Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU

Fraunhofer IWU is an institute of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Munich (Germany), which is the world’s leading applied research organization.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU is a driver for innovations in research and development of production engineering. Around 670 highly qualified employees at our locations in Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig, Wolfsburg, and Zittau tap the new potential for competitive manufacturing in automotive and mechanical engineering, aerospace technology, medical engineering, electrical engineering, and precision and micro engineering. We focus on scientific developments and contract research concerning components, processes, methods, and the associated complex machine systems – up to the entire factory.

As the leading institute for resource-efficient production, we develop technologies and intelligent production systems, e.g. for car body and powertrain components. We optimize production stages of forming, cutting, and joining processes while considering the entire process chain, factoring in regenerative systems and circular economy.

Fraunhofer IWU has established Additive Manufacturing (AM) as a field of research in 2008, starting with a small research group. Today, Additive Manufacturing is one of the institute’s major distinct research topics within its Scientific Field “Functional and System Integration”. Fraunhofer IWU’s metal AM activities are concentrated within the main department “Additive Manufacturing Engineering”, with two departments researching in “Laser Powder Bed Fusion” and “Wire-based AM”. For research in polymer-based AM technologies, IWU’s main department for “lightweight and textile technologies” operates three dedicated research groups for “Extrusion-based 3D Printing”, “AM components and structures” and “Automation in AM”.

In addition, Fraunhofer IWU operates the branch office of the Fraunhofer Competence field Additive Manufacturing, which bundles the AM expertise of 19 Fraunhofer institutes from 13 different locations in Germany, with IWU’s Dr. Bernhard Mueller acting as the elected spokesman for Fraunhofer in any terms of Additive Manufacturing.

Fraunhofer IWU employs 30 expert scientists and engineers directly and fully in Additive Manufacturing research, with more researchers from other departments supporting AM related research projects with their specific expertise.

In metal AM, special research topics pursued at Fraunhofer IWU are functional integration, e.g. sensors and actuators, medical devices (e. g. functionalized implants), tooling applications of AM (molds and dies for casting and forming), material developments for AM (e.g. case hardening steels, hard magnetic materials, copper or nickel-titanium) and AM process development (e.g. process monitoring via artificial intelligence).