The observed two-part tariff price structure (consisting of a lump-sum price and linear marginal price) for drinking water in Germany does not reflect the cost structure reported in the literature. Recovering marginal costs from a sample of 251 German counties, we see that there are positive price-cost margins, while lump-sum prices are too low. A price structure readjustment along welfare economic principles (marginal cost pricing, lump-sum price ensures cost-recovery) would increase the mean consumer surplus by 0.037% of the local GDP or €$$2.129 million per county, assuming a share of 15% variable costs in total costs.

The present study reports on the microstructural evolution and room temperature plasticity of V(-Si)-B alloys with respect to the V solid solution (V_SS)-V₃B₂ phase region. To investigate the occurring effects systematically, different binary V-B and ternary V-Si-B alloys were produced by conventional arc melting. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were used to characterize the resulting as-cast microstructures. For the first time, the eutectic composition was systematically traced from the binary V-B domain to the ternary V-Si-B system. The observations discover that the binary eutectic trough (V_SS-V₃B₂) seems to reach into the ternary system up to an alloy composition of V-5Si-9B. Room temperature compression tests were carried out in order to study the impact of single-phase and multi-phase microstructures on the strength and plasticity of binary and ternary alloys. The results indicate that the V_SS phase controls the plastic deformability in the V_SS-V₃B₂ eutectic microstructure whereas the intermetallic V₃B₂ acts as a strong hardening phase.

The miniaturization of components and the functionalization via micro structures demands for flexible and economic manufacturing processes. Micro machining, i.e. micro milling and micro grinding can meet these requirements. In this paper, desktop-sized machine tools and their components that were developed at our institute are presented. With those machine tools, micro tools can be machined and used in one clamping, allowing for increased machining quality. Grooves milled with such machine tools achieve a bottom surface roughness below 10 nanometer.