Institute Profile

Founded in 1968 and integrated into the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in 1974, Fraunhofer IFAM is one of Europe's most important independent research institutes in the fields of adhesive bonding technology, surfaces, shaping and functional materials. The focus at the seven institute locations Bremen, Dresden, Stade, Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Helgoland, and Cuxhaven is on research and development with the aim of providing our customers with reliable and application-oriented solutions.

Products and technologies primarily address industries of particular importance for future viability: mobility, aviation, energy, maritime technologies as well as medical technology and life sciences. However, processes developed at the institute are also used in other sectors of industry, such as mechanical and plant engineering, electronics and electrical engineering, shipbuilding and rail vehicle construction, or the packaging and construction industries.

Currently, around 700 employees from 20 departments and numerous working groups bundle their broad technological and scientific know-how in seven core competencies: Metallic Materials, Polymeric Materials, Surface Technology, Adhesive Bonding, Shaping and Component Manufacturing, Energy Storage and Converter, and Automation and Robotics. These core competencies - each in its own right and in combination - underpin the institute's strong position in the research market and form the basis for future-oriented developments for the benefit of society.

In detail, the spectrum of our contract research ranges from materials to shaping and joining technology to the functionalization of surfaces, development of complete parts or complex components and systems, as well as current issues relating to digital transformation and its practical implementation. Fraunhofer IFAM covers the entire value chain from material development and product design to integration into industrial production - including pilot production, quality assurance procedures, and targeted measures for personnel qualification in new technologies.

Fraunhofer IFAM has many years of experience in professional training. For industrial users, there is an extensive range of courses on the topics of adhesive bonding technology, fiber composites, and electromobility. The technologies developed at the institute can subsequently be applied or used in industrial practice.

Through our research, we contribute to sustainable development in the sense of an ecologically intact, economically successful and socially balanced world. We feel committed to this responsibility.