History

2023

• Inauguration of the joint Fraunhofer and TU Dresden DesignLab in Dresden.

2022

• Dr. Elena Lopez is one of the faces of the “Photonics 100”.
• Prof. Martina Zimmermann elected to the Senate of the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (DFG). 
• Institute Director Prof. Christoph Leyens is elected to the presidium of “acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering".

2021

• A team of Fraunhofer IWS researchers spin off as lasertech company »Fusion Bionic«.
• Institute Director Prof. Christoph Leyens appointed to the board of DRESDEN-concept.
• The “Förderpreis” of the German Society for Tribology e.V. goes to Dr. Stefan Makowski.
• Prof. Stefan Kaskel becomes Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry at the Technical University Dresden.
• The company “Clarivate Analytics” again declares Prof. Stefan Kaskel to be one of the most cited scientists worldwide.
  
• Prof. Martina Zimmermann is now a member of “acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering”.
  
• Manuel Reif wins the »Young Professionals Award 2021« for his research on fiber-reinforced plastic composites.
• Editorial Board Member – Prof. Andrés Lasagni on the editorial board of “Scientific Report”.
  

2020

• Fraunhofer IWS is founding member of the new competence center for autonomous and electric flying. 
• Fraunhofer IWS and RMIT University are starting partnership in Additive Manufacturing.
• Institute Director Prof. Christoph Leyens is elected member of the "Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Lasertechnik e.V." (WLT).
• The „Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde e.V.“ (DGM) elects Prof. Martina Zimmermann in a double presidency as its first female president. 
• Prof. Andrés Lasagni is a new member of the »Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaft zu Leipzig«.
• Dr. Filofteia-Laura Toma elected to the board of the “Thermal Spray Society” (TSS).
• Prof. Udo Klotzbach appointed honorary professor at the Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTW Dresden.
• Prof. Karol Kozak appointed Visiting Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich). 

2019

• The “Argentine National Award” goes to Prof. Andrés Lasagni.
• »Create the Future Award 2019« – for Annett Klotzbach, Philipp Götze and Maurice Langer for their submission of the HPCi^® joining tongs.
  
• Institute Director Prof. Christoph Leyens becomes “Adjunct Professor” at RMIT University in Melbourne (Australia) and the University of Waterloo (Canada). [WM1] 
• Beijing Tsinghua University appoints Prof. Stefan Kaskel as “Distinguished Visiting Professor".
  

2018

• Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2018: Improved efficiency of aircraft engines – Prof. Frank Brückner, Mirko Riede as well as Dr. Dan Roth-Fagaraseanu from the industrial partner Rolls-Royce were awarded for their scientific achievements. 
• Christoph Leyens takes over management of Fraunhofer IWS.

2017

• In a ceremony on February 7, 2017, Fraunhofer IWS Dresden and Technische Universität Dresden inaugurated their jointly operated "Additive Manufacturing Center Dresden (AMCD)".
• Prof. Andrés Lasagni awarded the "Materials Science and Technology« Prize 2017".
• Professor Martina Zimmermann has been elected to be the new speaker of the German Materials Society (DGM) advisory board.
  

2016

• 15. November 2016: Opening of the new Fraunhofer Application Center for Optical Metrology and Surface Technologies AZOM in Zwickau.
• Director: Prof. Dr. Christoph Leyens and Prof. Dr. Eckhard Beyer have been jointly managing the Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden since 1.11.2016.
• EARTO Innovation Award 2016 in the category Impact Delivered for the: Development of super hard diamond-like carbon coatings for improved energy efficiency.
• Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis 2016: Laser beams stamp microstructures – Direct Laser Interference Patterning.
• JSPS Award (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) for Prof. Dr. Stefan Kaskel. 

2015

• AILU International Award - Prof. Dr. Eckhard Beyer received AILU International Award for his extraordinary achievements in the field of industrial laser materials processing
  
• Green Photonics Award - Dresden research team with Prof. Andrés Lasagni and Sebastian Eckhardt received Green Photonics Award 2015

2014

• "A life for thin film" Award
• Galileo Award Materials Testing
• Completion of the fourth construction expansion of the Fraunhofer IWS and setting up of the Center for Resource-Saving Energy Technologies RESET
• Completion of the third construction expansion of the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden for activities in the field of nanotechnology

2013

• Masing Memorial Prize of the German Association of Materials Science (DGM)
• German High Tech Champions (GHTC) Award in „Lightweight Design“
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Eckhard Beyer is granted an honorary doctorate degree by the Wroclaw University of Technology

2012

• Honour for IWS scientist - WLT award for outstanding achievements in the field of laser technology
• 1^st International Symposium "Tailored Joining"
• Joseph-von-Fraunhofer prize for the strategic partnership developing the Next-Generation lithography with EUV radiation
  
• Research that can be realized into practice – 20 years Fraunhofer in Dresden

2011

• 1^st Dresden Conference "Future Energy"
• German High Tech Champions (GHTC) Award 2011 in the field of solar / photovoltaics

2010

• Research cooperation with Qatar for solar thermal hydrogen production - project „Solar Carbon Black“: Development a climate neutral process producing hydrogen and carbon particles using solar energy

2009

• TU Dresden and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft launch Dresden Innovation Center Energy Efficiency

2008

• Professor Dr. Eckhard Beyer received the Arthur L. Schawlow Award, the most prestigious award in the area of laser technology.

2007

• Beginning of the cooperation with the TU Wroclaw and the formation of a Fraunhofer Project Center.

2006

• First demonstration of remote laser beam cutting of metal by IWS researchers.
  
• Fraunhofer award for a new process to surface harden segregation-hardenable materials.

2005

• First projects to apply atmospheric pressure PECVD technology in photovoltaics.
  

2004

• Expansion of the building to 8000m2;
  
• 1^st International Workshop on Fiber Lasers.
  

2002

• First projects to laser weld fuselage structures for aircraft. Construction of the laser beam welding system for this task.
  

2001

• IWS researchers achieved a reflectance of 71% for EUV mirror, which represents a world record.
  

2000

• IWS scientists received the Fraunhofer Award for the laser acoustic LAwave® technique for the analysis of nanometer thin films.

1999

• Signing of the cooperation agreement between ThyssenKrupp Steel AG (TKS) and the Fraunhofer Institutes IWS and IST. Establishment of the Surface Technology Center Dortmund (DOC) presenting a new form of the “Public/Private Partnership”.
  
• 1st Diode Laser Workshop

1998

• Under the leadership of Dr. Andreas Leson the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden began to coordinate the Nano Competence Center for Ultrathin Films, a federally recognized competence center initiated by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research.
• A first application using remote laser beam welding was commercialized.
• The IWS received the Fraunhofer Award for a PLD process to manufacture X-ray mirrors.
  

1997

• Appointment of Professor Dr. Eckhard Beyer as IWS institute director and full professor for surface and coating technology at the Technical University Dresden; Renaming of the IWS in Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology; 
  
• Inauguration of the Fraunhofer Institute Center Dresden at Winterbergstrasse.
• Professor Bernd Brenner received the Joseph-von-Fraunhofer Award for the successful development and industrial implementation of a laser induction welding process; by 2008 13 systems using this technology are installed in manufacturing. 
  
• Certification according to DIN ISO 9001.

1996

• Move into a new 5000 m² building at Winterbergstrasse.

1995

• Establishment of the Fraunhofer Center for Surface and Laser Processing (CSLP), which is today the Fraunhofer Center for Coatings and Laser Applications (CCL) as a satellite operation of the IWS in the USA.
  

1994

• Revocation of the time limitation as a Fraunhofer institution and continuation as a fully established Fraunhofer institute.

1993

• The Fraunhofer Society and the TU Dresden sign a framework agreement on cooperation.

1992

• Under the leadership of Dr. Wolfgang Reitzenstein the newly formed independent Fraunhofer institution begins operation in the areas “laser thin film technologies” and “laser materials processing”; 
  
• Decision of the Fraunhofer Society to build a new center for institutes in Dresden.

1991

• The senate of the Fraunhofer Society decided to take over the IWS as an initially time-limited independent Fraunhofer institution.

1990

• The Institute for Materials Physics and Coating Technology (IWS) is spun off from the Central Institute for Solid State Physics and Materials Research (ZFW). It is proposed to absorb the new institute into the Fraunhofer Society.