Technologies

In the area of casting technology, Fraunhofer IFAM has a broad technology portfolio for a wide range of industrial applications. This includes equipment in the following areas: Die casting / Squeeze casting, low pressure die casting, investment casting and gravity casting.

MATERIAL CARDS FOR CRASH SIMULATION OF ADHESIVELY BONDED JOINTS | For the simulation of adhesively bonded joints, a suitably selected material model is required on the one hand, and experimentally determined model parameters for the specific adhesive on the other. Based on this, Fraunhofer IFAM determines material cards for adhesives. The institute has many years of experience, particularly in the field of cohesive zone models (CZM) in the automotive industry, and can suggest models and suitable experiments or develop them further if required.

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.

The new cryogenic testing machine of Fraunhofer IFAM enables to determine the material and small component properties of polymers, composites, and adhesive joints at cryogenic temperatures.

MECHANICAL TESTING, COMPONENT SIMULATION AND TESTING OF BONDED JOINTS | Fraunhofer IFAM has a materials testing laboratory certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015. This laboratory is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 for the procedures specified in the DAkkS certificate. Experiments are carried out to test materials, structures and, in particular, adhesively bonded joints according to standardized and self-developed procedures for example for the automotive industry or rail vehicle construction. The results of these tests form the basis for simulating component behavior. Many of the tests focus on the tensile behavior of fiber-reinforced plastics, but also on the impact strength and peel strength of adhesively bonded joints. Particularly in order to describe the complex behavior of adhesively bonded joints, the researchers also develop customized test methods as required.

SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZATION AND PRODUCTION OF ALLOY INKS | Surfaces can be functionalized and customized coatings can be developed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. PVD processes are used to create electrical, optical, catalytic, and even selfcleaning surfaces as well as for the production of nanoscaled inks.

Thermally conductive adhesives, potting compounds and gap fillers, also commonly referred to as TIM, are used wherever components are to be thermally contacted. Until a few years ago, the main area of application for these materials was in microelectronics, e.g. to reliably dissipate the heat loss from highly integrated circuits or power semiconductors into cooling systems. With the progress of electric vehicles, the market for such products has grown considerably. They have become an indispensable key component that ensures the performance and longevity of the vehicle battery. Future applications include electrical energy storage for wind turbines and in the field of electrolysis for the production of hydrogen.

FUNCTIONALIZATION OF COMPONENTS USING PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES | For customized functionalization of components using printing technologies, suitable inks and pastes are required. Fraunhofer IFAM has extensive expertise and capabilities for the development of printable inks and pastes. These range from the selection of suitable functional and additive materials, to the production / homogenization of the pastes and inks, to the subsequent printing and curing process.

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.