Press releases 2013

The magnetic pulse welding process, a procedure which has been relatively un-known so far, joints two metal parts without melting. How does that work? The special trick is the high velocity with which the two parts collide during the joining process. The parts lose their passive surface layers and melt together. The necessary forces are applied via a magnetic field flash, meaning there is no contact. The magnetic field is generated by a robust coil, over which a capacitor is quickly discharged. The implementation of this, at first glance bafflingly simple, technology into industrial applications is the focus of the current research of the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden.

From July 1 – 3, 2014, Dresden will again be the setting for the Nanofair Conference – the leading European platform for nanotechnology. The conference and the accompanying trade exhibition will take place for the 10 th time and is organized by the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden in partnership with DRESDEN-concept and the City of Dresden’s Department of Economic Development.

E. Beyer, executive director of the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden and of the Institute of Manufacturing Technology of the Technische Universität Dresden was granted an honorary doctorate title by the Wroclaw University of Technology on November 15, 2013. He was honored for his excellent expertise in the field of laser technology and his outstanding dedication to developing a joint training and research center with the Wroclaw University of Technology.

Annett Klotzbach and her team are to be awarded with the German High Tech Champion prize in “Lightweight Design” for their research in the field of Remote laser cutting of fiber composite materials. The GHTC® Award will go to six outstanding German technology developers from German universities and research institutions. The Fraunhofer IWS is being honored with this prize for the second time. The GHTC® includes an award of 10,000 euros and will be presented at the 2nd Fraunhofer Symposium “Green Technology made in Germany - Lightweight Design” in Tokyo on November 18, 2013.

The development of carbon coatings to minimize friction losses is to remain one of the essential research priorities of the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden for the coming years. Immediately after the completion of the BMWi joint project PEGASUS the follow-up project PEGASUS II starts now. 8 enterprises and 3 Fraunhofer institutes can now advance their research activities with fundings from the BMWi of 22.6 million euros for the next 39 months.

Efficient thermoelectric generators and energy storage systems are excellently suitable for ubiquitous applications and maintenance-free power supplies. Combined with sensors, these now energy-autarkic sensor systems can be used for, e.g., monitoring applications (structural health monitoring). The development of these components is the main topic in the multidisciplinary Project NanoCaTe. The materials analyzed (nanocarbon) are based on nanostructured carbon allotropes such as nanotubes or graphene. With proper modification and combination, waste heat can be converted into electrical energy. Additionally this material class is suitable for double-layer capacitors of secondary batteries.

Die zeit- und ressourceneffiziente Herstellung von Bauteilen durch additiv-generative Verfahren zählt derzeit zu den innovationsträchtigsten Revolutionen in der Fertigungstechnik. Individualisierte Produkte hoher Komplexität können mit Hilfe von 3D-Drucktechniken sowie laser- und elektronenstrahlunterstützten Fertigungsverfahren hergestellt werden. Der Werkstoffeinsatz wird auf die Bereiche reduziert, wo das Bauteil Material erfordert, ohne dass aufwändige Nachbearbeitungs- und Zerspanungsoperationen durchgeführt werden müssen. Hierdurch entstehen signifikante Zeit- und Kostensenkungen besonders bei solchen Bauteilen, bei denen Geometrieanforderungen hohe Zerspanungsgrade bedingen. Darüber hinaus ermöglichen die additiv-generativen Fertigungsverfahren die Darstellung neuartiger, anwendungsgerecht spezifizierter Eigenschaftsprofile, so etwa auf der Basis von innovativen hierarchischen Strukturansätzen oder Multi-Material-Konzepten.

Many research organizations and enterprises focus their activities on research in the field of renewable energies. The Fraunhofer IWS will present the latest results in the workshop “Lithium-Sulfur Batteries” on November 06 – 07, 2013. Renowned national and international experts from industry and science will come together to gain profound insight in the current and future trends and developments.

Fraunhofer USA is proud to announce that its research center, the Fraunhofer Center for Coatings and Laser Applications (CCL) and its research partner, Michigan State University (MSU), are celebrating their 10th year of collaboration.

With the slogan “New Ideas for Industry“ Nanofair has established itself as one of the premier conferences on nanotechnology. The Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, in partnership with the City of Dresden`s Department of Economic Development and several others, is organizing this event. 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of Nanofair!! The Call for Papers is now open!

A novel material for the insulation of structures has considerably drawn attention during recent years: vacuum insulation panels (VIP). The technology is convincing: the principle of a thermos flask is transferred to the thermal insulation of buildings. Through the use of VIP the heat transport is minimized by a vacuum inside the highly porous supporting structure.

The Center for Battery Research is happy to report another success! 8 million Euros federal funds will go to the state capital Dresden within the next three years. These funds are being used to advance the research in material science and process engineering in the field of energy storage systems. With the federal funds scientists from non-university research centers and the TU Dresden can be financed for 72 man-years (864 man-month). The joint project is coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Eckhard Beyer, Fraunhofer IWS, Dresden.

In electrical machines excellent electro-magnetic properties are required for loss-reduced energy conversion of electrical into kinetic energy and vice versa. Due to their high flexibility, electrical sheet laser processing techniques become more and more important. No additional costs and setup times are caused, a fact, which facilitates short change-of-product times. Furthermore the engineer gains completely new options to design rotor and stator lamination.

Prof. Lasagni is honored with the Masing Memorial Prize for his successful research into the industrial applications of laser technology. He is a professor in the field of industrial engineering at the Technische Universität Dresden and heads the research group “Surface Functionalization” at the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden. The prize was presented in Bochum at the DGM-general meeting on May 23, 2013.

For the very first time the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik (IWS) Dresden will present its novel coaxial laser wire deposition head COAXwire for high precision metal deposition procedures at the tradeshow Laser World of Photonics 2013 in Munich (hall C2, booth 330). This novel approach is most suitable for the generation and repair of components as well as for the functionalization of surfaces.

Lasers have long been able to do what traditional welding guns can. Nevertheless, many manufacturers did not dare employ the delicate technology in the raw environment of their assembly floors. At LASER 2013 (Hall C2, Booth 330), researchers will be demonstrating that lasers are robust enough to take over welding duties in fabrication.

The EU-funded project PLIANT (Process Line Implementation for Applied Surface Nanotechnologies) focuses on the fabrication of aligned carbon nanotubes on electrode surfaces in a roll-to-roll procedure. The high surface, ordered structure and high electrical conductivity of these binder-free electrodes are particularly advantageous, when applied in batteries and capacitors. Increased energy and performance densities directly mirror these advantageous properties. Based on these materials, future high-capacity lithium-sulfur batteries and efficient capaci-tors are being developed.

A large proportion of the energy we produce disappears unused into thin air via waste heat. Tiny thermoelectric generators can tap this potential, whereby the electricity is produced by way of temperature differences. However, so far their production has been laborious and expensive. At the same time there is a lack of suitable materials. At the Hannover trade fair researchers are now presenting a new manufacturing process with which these generators can be cost-effectively produced in the form of large-area flexible components from non-toxic synthetic materials (hall 3, booth D25).

Electric cars have still got it tough in the German marketplace. They are too expensive and their range is too short. This is an opportune time for a breakthrough in efficient and low-cost lithium-sulfur batteries.

Precise temperature calibration is of utmost importance to the quality of numerous short-term heat treatment processes. At the Hannover Messe HMI (hall 6, booth B33), taking place from April 8 -12, 2013, Fraunhofer IWS engineers will present novel temperature measuring devices for laser hardening processes, which can be calibrated and recalibrated by the operator directly and on-site.