Press releases 2015

Scientists of the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden in cooperation with an industrial partner have developed a new technique for the welding of die-cast aluminum components and have managed to transfer it into series production. For the very first time, a weld joint, which is characterized by extremely low porosity and strongly reduced distortion, is generated with the help of brilliant laser radiation and high-frequency oscillation. Furthermore the component’s distortion is extremely low because of the concentrated, locally limited heat input. Traditional laser beam welding procedures cannot assure this high quality.

At this year’s LASER World of PHOTONICS in Munich the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden and Laserline GmbH, Mülheim-Kärlich will, for the very first time, present the wire processing optics, which has been qualified for the applica-tion with a high power diode laser for three-dimensional build-up welding and additive manufacturing tasks. With up to 5 kW laser power and a wire diameter of between 0.6 mm und 1.6 mm components can be large-area coated and generated in a three-dimensional manner. Build-up rates of up to 250 cm³/h are possible due to the modified optics.

Silicon micromirrors can guide laser beams at extremely high speeds, allowing operators to dose heat input to workpieces with absolute precision. But to date they have not been robust enough to be used for laser cutting and welding. Now a Fraunhofer team has managed to develop fast, durable mirrors that are capable of performing challenging cutting and welding tasks. During the LASER World of Photonics trade show from June 22 to 25, 2015 in Munich, the researchers will be presenting several of these MEMS mirrors (Hall B3, Booth 341 and Hall A3, Booth 121).

By creating artificial patterns on component surfaces on a micrometer and submicrometer scale, it is possible to improve the mechanical, biological and/or optical properties of components in a way that benefits specific applications. In recent years, we have seen a major boost in efforts to find the best ways of applying these kinds of patterns. The Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, which develops modular laser systems for high-speed laser patterning, has now set a new world record in this field. For the first time, scientists succeeded in achieving an effective patterning speed of 0.7 m²/min while micropatterning a polymer surface.

Prof. Christoph Leyens, manager of the business units "Thermal Surface Technology" and "Additive Manufacturing and Printing" at the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden and Director of the Institute for Material Science at the TU Dresden has been elected the new spokesman of the thematic network MatWerk of the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech). He still has to be formally appointed by the acatech committee. Prof. Leyens succeeds Prof. Christina Berger, TU Darmstadt , who will remain active as Deputy Speaker.

The Association of Laser Users (AILU) honored Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckhard Beyer for his extraordinary achievements in the field of industrial laser materials processing with the AILU International Award 2015. The Executive Director of the Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS Dresden and Director of the Institute of Manufacturing Technology at the Technische Universität Dresden has supported the AILU as an active member for many years.

Für Anwendungen im Hochtemperaturbereich, beispielsweise bei stationären Gasturbinen oder Strahltriebwerken, sind Hochleistungswerkstoffe unabdingbar. Diese gewährleisten bei Einsatztemperaturen oberhalb 700 °C eine ausreichende Warmfestigkeit, Oxidations- und Korrosionsbeständigkeit sowie optimale Kriech- und Relaxationseigenschaften. Das Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden hat eine Technologie entwickelt, um Bauteile aus solchen hochwarmfesten Legierungen schnell und kostengünstig durch additiv-generative Fertigung herzustellen oder verschlissene Bauteile durch partiellen Schweißauftrag wieder zu ertüchtigen.

Mit der LARGE-Plasmatechnologie vom Fraunhofer IWS ist eine Plasmabehandlung nicht mehr nur in Spotgrößen von wenigen Zentimetern möglich. Das IWS bietet die flächige Oberflächenbehandlung mit einem Plasmafächer von bis zu 350 mm Breite. Mit dem "Mobilen LARGE" steht dem Anwender erstmalig eine LARGE-Plasmaquelle für den Einsatz dieser Technologie vor Ort zur Verfügung.

In January 2015 the EU funded project ALABO has started in collaboration with Fraunhofer IWS and Heliatek GmbH, the leading manufacturer of organic solar foils. Goal of the EU project is the cost-efficient production of large-scale, light-weight and flexible photovoltaic foils which are meant to have a clear improved long-term stability.

In medical research, animal-based experiments have thus far been a necessary evil. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a highly promising alternative, however: They are developing a mini-organism inside a chip. This way, complex metabolic processes within the human body can be analyzed realistically.