Newsroom / Press

Increasing efficiency requirements, rising production volumes, and growing cost pressure are creating new challenges for heat exchanger manufacturers. The key question is: which manufacturing technology can deliver superior component quality while remaining economically viable for large-scale production? Fraunhofer IWU offers tailored answers to this challenge. In addition to established processes such as cavity embossing (stamping) and high-pressure sheet metal forming (hydroforming), the institute is placing particular emphasis on a technology with exceptional productivity potential: roll-based cavity embossing.

A few years ago, artificial intelligence began making its way into manufacturing through image-based data comparison. Not exclusively, but especially for quality control applications, neural networks have since been trained to detect deviations from target specifications by comparing a component's actual state with reference images. Today, generative AI based on large language models helps users solve typically well-defined problems step by step. In an iterative process, humans provide prompts and instructions until a satisfactory solution is reached. Agentic AI operates very differently. For complex problems, it autonomously selects the AI tools (agents) required and develops solutions with minimal human intervention.

Aluminum is a key material for sustainable mobility and resource-efficient products, yet its production requires substantial amounts of energy. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU have now demonstrated how production scrap, aluminum chips, and end-of-life aluminum foam components can be systematically reintegrated into the manufacturing process. Their findings open up new opportunities for the circular production of aluminum foam and could significantly reduce the need for primary raw materials.

Low water levels on the Rhine, Danube, and Elbe are placing substantial pressure on inland shipping. The longer these conditions persist, the more significant their impact on economic activity becomes. Further deepening of navigational channels remains controversial due to environmental concerns, while shifting heavy freight transport back onto roads is not feasible for many goods and would place additional strain on already heavily burdened bridges and road sections in need of repair. A more sustainable approach is to optimize ship design itself: reducing vessel weight decreases draft, enabling ships to continue transporting cargo even when others risk running aground.

How can a product’s carbon footprint be determined in a standardized, automated, and cross-company manner along the value chain? And how can this be achieved by companies with limited personnel and financial resources? “PCF Guidance,” the new guidance document published by the Factory-X initiative, with contributions from Fraunhofer IWU, addresses these questions. It describes calculation methodologies and provides concrete examples for manufacturing processes such as milling, forging, and additive manufacturing. The guidance extends the scope to industrial production of products consisting of multiple parts or assemblies (discrete manufacturing). It complements the Catena-X Rulebook, which defines fundamental calculation standards at a higher level of abstraction with a primary focus on the automotive industry.

Hydraulic forming is a technology that uses high fluid pressure to shape sheet metal or tubes into the desired geometry. Instead of a second rigid tool, a fluid acts as the force-transmitting medium. Researchers in Chemnitz have now succeeded in significantly reducing production times in high-pressure sheet metal forming (HPSF) through intelligent process integration. Rather than a maximum of eight strokes per minute, the process now achieves up to 60 cycles per minute. Another breakthrough by the IWU team: combining hydraulic forming and flow pressing makes it much easier to manufacture hybrid metal-plastic composite components than previously.

The acronym POCT stands for point-of-care testing – patient-centered testing and diagnostics performed directly at the site of care rather than in a laboratory, for example, in a patient’s home or in an ambulance. POCT is often the method of choice when fast, reliable results are required with minimal effort. Point-of-care technologies are now finding their way into environmental diagnostics as well. Examples include monitoring wastewater and surface waters, sensor-based systems to improve barn climate in livestock operations, and mobile soil analysis for more precise fertilizer application in agriculture. Rapidly available data can also help protect lives in a wide range of hazardous situations.

Robotics can relieve employees from physically demanding, repetitive, and ergonomically unfavorable tasks. However, particularly in assembly environments, numerous factors must be considered before automation solutions can be implemented economically and deliver real benefits for personnel on the production line. A project team from Fraunhofer IWU and Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH is currently demonstrating precisely such an implementation at Fraunhofer IWU: a hybrid-autonomous assembly system (HAutoMont) that enables the cost-effective, semi-autonomous installation of passenger car underbody panels. The team is developing recommendations for adapting assembly processes and component designs to improve automation readiness.

How can sales figures be forecast more reliably, production capacities planned fully digitally, and employee know-how systematically integrated at the same time? To address this issue, Fraunhofer IWU developed an AI-powered demand forecasting tool for frottana Textil GmbH & Co. KG, the company behind the MÖVE brand. The tool intelligently analyzes historical sales data and provides companies with a robust, data-driven basis for sales and order planning; in a subsequent step, production planning could also be adapted.

Microcapsules containing a reactive two-component adhesive can simplify bonding processes in industry and assembly while improving occupational safety: the adhesive is initially safely enclosed in capsules, contact with exposed reactive components can be reduced, and activation takes place only during pressing at room temperature. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam Science Park is looking for partners from industry and research who would like to contribute specific components, carrier materials or assembly processes for application-oriented testing.

In areas of the body where space is extremely limited and delicate nerve or vascular structures must be preserved, so‑called minimally invasive surgery is required. Robotic systems that translate a surgeon’s movements with high precision, in real time, and with millimeter accuracy – while also filtering out even the slightest tremor – are already being used successfully in clinical practice. Now, combining this technology with smart glasses promises a further leap in innovation. In spatial computing, these devices visualize information directly within the surgeon’s field of view, displaying what cannot be seen from the outside. Precise, high-resolution patient imaging data – such as MRI scans – serve as the basis for guiding the path to the target area.

When properly planned and sized, energy storage systems in production (ESiP) can optimally utilize renewable energy produced in-house. The ESiP Analyzer, introduced at the ees Europe trade fair in 2025, has since successfully proven itself in real-world applications with utilities and industrial companies: the tool helps factories improve the integration of renewable energy and reduce peak loads. Experience to date shows that targeted simulations and optimized operating strategies can, in some scenarios, enable the use of close to half of the electricity generated on-site. Grid stability also benefits from the “smoothed” consumption resulting from the use of storage systems.

Since 2025, Fraunhofer IWU has been heading the Lightweight Design Research Field. This alliance brings together the expertise of 16 Fraunhofer institutes, creating a powerful, interdisciplinary platform along the entire lightweight engineering value chain—from material development to validated application in products. The goal is to provide companies with integrated research and development services “from a single source” and to transform innovations into industrial applications.

Pultrusion is a fully automated manufacturing process in which fibers are guided through a resin bath and then pulled as an impregnated material through a heated die. In the cured state, the result is a profile that shows exceptionally high mechanical strength. Profiles can be pulled directly into the desired geometry and produced with virtually any wall thickness, including hollow chambers or undercuts if required. By combining different fibers and resin systems, specific properties can be precisely tailored. High production speeds, low manufacturing costs, and consistently high quality make pultruded profiles attractive for entirely new applications – for example, in solar systems, wind turbine rotor blades, or electric vehicle batteries. In reinforced concrete structures, these profiles far exceed corrosion-prone steel as reinforcement material.

Until now, fine particulate matter generated by tire and brake wear has not been addressed in European emissions legislation. Only with the introduction of the Euro 7 standard – taking effect at the end of 2026 for newly developed (type-approved) vehicles and at the end of 2027 for all newly registered passenger cars and light commercial vehicles – will binding limit values be introduced. The goal is to restrict the emission of fine particulate matter with diameters less than 10 micrometers, particles that can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and are considered particularly harmful to human health. A project consortium involving Fraunhofer IWU has now introduced a stainless-steel brake disc that easily meets the strict EU requirements.

Wind turbines are typically designed for about 20 years of service, with a maximum of 30 years before replacement. Since the early 2000s, Europe has accumulated several tens of thousands of tons of composite wind turbine waste yearly. Decommissioned glass fiber – reinforced rotor blades are especially problematic: current disposal options like thermal recovery or minor reuse in cement are unsustainable, and EU regulations rightfully prohibit landfilling. Thus, end-of-life management is a key challenge for a circular economy in wind energy. For future wind turbines, Fraunhofer IWU, together with partners in the EU-funded RECREATE project, is demonstrating new approaches to material selection, joining technologies, and design. The goal is to enable wear-prone components to be replaced and to manufacture them from recyclable materials.

The Fraunhofer Competence Field Additive Manufacturing (Fraunhofer ADDITIV) will be represented at rapid.tech 3D with a diverse program and is actively shaping the content. With a combination of presentations “powered by Fraunhofer ADDITIV,” interactive expert tables, and the new continuing education format of short courses, it offers numerous points of interest for industry professionals and users.

Presses require a large footprint, and both operating and capital costs for machines and tooling are enormous. Is there really no alternative to a press when forming precision components? Martin Wagner, a specialist in metal forming machines, aims to prove otherwise with the smartROLL project. Together with the project partners, he is convinced that complex precision components – such as heat exchanger plates for data centers, cooling plates for electronics, or connector elements for the automotive industry – can in the future be formed using hollow embossing rolling at costs up to 70 percent lower, without any loss in quality.

How can we achieve intelligent teamwork between humans and robots in production? The Fraunhofer NeurOSmart technology platform combines sensor technology with AI-supported data processing and energy-efficient chips that mimic the way the human brain works.

Paper packaging offers a number of advantages over its plastic counterparts: It has a high recycling rate, lower CO₂ emissions, and lower disposal costs. However, it cannot yet be sealed without adhesives or layers of plastic—a disadvantage for manufacturing and recycling processes. In the PAPURE project, four Fraunhofer institutes are developing a laser-based process that enables completely dhesive-free paper packaging.

Rattling, clicking, and high-frequency vibrations not only compromise comfort; they fundamentally define the perceived quality of a premium e-bike or high-performance cycle. To address this, Fraunhofer IWU and its development partner are offering e-bike manufacturers a joint testing and development program. At Fraunhofer IWU Dresden, a newly developed acoustic test rig housed in an anechoic chamber enables high-precision acoustic investigations. This infrastructure allows e-bike manufacturers to bring their products to market maturity much faster.

On November 4, an Ariane 6 rocket successfully carried the Earth observation satellite Sentinel-1D into orbit. Looking ahead, the new launch vehicle is expected to lift off at short intervals, allowing Europe to remain a key player in space research. A perfectly synchronized production network that manufactures components with the highest precision is essential for aerospace applications. Sensors can play a crucial role here—from physical traceability of parts to condition monitoring and quality management. Advanced sensor technology also helps make energy consumption in production more manageable.

This year’s exhibits at Formnext focuse on materials particularly suited for aerospace applications but so far rarely used in LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) processes, as well as on printed components with integrated electrical functions. But the booth itself is also a highlight: It is fully 3D-printed, using elements made from biodegradable plastic and recyclable polypropylene (PP). After the event, the modular system will not be discarded. The high-quality exhibition furniture will be reassembled and repurposed for presentation purposes at Fraunhofer IWU.

Under the leadership of Fraunhofer IWU, 28 partners from academia and industry are working to reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicles by at least 25 percent and significantly increase the share of recycled materials. After a year and a half, the European research project ZEvRA (Zero Emission electric Vehicles enabled by haRmonised circulArity) can already report positive interim results. Examples include vehicle roofs that can demonstrably be converted cost-effectively into new vehicle components, and many aluminum components can be nearly fully made from recycled (secondary) aluminum. Plastics and composite materials with up to 97 percent recycled content have already been processed into the first demonstration parts.

At Formnext 2025, the Fraunhofer IWU will present the latest generation of the WEAM tool (Wire Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing). This technology opens up entirely new possibilities: components can be manufactured with a wide range of integrated electrical functions, offering significantly better performance for sensing and load-bearing tasks compared to paste-, ink-, or powder-based printing methods. The key lies in the use of standard wires and cables, which, due to their homogeneous alloy and constant conductor cross-section, ensure perfect electrical properties.

Battery housings in electric vehicles must be impact-resistant, absorb crash energy, protect against short circuits, and be heat-resistant. Efficient heat dissipation is essential, but cells also need protection from excessive cooling. The housing must resist damage from stones and salt, fit the vehicle’s underbody, add rigidity, and, being lightweight, help increase range. Aluminum foam satisfies these requirements.

Additive manufacturing, particularly the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) process, offers new possibilities in toolmaking due to its considerable design freedom. Fraunhofer IWU is unlocking this potential in two research projects, "AdTopoTool" and "EWAM." The goal is to accelerate the development and production of more efficient tools for sheet metal forming and injection molding. This also improves the quality of the components, which can be produced more efficiently using such tools.

The Franco-German AI initiative is part of a long-term strategic partnership. Since the signing of the Aachen Treaty in 2019, both countries have intensified their cooperation in this area. Specifically, the collaboration between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and the French Ministry for Economy and Digital Sovereignty pursues a shared goal: to strengthen European competitiveness, drive green and digital technologies, and ensure technological leadership. GreenBotAI is a key example—enhancing the robustness of robotic automation.

After years of use, many traction batteries still have a residual capacity of between 70 and 80 percent. While this may be too little for further use in vehicles, some cells could still serve well in large storage systems for households, businesses, or utility providers. Shredding used modules or entire high-voltage storage systems would thus waste valuable resources. By repairing and remanufacturing these batteries, not only can precious resources be preserved, but the lifespan of the components can also be extended. Cells that have been specifically refurbished and repurposed for new applications can be ready for long-term use again. Dr. Rico Schmerler and his team at Fraunhofer IWU, in collaboration with EDAG Production Solutions, are investigating how components and cells from traction batteries can be extracted efficiently and cost-effectively in a new project.

Hand mobility is often impaired after tendon injuries or as a result of strokes. In therapy, exoskeletons increasingly serve to support recovery. These devices fit over the hand like a second skeleton and can assist with controlled movements of the wrist and fingers. However, only products specifically tailored to an individual hand—and meeting key requirements such as low weight and compact design—offer a real chance of therapeutic success. After all, a support and motion aid that hinders more than it helps will likely end up collecting dust on a shelf.