Erzähl mal, Igor…

Was bewegt die Menschen hinter V-Research? In unserer Interviewreihe geben unsere MitarbeiterInnen persönliche Einblicke in ihren Forschungsalltag, ihre kulturellen Hintergründe und ihre kulinarischen Vorlieben. Sie erzählen, woran sie forschen, was sie inspiriert, was sie nach Vorarlberg gebracht hat – und wie Vielfalt, Teamgeist und Genuss bei V-Research gelebt werden.
Ob spannende Projekte, internationale Perspektiven oder Lieblingsrezepte aus aller Welt: Hier wird sichtbar, wie Innovation entsteht – mit Leidenschaft, Neugier und einem Hauch Heimatgefühl.
Die Interviews veröffentlichen wir im Originalton – oft auf Englisch –, um die persönlichen Geschichten authentisch und unverfälscht erlebbar zu machen.

„Mich begeistert, wie vielseitig Tribologie ist – sie verbindet Maschinenbau, Chemie, Physik und sogar Medizin oder Geologie.
Jedes Projekt eröffnet neue Perspektiven und zeigt, wie viel wir noch entdecken können.“
Dr. Igor Velkavrh, Project Manager Tribo Design

What does “Tribo Design” mean—and why is it so crucial for industry and product development?
“Tribo Design” combines two words: “Tribology” and “Design”. Tribology (derived from the Greek word “tribos” for rubbing) is the science and engineering of friction, wear and lubrication for interacting surfaces in relative motion. Design on the other hand, is a broader term that describes the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system – it refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something.
In this sense “Tribo Design” very nicely describes the essence of our department. We work in the field of tribology with a conceptually oriented approach. We develop unique solutions for our customers and partners that are specifically tailored to their application and/or production needs. Industrial research performed innovatively and bespoke at the academic level.

How do your research findings help to reduce friction and wear in technical systems?
Every mechanical system operates under certain conditions which are defined by load, velocity, temperature, etc. Inevitably all materials age and wear, and the designers need to ensure, the materials will endure the desired lifetime. Sometimes, this is not the case and sometimes, producers want to increase either the lifetime of a component or the severity of conditions the component can withstand. Or, sometimes, a substitution of a material due to environmental or legislative reasons will cause a change in the design of a system. This is where Tribo Design comes into play. We help the designers select the best material and surface solutions for their specific conditions and applications.
We have a methodology that enables us to benchmark and quantitively compare different solutions and concepts. Based on our evaluation criteria and broad know-how and experience on materials and surface solutions, we can – with high accuracy – predict which concept will work best for a specific solution and under specific conditions.
Sometimes, we also work the other way around and try to– based on failure analysis – understand, why something did not work as it should have and provide concept solutions on that basis.

What role does simulation play in your daily work in Tribo Design?
Computer simulation not much, as we are primarily experimentally oriented, which means we perform simulations on the experimental level. In our laboratory, we make model tribological tests on our specialised testing equipment. These are tests that over a shorter period simulate the entire lifetime behaviour of a material within a specific application and enable us to rank different concept solutions from the least to the most suitable one.

What is your personal motto or slogan?
Every soul is a migratory bird. Only the one that stays is Love.

What originally brought you to Vorarlberg—and what made you decide to work at V-Research?
After working for a few years in academia, as a post-doc, I was motivated by R&D in the field of Tribology and Surface Engineering, especially in connection with the industry. By coincidence, I heard about an open position at V-Research. At that time, I didn`t know much about Vorarlberg, nor did I have any long-term career plans, but I was very positively surprised by the level of professionalism of the company. What began as an unplanned exchange eventually turned into a longer one, with the constantly intriguing and innovative projects, making the work interesting, fresh, and always new.

What differences or similarities do you see between the work culture in your home country and at V-Research?
I would say, generally the working culture is similar, with Vorarlberg being slightly more Swiss-like, having more attention to detail and high-quality delivery. If something takes more time, it is better to take it, than to rush it and deliver a not-as-high quality product. The working hours are slightly longer and shifted into later afternoon/evening as well. In Slovenia, it is typical to finish with work at 16:00, while in Vorarlberg it is more at 17:00.

What do you particularly appreciate about Vorarlberg—both professionally and personally?
I think Vorarlberg is the most beautiful region in Austria. With its strong unique identity, it is like a country within a country. The combination of nature, infrastructure and strong economy is unparallel on a global level.

Is there a dish or beverage from your home country that you particularly miss—or perhaps even cook or prepare here in Vorarlberg?
Prekmurska gibanica and burek: for Prekmurska gibanica see question 8, and burek is a dish originating from Turkish cuisine (originally “börek”) made of stretched dough and filled with cottage cheese or meat – it is among the most popular and widely accessible street foods in Slovenia, typically served with yogurt.

Have you discovered a favourite dish, beverage or culinary highlight in Vorarlberg that surprised you?
Especially the local cheeses are something our family became fans of. They are a must-have in our home, and the cheese culture is probably the main thing that changed in our cuisine since living in Vorarlberg.

If you were to invite your team to a meal from your home country, what would you serve?
Due to geographical and cultural proximity, Slovenian cuisine is not that different from Austrian but at the same time, has many own specifics and varieties. The diverse cuisines of the Alpine, Karstic, Mediterranean, and Pannonian regions define the Slovenian cuisine, which with over 24 gastronomic regions and 3 wine-growing regions has been gaining popularity as a culinary destination.
The typical dishes we offer guests are:
Štruklji – rolled dumplings: side dish for meat and sauces, and it can also be a delicious dessert.
Potica – rolled dough Slovenian cake filled with tarragon, walnuts, poppy seeds, chives, cottage cheese, and raisins.
Kranjska klobasa – Carniolan sausage is a Slovenian meat product that is protected by a geographical mark and can only be produced and named by certified manufacturers.
Prekmurska gibanica – Prekmurian layer cake is made of strudel dough layers and layers of many fillings. The classic gibanica is made of nine layers with fillings like poppy seeds, raisins, groundnuts, and steamed apples.
Cold cuts with local prosciutto, salami and cheese – with local dried meat specialities like Karstic prosciutto and Prleška tünka or Bovec cheese.
Jota – a stew made from beans, potatoes, sauerkraut, dried pork and spices such as garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Kremšnita – cream cake that consists of three different layers, such as dough, egg cream and whipped cream. Between the top and bottom butter dough crust are a thick vanilla cream and whipped cream.

What was your most amusing or unusual culinary experience in Austria?
Maybe the only real surprise were the roasted onions that are served with Käsespätzle. When I first saw them, I thought, they were burnt by mistake as I was not used to eating such strongly roasted onions.

What is your favourite spice?
Sea salt, rosemary and black pepper.

What is your favourite drink or cocktail?
My preferred drinks would be coffee or wine, depending on the occasion. I do not drink cocktails; not because I don`t like them, but because they are not my preferred choice, so I only drink them at special occasions. In this sense, I have not tried that many cocktails yet but have enjoyed most of the ones I have tasted.

What is your favourite fruit or vegetable?
Tomato, green salad, grapes.