributor and the impeller. The probes are controlled by the stepper motors of a traversing system. The averaged data are then plotted as radial dependences on the relative length of the blade.

The cold crucible laboratory carries out research mainly in the field of optimization during operation using physical measurements and numerical simulations. Our unique equipment enables optimization to ensure the maximum efficiency of an entire system for melting the specific material of a particular charge. During cold crucible operation we can measure all the necessary electrical and non-electrical quantities and use numerical calculations to test the optimization. An integral part of this is the numerical modelling of the physical processes in all the components of the cold crucible and molten material during operation. We specialise in the investigation of electromagnetic, thermal, hydrodynamic and structural fields.

We also focus our research on high-temperature melting of materials based on metal oxides up to temperatures above 3,000 °C and investigating their material properties. The uniqueness of our equipment is its ability to reach melt temperatures above 3,000 °C with complete purity. These properties allow research of new materials, e.g. obtaining special ceramic nanostructures for use in industrial applications, acquisition of single crystals by controlled crystallization for the production of electronic chips or for use in jewellery, etc..

Current trends in fusion welding in energetics engineering are the main research topic for heat-resistant steels. We are continuing to gain knowledge in this area from the production of high-quality and operationally reliable heterogeneous welded joints for components in conventional and nuclear energy, based on proven methods, which are further optimized and if necessary and possible, modified. Computer simulations of fusion welding and heat treatment processes using the SYSWELD program are used, followed by experimental verification.

We investigate the welding of chromium steels based on 9-12% Cr with low-alloy steels, which will be stressed in operational conditions up to 650 °C, or 9-12% Cr steels with steels with an austenitic structure. The quality of the welded joints is verified by systematic metallographic and factual analyses with the acquisition of selected mechanical values ​​of their qualities.