Press releases 2014

Components with thick metal plates are applied in various high tech applications. The joining of these components is an essential cost factor and thus an extraordinary scientific challenge. The Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden has taken up this challenge and is developing a novel cost-saving technology to weld 50 mm thick metal plates. This new procedure was demonstrated, as well as further technologies, at our Open House invitation on February 26, 2014. Additionally our engineers presented their research results at the International Laser and Joining Symposium, which was held at the International Congress Center Dresden, February 27 - 28, 2014.

There might be two reasons for a failure of a component: firstly, a failure (so-called breakage) will occur, if a component is definitely overloaded, comparable to a bone fracture after a fall. Secondly, if a component is continuously deformed over a long period of time, the damage will slow-ly progress, even at low loads; this is the case of material fatigue. The causes are as varied as the materials fabrication and operation are. The challenge, however, is to predict how long a component or a bone will hold up.