Highlights from research and development

Friction and wear reducing coatings have been a research focus of the business unit “PVD- and Nanotechnology” at the Fraunhofer IWS for many years. More recently Fraunhofer engineers have collaborated with several industry partners to ready the process for industrial deployment and commercialization.

The machine is equipped with the latest generation of wide jet powder nozzles “COAX11” and also includes several process monitoring, control and observation systems.

IWS engineers retrofitted an existing laser welding machine with a fiber laser and a highly dynamic beam scanner to meet the requirements of the manufacturing process.

The installed plant laser continually treats a moving band of material with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons. It has 4 fiber lasers and a single beam scanning system.

IWS engineers integrated laser hardening and buildup welding processes in a drilling-turning-milling machining center.

The 15^th and 16^th system were installed in China and Mexico to cut single and multilayer fabrics with high productivity due to the remote-cutting technology.

IWS engineers retrofitted a laser hardening and coating machine to improve process safety, efficiency and ergonomic operation. Three special laser modules were developed and equipped with the camera-based temperature acquisition system “E-MAqS”. The customer requirements included remote observation and process monitoring capabilities.

A special challenge was the need for the defect-free laser buildup welding on cast iron (GGG70) material. A customer-specific system and process solution was developed to solve this problem.

Innovative laser coating process with the Fraunhofer IWS-developed temperature measurement system “E-MAqS” in combination with the process controller “LompocPro”

Several systems were installed in 2015 at users in the turbo machinery and tool and die making industries.

Developement of a 150 mm LARGE plasma source to deposit of adhesion promoters on titanium and to plasma activate CFRP materials

The IWS-developed Laser-Arc process efficiently and economically deposits superhard ta-C carbon coatings (Diamor®). These coatings have superior properties in terms of wear resistance and friction reduction and thus are of great interest to industry.

Production of a large area sputter coating machine and delivery to an industrial customer