Newsroom / Press

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.

Hollow embossing is an efficient, resource-saving forming process that offers clear advantages over conventional methods, especially when producing complex hollow structures. At EuroBLECH 2024, Fraunhofer IWU introduced the BPPflexROLL—a highly efficient system for manufacturing bipolar plates (BPP) for fuel cells or heat exchanger plates. Now, the new flexROLLmax expands the production spectrum to include large-format components such as electrolyzer plates. As the “big sister” of the BPPflexROLL, it opens up new segments of the sheet metal sector for embossing components. It handles sheet thicknesses up to 0.5 mm and component sizes up to 1.2 meters in edge length with ease.

Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electrical energy, providing a locally CO₂-free power source for heavy-duty trucks, rail vehicles, ships, automobiles, and aircraft. Starting in October 2025, Fraunhofer IWU will be able to thoroughly test fuel cells and fuel cell systems on behalf of its industrial clients and project partners. The purpose of such testing is to characterize and evaluate performance, durability, reliability, and other critical properties under various operating conditions. Also under scrutiny will be essential components like cooling units, water separators, pumps, sensors, humidifiers, and heat exchangers. The team led by Dr. Carmen Meuser has a clear goal: to accelerate the ramp-up of fuel cell manufacturing.

Trade show debut for the start-up Botfellows GmbH: Since September 2024, the spin-off from Fraunhofer IWU has been advancing the development of innovative robotics software as an independent company. The focus is on the intelligent solution Botfellows Dynamic Safety, which is directly integrated into robot control systems and replaces physically fenced-off workspaces between humans and (industrial) robots with dynamic safety zones. At automatica, visitors can experience a live demonstration featuring an industrial robot operating without safety fences, thus ensuring outstanding productivity.

The first relatively compact, transportable quantum computer in Saxony – and one of the first in the world to operate at room temperature – has been up and running since June 11 at Fraunhofer IWU’s Dresden institute. The IWU will primarily use the new 4-qubit quantum computer system to further develop Industry 4.0 solutions aimed at self-regulating, human-learning (cognitive) production systems. Thanks to the institute’s close ties to manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and mechanical and plant engineering, industrial partners will also stand to benefit.

Focusing on self-optimizing systems, flexible and adaptable factories, human involvement in production, and agile process chains, the 17 institutes of the Fraunhofer autoMOBILproduction Alliance are strong industrial partners. At automatica, the Alliance will present clever automation solutions, including quality assurance, hands-on VR and AR applications, and highly robust sensor systems for process control.

The Chemnitz Research Institute presents the ESiP Analyzer – an analysis tool for energy storage applications in production (ESiP). The tool enables technical and economic evaluation of potential uses for energy storage systems in factories. Its goal is to identify energy storage opportunities with minimal effort and to simplify the design and integration of storage solutions. The ESiP Analyzer focuses on two key areas: reducing power peaks at both the machine and factory levels, and enabling intermediate storage of renewable energy.

Passenger aircraft doors are still primarily manufactured by hand. A particularly time-consuming aspect is assembling the door structures using screws and rivets. Numerous intermediate steps are required to prevent direct contact between different materials—which would otherwise lead to corrosion. However, replacing aluminum, titanium, and thermosets with primarily thermoplastic carbon fiber composites (CFRP), which can be welded together automatically without separating layers, makes the process much faster. Manufacturing time for the door structure drops from 110 hours to just 4. A research project by Fraunhofer IWU, Fraunhofer LBF, Trelleborg, and Airbus Helicopters has shown this clearly.

Fraunhofer IWU and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg have achieved a breakthrough in steel casting technology. Their development of a cold-formable, copper-alloyed austenitic steel cast with TRIP/TWIP properties marks a milestone in material science. It also opens up entirely new perspectives for safety-critical applications. The new alloy offers an unprecedented combination of strength and ductility: it is highly load-bearing and can still undergo plastic deformation.