Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWSTechnology Portfolio
Fraunhofer IWS is your partner in the development of innovative laser roll cladding technologies for various applications. We support you in the design and development of industry-related processes or components.
Conventional laser roll cladding is used to produce bimetallic strips or wires that are used as versatile semi-finished products. We have particular expertise in material pairings that are very difficult to join due to their metallographic properties, as they quickly form intermetallic phases at the joint. These include compounds such as Al-Cu and Al-Fe. Plain bearing materials and contact materials are also the focus of intensive investigations.
Another focus is the process development for the production of metallic sandwich elements or profiles using the roll-to-roll process. Continuous joining in the roll gap enables high production rates for lightweight panels and similar products. Laser roll cladding can also be applied for joining bipolar half-shells. In this process, several lasers continuously melt the anode and cathode in the roll gap. This provides a highly effective production route for bipolar plates with strip material from the coil.
The latest laser rolling technology is high-performance coating using direct plating. The aim here is to coat rotationally symmetrical components with strip material largely from the solid phase. This saves a considerable amount of energy and enables coating rates of up to 100 kg/h. Initial applications include the reconditioning of work rolls and the coating of large hydraulic cylinders
