Press releases

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) are considered harmful to health, especially as potential carcinogens. For example, the molecular compounds of carbon and hydrogen atoms can arise in house fires when mattresses, curtains, wooden beams, plastic, or other objects made of organic materials burn. To better protect firefighters from these risks, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden, together with partners from industry, has laid the groundwork for developing novel anti-PAK protective suits. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project with 1.24 million euros until December 2023 as part of the “Research for Civil Security” program.

Given the increasing demand for renewable energy sources, the need for modern dismantling technologies for underwater use is also growing. For example, to bring a wind power plant in the sea up to more power, old steel frames must first be dismantled below sea level to rebuild them later in a larger size. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden has now found a technological approach to use lasers as particularly efficient, environmentally friendly, and energy-saving cutting tools in water.

Light embodies far more than just color and brightness. Strongly focused, the light may serve as a powerful tool. Technically, this capability has been exploited for over 60 years with the help of lasers, which are now available in a wide variety of power classes ranging from a few milliwatts to well over 40 kilowatts. In high-precision metrology, as a non-contact, wear-free tool for cutting, joining, coating, surface structuring and heat treatment, and for Additive Manufacturing: The combined Laser Symposium and International Symposium on Additive Manufacturing (ISAM) conference in Dresden from November 29 to December 1, 2023, will show how lasers contribute significantly to added industrial value today and in the future. Artificial intelligence is helping to further push the boundaries of laser-based processes.

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.

Precise two-dimensional analysis of high-tech layers in microelectronics, battery factories or even in the automotive sector approaches within reach. A measuring system developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS facilitates this by integrating hyperspectral sensor technology, artificial intelligence and special illumination techniques into a high-performance, highly flexible inspection system. A team of researchers from Fraunhofer IWS establishes “DIVE imaging systems GmbH”, a BMWK-funded spin-off company, to commercialize this promising technology.

In its various disciplines and manifestations, design is increasingly gaining importance in Fraunhofer's research. Supporting this trend, the three Fraunhofer Institutes IVI, IWS and IWU in Dresden, together with Technische Universität Dresden, are establishing the “DesignLab for Applied Research” on behalf of the research community. Based in the Saxon state capital, the DesignLab will conduct design research in collaboration with all Fraunhofer institutes across the country, with plans to extend this work to the international level in the future. The DesignLab was officially inaugurated on March 8, 2023.

As part of the “SimPerm” project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have developed an innovative measuring technique for reliably determining the permeation rate of films. For the first time, the permeation rate of water vapor and oxygen can be detected simultaneously. Manufacturers, users and developers of barrier films can now determine the gas permeability of barrier films for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic solar cells, tablets, food and other air-sensitive goods more accurately, realistically and cost-effectively than before. On this basis, a partner company will soon establish a new class of instruments that can universally measure various barrier properties of films.