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Improved speed, precision and flexibility – it is important to take advantage of every possible opportunity in optimizing production. To this end, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS have developed SURFinpro, a solution that uses artificial intelligence and optical measurement technology to detect, classify and visualize defects in real time, and report them to the plant carrying out the production. The experts will be presenting their system from June 27 to 30, 2023, at Laser World of Photonics, joint Fraunhofer Booth 441 in Hall A3.

A new generation of lithium-sulfur batteries is the focus of the research project “MaSSiF – Material Innovations for Solid-State Sulfur-Silicon Batteries”. The project team dedicates itself to the design, construction and evaluation of lightweight and low-cost sulfur-based prototype cells with high storage capacities. Thanks to high storage capacities and low material costs, the sulfur-based concept potentially enables the construction of very lightweight and cost-effective batteries. Applying silicon as the anode material is also expected to significantly improve the cycle life of the battery cells. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden, will provide funding for six partners from science and industry with a total of nearly 2.9 million euros. The project was launched in February 2023.

Modern lightweight construction has already been helping automotive and aerospace industry to save fuel and materials and to reduce environmental impact. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS have recently found a way to transfer such proven design principles to oth-er industries. By using lasers, they weld filigree hollow chamber structures with cover sheets to form lightweight sandwich panels. Such metal structures can be produced particularly efficiently in the roll-to-roll process of the Fraunhofer IWS. The new technology ensures higher production speeds and a wider range of uses for lightweight panels. This opens up new lightweight construction perspectives, as in the construction of ship superstructures, railroads and facto-ry buildings.

The Fraunhofer-Zukunftsstiftung (Fraunhofer Future Foundation) is promoting scientific exchange between German and Ukrainian researchers to help repair war damage and prepare for rebuilding using climate and environmentally friendly technologies. To this end, the foundation is fully funding Ukrainian experts and their research activities with research stays of up to six months at Fraunhofer institutes in Germany. Oleksandr Proskurin, who has joined Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden, is the first visiting scientist from Ukraine to take part in the initiative.