· Arjun Rai Gupta · Events · 4 min read
XR2ACH on Tour: Spring 2026 Highlights
After the workshop at Didacta in Cologne, the XR2ACH team traveled across Germany in April and May 2026 — from the XR Expo in Stuttgart to the Treffpunkt Kälteblick in Maintal and the Bundes-Lehrertreffen (National Trainers' Meeting) in Lindau.
The XR2ACH team looks back on two eventful months! After the successful workshop at Didacta in Cologne in March, we traveled across Germany in April and May 2026 — from Baden-Württemberg through Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate to Bavaria.
Our goal: to test and further develop our XR solutions directly with the people who are shaping the future of refrigeration technology. Here’s a look back at the journey.
Innovation in Focus: XR Expo 2026 (April 28–29)
The tour kicked off at Messe Stuttgart at the XR Expo, the B2B meeting point for commercial and industrial applications of XR. In the “Pioneers Area,” we were able to position ourselves as an innovation driver.
We used the platform to present our applications to a critical, specialized XR-industry audience — the feedback from these experts helps us continuously refine the technological quality of our modules. Especially valuable was the exchange with our direct neighbors on the exhibition floor, the team of the InnoVET PLUS project XR-Upskill. Encounters like these strengthen the network within the funding line and open up new perspectives for the shared future of digital education.
Theory Meets Practice: “Treffpunkt Kälteblick” (May 7)
At the headquarters of the Bundesfachschule Kälte-Klima-Technik (BFS) of the Landesinnung Kälte-Klima-Technik Hessen-Thüringen/Baden-Württemberg in Maintal, the first “Treffpunkt Kälteblick” — the BFS competence day — brought together an impressive range of participants: trainees, master craftsmen, technicians, ESaK students, and representatives of the guild from industrial, commercial, and trade businesses.
Alongside spectacular live demonstrations with the flammable refrigerant propane and engaging talks on current challenges in refrigeration technology, things also got digital: visitors could seamlessly dive into the virtual world to try out our modules for CAD visualization and leak detection. While the team from Albstadt-Sigmaringen University and the VDC (Virtual Dimension Center) moderated the exchange in Maintal, it became clear just how much XR technologies can support safety when handling hazardous substances such as refrigerants.
Community and Craft Pride: 12th Kälte-Treff (May 8)
While Albstadt-Sigmaringen University and the VDC hosted visitors in Maintal, the team from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences traveled to Neuwied for the 12th Kälte-Treff of the Kälte-Klub. The initiative, led by Dirk Rehfeld (editor of “KK – Die Kälte,” Gentner-Verlag), fosters close networking and camaraderie within the refrigeration trade community.
Journeymen, master craftsmen, trainees, and business owners were invited, with a particular focus this time on women in the trade from the target group of mechatronics technicians for refrigeration technology and refrigeration system builders.
The Shapers of Education: Bundes-Lehrertreffen (National Trainers’ Meeting) (May 12, 2026)
The crowning finale was the trip to Lake Constance, to BSZ Lindau, for the Bundes-Lehrertreffen der Kältetechnik (National Trainers’ Meeting for Refrigeration Technology), held in cooperation with the Bundesinnungsverband des Deutschen Kälteanlagenbauerhandwerks (National Guild Association of the German Refrigeration System Building Trade, BIV). Here we had the opportunity to show around 40 trainers and instructors from across Germany the XR application in small groups and discuss it with them in depth.
Since instructors are the primary users and administrators of the XR2ACH platform, this meeting was a true goldmine for our needs analysis. We used the time to analyze requirements in depth and to immerse ourselves in the vibrant, engaged refrigeration community — impulses that are now feeding directly into the final design of our applications.
Our Takeaway: A Transdisciplinary Success
The tour made one thing clear: acceptance of XR technologies in the trades is enormous when they offer real added value for training. Whether in industry, in trade businesses, or in vocational schools — the need for modern, safe, and location-independent learning methods is palpable.
A heartfelt thank you to all the partners who supported us on this journey, and to all visitors for their open and constructive feedback!
