The award was presented at the fall conference of the ÖWGP (Austrian Scientific Society for Production Engineering) held at TU Wien and recognizes the most outstanding dissertations of the 2025–26 academic year. The dissertation was completed in collaboration with voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG and voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Center GmbH. The prize is endowed with 1,500 euros.

Ofner was recognised for her doctoral thesis titled “Additive Manufacturing of Tool Steels: Design of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties by Process Parameter Optimization”. The doctoral thesis focuses on the defect-free additive manufacturing of martensitic Cr tool steels using laser beam powder bed fusion (LB-PBF), as well as their comprehensive characterisation via in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and mechanical testing. The results of the research were published in three peer-reviewed journals. 

The work demonstrated that, despite their high susceptibility to cracking, tool steels produced by LB-PBF can be manufactured crack-free and completely dense using suitable process parameters and alloy design. Furthermore, through heat treatment tailored to the printing process, these materials can achieve the properties of conventionally manufactured tool steels. At the same time, the additive manufacturing process allows for considerably greater geometric design freedom.

The award recognised research, that represents a valuable contribution to production research and to safeguarding the competitiveness of the Austrian economy.