Technologies

TARGETED PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF FRICTION AND WEAR | Whether motors and pumps as a whole or their seals - almost every application product is affected by friction and wear. The consequences are high energy losses and a shortened service life of the products. To counteract this, Fraunhofer IFAM is working intensively on tribology, i.e. the question of how friction and wear can be reduced or how lubrication between components can be improved. This is because these factors are directly influenced by various things such as material selection, surface coating, or contact geometry. With its broad spectrum of competencies in the fields of materials research, coating technology and analytics, the institute offers ideal conditions for developing holistic tribological solutions.

INTEGRATION OF HIGHLY ELECTRICALLY AND THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE FILLERS IN A PLASTIC MATERIAL | Fraunhofer IFAM is specialized in the compounding of highly filled special polymer composites and the further processing into printable composite filaments. For the processing or production of filaments from polymer composites, the institute has comprehensive know-how and the latest technologies and process techniques. The composition of the material (fillers, filler content) and the selection of the base polymer are customized according to the customer's specific requirements.

DO YOU NEED CERTAIN PROPERTIES OF A METAL IN A PLASTIC? | Then Fraunhofer IFAM offers the solution with its developed polymer composites! The special compound technology of Fraunhofer IFAM makes it possible to produce special composites based on a wide range of thermoplastics and elastomers which are, for example, highly electrically and/or thermally conductive.

KEY TECHNOLOGY FOR EMC PROTECTION AND CAMOUFLAGE TECHNOLOGY | Radiation-absorbing materials (RAM) are becoming increasingly important in numerous industries. Whether in military technology, measurement technology, or automotive engineering - wherever sensitive electronics and high-precision sensors are used, effective protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) is essential. Modern composite materials offer tailor-made solutions that can both shield electromagnetic waves and minimize radar and sensor signatures.

FUNCTIONALIZABLE METAL SURFACES THROUGH PLASMA ELECTROLYTIC OXIDATION (PEO) | Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), also known as micro arc oxidation (MAO), is a wet chemical process that enables the production of highly functionalizable oxide layers on metals whose oxides do not have electrical conductivity, such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium. These coatings are hard, wear-resistant, heat-resistant, and porous, making them ideal for use in aerospace, medical technology, and other high-performance industries.

THIN SEPARATORS MADE OF SULFIDE OR POLYMER USING A SLOT DIE | Solid-state batteries with high energy density require thin separators made of sulfides or polymer electrolytes with layer thicknesses of less than 30 micrometers. With slot die coating, we can apply slurry tailored precisely to requirements and produce separator layers. The production and characterization of these layers requires expertise in materials, processes, and analytical methods, which are bundled at Fraunhofer IFAM.

With the steady increase in electronic assemblies and their use, for example in motor vehicles and sensors, the demands on their long-term stability and functional reliability are also rising. Polymer potting is an ideal way to protect these components.

Metal injection molding (MIM) is the key process when it comes to the economical series production of high-precision, complex metal components. MIM combines the design freedom of plastic injection molding with the mechanical properties of metallic materials. Fraunhofer IFAM has been one of the leading research institutions in this field for over 30 years and supports industry partners in implementing innovative material and component solutions in new products.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPOSITES FOR RELIABLE ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY | Electronic systems are everywhere – from complex machine controls and sensor technology in Industry 4.0 to electric drives in vehicle construction. This also increases the risk of electromagnetic interference that can affect other devices or cause sensitive systems to malfunction. Compliance with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is therefore essential for the trouble-free functioning of devices and the reliability of sensitive electronic equipment. At Fraunhofer IFAM, we develop innovative functional composites for EMC protection.

Fraunhofer IFAM has now developed a novel solution for the dynamic improvement of the kinematics: the hybrid drive for industrial robots.

VUV RADIATION OPTIMIZES SILICONE PROPERTIES AT THE SURFACE | We encounter silicone elastomers in many different areas. Due to their high elasticity, very good temperature resistance and biocompatibility, they are suitable for a wide variety of applications, for example in medical or food technology. The surface properties of the material, on the other hand, are not ideal and make it difficult to use in certain applications. For example, silicones are susceptible to wear, attract dirt, and can only be bonded to a limited extent. At Fraunhofer IFAM, a process has been developed which allows the surfaces to be modified quickly and flexibly without impairing the excellent mechanical properties of the silicones.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE COOLING TECHNOLOGIES | Magnetocaloric cooling systems offer industry a pioneering alternative to conventional compression refrigeration machines – technologically innovative, economically attractive, and ecologically sound. Instead of conventional refrigerants, these systems use the magnetocaloric effect: By making targeted changes to the magnetic field in specially developed materials, cold can be generated efficiently and in a controlled manner – without the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases.

Building blocks from nature that have already been perfected through evolution are ideally suited for developing new materials and surfaces with different functionalities. These can be antimicrobial, biocompatible or biodegradable, for example, depending on the requirements. As an institute focusing on adhesion and surface technology, our goal is to generate properties that are required for specific applications with respect to adhesion. In doing so, we work primarily with classical building blocks from nature such as sugars, fats and proteins and biobased polymers derived from them.

The development and evaluation of customized materials and adhesives is a central focus of our institute's work. Adhesives as composite materials play a major role in this. The outstanding properties of these adhesives are due to the fact that the composite has different properties than the individual components. This is also where the great potential lies, because there is a wide range of raw materials that - cleverly formulated - can optimize the final properties of an adhesive. This gives the adhesive certain properties, such as electrical or thermal conductivity, toughness, flame retardancy and also recyclability, which is increasingly in focus.

Increasing demands on productivity, resource efficiency and health protection require very special adhesives for many applications. This requires special formulations that are often not yet available on the market. This is where we are the right development partner. The focus of our R&D work is on harnessing novel raw materials for adhesives with previously unattainable properties, such as debonding on demand or extreme fast curing. The issue of sustainability is also becoming increasingly important for companies. Here we focus on the use of renewable and toxicologically safe raw materials in reactive polymer systems.

PLAQUE AND PROLIFERATION ASSAYS FOR EFFICACY TESTING OF ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIVIRAL SURFACES AND COATINGS | Multi-resistant germs have been a serious problem in healthcare for years. Covid-19, an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV2, made the concepts of hygiene and disinfection an everyday topic around the world. Consequently, the need for antimicrobial technologies (antimicrobial coatings, UV disinfection) increased in many entrepreneurial sectors, including healthcare, automotive, construction, and public transportation. This wide range of applications presents different technological challenges. Fraunhofer IFAM therefore tests antimicrobial efficacy against model viruses, bacteria, and fungi according to customer-specific requirements.

Corrosion is one of the greatest challenges for industry, infrastructure, and the environment. According to DIN EN ISO 8044:2025, corrosion is defined as the “chemical or electrochemical interaction between a material, usually a metal, and its environment.” This interaction can lead to material damage, functional failure, and enormous economic costs. In industrialized nations, 3-4% of gross domestic product is lost annually due to corrosion damage. The fact is that most of this corrosion damage could be avoided if existing knowledge were applied properly. Fraunhofer IFAM offers comprehensive solutions for corrosion protection, testing methods, and damage analysis – scientifically sound and accredited.

Functional coatings for exterior applications face a variety of requirements to ensure the functionality and safety of equipment. External influences such as ice formation and erosion pose a major challenge, as they can compromise safety and lead to high repair and maintenance costs. To reduce these effects, Fraunhofer IFAM develops innovative coating technologies. The focus is particularly on ice-repellent coatings, heating layers for de-icing and erosion protection layers.

The machining of large components by huge machining centers is often a bottleneck in production. In this case, process control is spatially limited to the size of the plant and restricted in flexibility by the design principle. This is avoided by using mobile industrial robots (IR). Moreover, when using CNC-controlled robots, existing programs can continue to be used. The disadvantage of conventional IRs, however, is their lower accuracy compared to a processing machine, which has so far not allowed the required processing tolerances to be maintained.

The combination of serial kinematics with external linear axes results in versatile and adaptable machine concepts for manufacturing, even for the production of large components.

Corrosion poses a serious threat to the longevity and functionality of metallic components. It is caused by environmental influences and contact with corrosive media, leading to enormous economic damage worldwide. In an industrialized nation, the direct costs of corrosion are estimated to be around three to four percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) annually. Early prevention is therefore crucial to preserving assets and minimizing costs.

On the way to optimize robot systems, an extraordinarily powerful software application for model-based calibration of industrial robots has been developed by Fraunhofer IFAM in Stade which enables high-precision robot use.

HYDROGEN BARRIER COATINGS FOR TANKS, PIPELINES AND MORE | For hydrogen tanks and the like, metallic materials (e.g. steel or aluminum) are still predominantly used today, either as solid materials or as liners in polymeric materials, which constitute an enormous additional weight. In order that lightweight materials such as fiber reinforced polymers can also be used for fuel tanks etc., which do not provide a sufficient barrier to hydrogen permeation themselves, Fraunhofer IFAM is developing barrier coatings which strongly reduce the permeability of hydrogen and thus offer versatile possibilities for lightweight construction in the aerospace industry, but also in other areas.

We cover the complete value chain for the additive processes we have available at Fraunhofer IFAM – from the creation of 3D data models, through manufacturing, to final processing and inspection of the components.

Atmospheric pressure (AP) plasma can be used to clean, activate and coat surfaces efficiently and in an environmentally friendly manner. In industry, the process has now become established for pretreating surfaces prior to bonding, printing and painting processes in order to reduce the use of solvents (VOCs). In addition, the plasma-polymer nanolayers are used in production as corrosion protection, for environmentally friendly adhesion, for electrical insulation, or as a permanent hydrophobic release layer. Fraunhofer IFAM develops customized solutions using adapted processes and coatings with AP plasma for a wide range of applications.

Non-stick coatings have been among the most popular coatings for cookware such as pans, casseroles or cutlery for decades due to their ease of use and cleaning. Common nonstick coatings are made with a PTFE or sol-gel base. However, PTFE-type coatings face a ban in the near future due to possible PFAS restrictions by the EU. In addition, these coatings have only limited durability and lose their non-stick effect over time. In addition, they are not very stable mechanically and have to be baked in an oven, which involves high energy consumption. New, sustainable solutions with good non-stick properties are therefore needed. Researchers at Fraunhofer IFAM have developed PLASLON® coating, a PFAS-free alternative, which is characterized by its excellent non-stick properties in combination with its high durability.

INLINE-BLASTING PROCESSES FOR CLEANING, ACTIVATION AND REPAIR OF SURFACES | Classical compressed air blasting requires the use of blasting booths or complex temporary protective measures to clean surfaces or remove coatings. Much simpler is to use compact and mobile vacuum suction blasting prior to, for example, adhesive bonding, painting/lacquering, coating, or repair work. In this method an industrial vacuum system generates a reduced pressure in a closed head through which the abrasive is accelerated onto the surface and after the blasting process is immediately extracted again. This means that dust-free blasting processes can even be performed in-line under sensitive production conditions.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion is a powder bed based additive manufacturing process that is most widely used in the industry. The Fraunhofer IFAM deals with material and process development along the entire process chain of laser beam melting. Our powder analytics can be used to characterize the flow behavior and packing behavior of the raw material powder, which significantly influence the construction parameters. The complete parameter development for various materials (titanium, aluminum or steel alloys) is carried out at Fraunhofer IFAM.

The production of complex components by means of metal binder jetting is becoming relevant for more and more areas of application, such as automotive engineering or toolmaking. The process stands out from other 3D printing methods due to high process speeds, low material costs and an enormously wide range of materials.

NON-STICK COATINGS KEEP SURFACES CLEAN | Clean surfaces are essential in the processing industry. Plasma polymer easy-to-clean coatings offer ideal conditions for significantly reducing contamination on surfaces and facilitating their cleaning. In addition to their outstanding non-stick properties, the coatings are characterized by their low thickness, transparency and excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrate materials. Due to their chemical resistance, they also protect against corrosion and wear. The high temperature and hot steam resistance also allows their use in the field of hot steam sterilization. At Fraunhofer IFAM, various easy-to-clean coatings are being developed and brought to industrial application, e.g. for easy paint stripping or for food processing.