Highlights from research and development

From single orders to complex, large-scale projects and strategic partnerships – the cooperation between Fraunhofer IWS Dresden and our customers from economy and industry knows many success stories.

2017

 

High-power laser system for super-efficient hydraulic pistons’ coating

In the Dutch town Boxtel, a team of scientists retooled a system to coat large hydraulic piston rods up to 19 meters long and with a 600 millimeters diameter.

 

Hardened cam elements save petrol

Researchers at the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden developed a cam element laser hardening procedure for a new drive concept for a German car manufacturer.

 

"contilas" cuts airbags worldwide

Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, in cooperation with the Held Systems company, transferred four "contiLAS" airbag laser cutting systems to internationally leading safety solutions producers for automotive applications in the last year.

 

First Laser-Magnetic-Domain-Refinement (LMDR) implementation in Europe

In 2017, an industrial consortium and Fraunhofer IWS were the first in Europe to succeed in implementing a Laser-Magnetic- Domain-Refinement system (LMDR) on industrial scale.

2016–2015

 

Research to improve energy efficiency

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.

 

RESET - the center for resources conserving energy technologies is now fully operational

In an IWS section of the building with about 500 m2 the installed equipment includes machines for additive manufacturing with continuous powder and wire feeds.

 

Strategy project “AGENT-3D” is accelerating

The Fraunhofer IWS Dresden leads a consortium of more than 90 partners with the goal to establish additive-generative manufacturing as a key technology in Germany.

 

Milestones in battery research

2015 researchers presented for the first time lithium-sulfur pouch cells with specific energy densities exceeding 300 Wh kg-1, which is an approximately 25 percent increase over classic lithium-ion technologies.

 

Durable organic photovoltaic cells

The goal is to develop technologies for cost efficient manufacturing of large area, light weight and flexible photovoltaic foils. For the first time the team of researchers will apply laser structuring processes for PV cells.

 

Coating machine for hydraulic cylinders

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

 

Production process in integration of laser welding processes for aluminum

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.

 

Domain refinement of electric sheets with laser remote technology

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.

 

Laser-integrated machining center

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

 

Additional remote-cutting technology transfer to the airbag industry

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

 

Machine retrofit for the oil industry

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.

 

Laser processing center to manufacture and repair large tools

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.

 

Manufacturing of diamond tools for wire saws

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

 

Process and systems technology for the coaxial laser-wire buildup welding of complex parts

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

 

Plasma source for the modification of large area surfaces in the aerospace industry

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

 

Low friction and wear resistant carbon coatings

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.

 

Sputter technology to deposit nanometer multilayer coatings

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