The enterprises can even take profit twice by the support of the State Saxony and the European Union:

• 3.1 mio € were directly given to German enterprises, two third to Saxonian companies and thus serve to strengthen the local economy.
  
• Thanks to the technical enhancement, the IWS is able to improve its abilities with respect to energy efficiency and cost reduction in industrial production processes by publicly funded projects or by bilateral industrial projects.
  

By the help of this project grant the IWS has realized a completely new technological concept. With respect to the system, it is based on the Pentapod principle of the company METROM Mechatronische Maschinen GmbH, Chemnitz. They have been awarded with the " Sächsischer Innovationspreis 2009"for this system. The Pentapod delivers new standards with respect to dynamics, energy efficiency and precision. For highly efficient joining technologies, such as laser beam welding for example, the Pentapod is an excellent alternative, compared to similar precise moving systems. Since both technologies are brought together in one moving system, a very cost-saving processing of even highly complex components becomes possible. The multilayer 3D-welding of high-strength steels with welding depths of 50mm at seam widths of only 3 mm is one of the first striking application examples, performed at the novel hybrid processing system. The necessary mechanical joining preparation and the seam finishing can take place in one single unit and with one single clamping step in a very time- and cost saving manner. It can even be used in a mobile site application, e.g. for repair weldings of big components. With the technical support of the IWS this innovative system idea is to find its way in the aerospace industry.

Furthermore, the research project focuses on welding and cutting with new kinds of lasers, which distinguish themselves by brilliant beam qualities and high efficiencies. Thanks to these new laser systems it is possible to replace industrially introduced technologies by remote technologies and thus to shorten the processing time in a decisive manner. The cuttings of plastics, textiles as well as the welding of heat exchangers, batteries or sheets in the car body industry are only some examples.

Within the framework of the 5 th International Workshop " Fiber Laser", taking place at the International Congress Center, Dresden from 30 th September to 1 st October 2009, the Fraunhofer IWS will present the latest research results, basing on this new system unit.