Call for papers 2026
The Zentralverband Oberflächentechnik e.V. is calling for proposals for presentations for the ZVO-Oberflaechentage 2026 #OTKarlsruhe from 23 to 25 September 2026 in the Stadthalle Karlsruhe. The deadline for submitting presentations is 31 January 2026.
With a presentation proposal, you have the opportunity to present and discuss complex topics in the field of new process technologies, new plant and equipment variants or increasingly important areas such asCO2 footprint, saving energy and resources or the effects of legal framework conditions (keyword REACH, EEG, Supply Chain Act). Help to initiate discussions with leaders in research and development. Submit your practical presentation now and take the opportunity to present your process and solutions to an interested audience of experts and generate new contacts!
The submission of a presentation proposal does not constitute a legal claim to consideration of the presentation proposal in the final programme of the ZVO-Oberflaechentage 2026
About the presentation submission
Presentation proposals for the ZVO-Oberflaechentage 2026 can be submitted on the following main topics and permanent topics:
Main topics for 2026:
- Fire protection in electroplating/coating companies (preventive, organisational, technical, FBU insurance)
- Safeguarding primary and critical raw materials
- Energy (systems) of the future
- New business areas for surface technology (incl. B2C)
- Simulation and modelling in surface technology
- Artificial intelligence in surface technology (production & administration)
- Automation options in electroplating/coating companies
- Hydrogen: the future for surface technology (new business fields; energy source)
- Cases of damage from practice and damage analysis to avoid defects and reduce costs
- Circularity, recycling and circular economy in surface technology (processes, products, product design)
Permanent topics
- Management meets surface entrepreneur forum
- Bath and/or surface analysis
- Women in surface technology: challenges, opportunities and prospects
- Environment and chemistry consultation hour
- Digitalisation in surface technology
- Results from research - Young colleagues report
- Cathodic corrosion protection
- Wear protection & tribology
- Functional coatings
- New requirements for electroplating and surface technology
- Future topics in surface technology
- From process monitoring to product quality
- Advances in plant and control technology
- Alternative surface technologies: painting, plasma technologies, thermal spraying...
Information on submitting a presentation
30 minutes including 5 to 10 minutes for discussion are scheduled for each presentation.
The presentation programme should consist of practical or scientific presentations. Product, sales, advertising and image presentations will therefore not be accepted. Please avoid mentioning trademarks, product names etc. in your presentation title, your abstract and the presentation itself, as well as any content aimed at advertising/sales promotion. The reviewers of the lecture proposals will look out for such unwanted advertising and will then reject the lectures.
Each presentation proposal must be submitted with a presentation abstract and a short CV. Abstracts/vitae will be uploaded to the submission portal as continuous text. Sample content for abstracts and CVs can be found here: Sample Vita / Sample Abstract. Missing abstracts/vitae will lead to the rejection of the presentation proposal.
In February 2026, the reviewers will review and evaluate all lecture proposals. Subsequently, the lecture programmes will be compiled by mid/end of March 2026. All submitters will be informed by e-mail about the acceptance or rejection of the lecture proposal as soon as the lecture programmes have been structured.
Please use an existing user account for the online submission process. If you are submitting a lecture proposal for the first time, please create a new user account. You can use your login details to log in at any time to revise your personal data or your contribution.
Abstract submission and evaluation are supported by the conference management software CONVERIA.