Prof. Thomas Weißgärber has been associated with the Dresden site for many years as an employee of Fraunhofer IFAM. During his career as group manager, head of department, deputy and acting head of the institute branch, he has conducted research in various fields of powder metallurgy. With the Innovation Center Additive Manufacturing ICAM®, Prof. Weißgärber established a center for expertise in the field of powder-based additive manufacturing in 2019.

“Fraunhofer IFAM is one of Europe’s most important independent research institutes in the fields of adhesive technology, surfaces, shaping and functional materials. Its products and technologies primarily address industries of particular importance for the future viability of the economy, including energy technology, mobility and life sciences,” says Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. “I am extremely pleased that Prof. Thomas Weißgärber is now at the helm. He is a long-standing leader who has made a significant contribution to developing Fraunhofer IFAM into one of the leading applied research institutes in the field of powder metallurgical technologies and materials.”

For many years now, Prof. Weißgärber has been helping to establish a close link between science and applied research by holding lectures on the topics of materials in energy technology, powder metallurgy and sintered materials, as well as thermophysical properties and high-temperature behavior. Through the professorship for Powder Metallurgy, Sintering and Composite Materials at TU Dresden, he intends to further strengthen this alliance in the future.

Prof. Thomas Weißgärber: “I see my new position as a motivation to continuously expand and develop existing expertise at Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden. Together with my team, we can leverage its excellent know-how, especially with regard to materials, powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, in order to develop innovative, future-oriented ideas. This will allow us to generate optimal solutions in core areas such as energy technology, mobility and medical technology.”

About Fraunhofer IFAM

At Fraunhofer IFAM, around 700 employees from 20 departments and numerous working groups combine their broad technological and scientific know-how in seven core areas of expertise: metallic materials, polymeric materials, surface technology, adhesive technology, shaping and functionalization, electromobility as well as automation and digitalization. These areas of expertise, each on its own 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.