Fraunhofer IFAM Annual Report 2024/2025

Dear readers,

the year 2024 was characterized by profound social and political changes that presented us all with new challenges. At the same time, change offers exciting opportunities to shape the future.

As one of the most important independent research institutes in the fields of adhesive bonding technology and surfaces as well as shaping and functional materials, we at Fraunhofer IFAM have continued to work hard this year to develop innovative and practical solutions for the pressing challenges of our time. The global efforts towards the energy transition and the increasing importance of sustainable technologies have significantly influenced our research and development work in the energy, aviation, maritime technologies, mobility and medical technology segments.

In particular, our research focused on advances in hydrogen technology, the development of lightweight and efficient materials for aviation and the optimization of materials for the maritime industry. At the same time, we have dealt intensively with the various requirements relating to mobility in all its facets and medical technology in order to create solutions for a sustainable society worth living in.

In 2024, we continued to use our expertise in materials science and our close collaboration with industrial partners at all institute locations to bring innovative technologies to market maturity. The opening of the Offshore Drone Campus Cuxhaven (ODCC) was just one of the highlights of the year. It is particularly pleasing to see how many projects and project ideas have resulted from this so far.

This annual report gives you an overview of the most important events, projects and milestones of Fraunhofer IFAM in 2024 and we hope that we can give you an entertaining insight into our work. With this review, in addition to figures, data and facts, we would also like to bring the research topics themselves to life and take you on a journey to see how our research and development helps us to overcome the major challenges of our time and at the same time strengthen the competitiveness of our partners.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all employees, customers and project partners who have accompanied us this year and made what we are presenting here possible. Together, we look forward to continuing to work towards a sustainable and innovative future.

Best regards

Prof. Bernd Mayer und Prof. Thomas Weißgärber

Fraunhofer IFAM

Fraunhofer - Transfer for Our Future

Discover exciting insights into our business units. In short highlight videos, we show you how we work, what solutions we develop, and what added value we create for our customers – summarized in a compact and clear manner.

In this video, you will discover insights from the “Quartier für Quartier” ("Neighborhood by Neighborhood") project, which investigates the transformation of heating systems through the lens of local communities. Learn how the planned phase-out of natural gas over the next 20 years, in line with climate targets, poses significant challenges regarding existing gas distribution networks. Our goal is to provide actionable recommendations for policymakers and local leaders to facilitate the heat transition and improve communication strategies aimed at community engagement.

The “Multi Functional Fuselage Demonstrator” (“MFFD”), the world's largest thermoplastic aircraft fuselage demonstrator, which was developed in the European Clean Sky 2/Clean Aviation program with the substantial involvement of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, was honored with the “JEC Composites Innovation Award 2025” in the “Aerospace – Parts” category on January 13, 2025, in Paris for its contribution to achieving the goals of future high-rate production and sustainable flight. Airbus, as overall coordinator, applied for the prestigious award on behalf of the approximately 40 international project partners involved. In the video, you can learn more about how the “MFFD” is contributing to the future of the aviation industry.

In the video, you will learn more about the Offshore Drone Campus Cuxhaven (ODCC), an innovative research and development center that advances unmanned aviation technologies. Located right at the mouth of the Elbe River, the campus fosters collaboration among industry, science, and universities. Discover how these partnerships contribute to shaping the future of drone technology and the exciting projects on the horizon aimed at improving efficiency and safety in air traffic.

In this video, we delve into our “Osteofunk” project, which investigates the potential of the polymer material PEEK in reconstructive surgery. Discover how PEEK, with its bone-like mechanical properties, offers advantages over traditional titanium implants, including lightweight flexibility and minimal interference with X-rays. We also address the challenges of PEEK's hydrophobic nature and explore innovative techniques to enhance its surface for better biological compatibility, aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare strain.

This video shows how the project "BioniCast" enables innovative cooling channels for electric powertrains. Additive manufacturing replaces conventional cores, creating stronger structures with improved heat transfer. The project demonstrates how hollow structures can be predicted and optimized in die casting—leading to a demonstrator that proves industrial feasibility.