Successful Habilitation at the ILK: Dr.-Ing. habil. Robert Kupfer Receives Teaching Qualification at TU Dresden

We warmly congratulate Dr.-Ing. habil. Robert Kupfer, head of the Neutral Lightweight Engineering research group at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at TU Dresden, on the successful completion of his habilitation in the field of lightweight engineering. As part of the process, he delivered a public trial lecture on injection molding technologies at the Zeuner Building of TU Dresden. His scientific presentation, titled Lightweight Engineering in High-Volume Applications – Joining Technologies for Hybrid and Multi-Material Structures, addressed central challenges and approaches in system lightweight design for multi-material structures.

His habilitation thesis focuses on the characteristic joining technologies used in thermoplastic-based hybrid and multi-material designs. Intrinsic and extrinsic joints are treated as structural discontinuities that require specific approaches in design and analysis. The work provides a concise overview of key technological developments, structural phenomena, and modeling strategies. In addition, it presents the author’s own research on the manufacturing, characterization, and design of such joints, with a clear focus on applications in mobility and industrial-scale production.

The scientific evaluation was chaired by Prof. Thomas Wallmersperger (Institute of Solid Mechanics, TUD). The reviews were conducted by Prof. Maik Gude (ILK, TUD), Prof. Hans Christian Schmale (Institute of Manufacturing Technology, TUD), and Prof. Christian Hopmann (IKV, RWTH Aachen). Additional members of the committee included Prof. Christina Scheffler (Institute of Building Materials, TUD), Prof. Martina Zimmermann (Institute of Materials Science, TUD), Prof. Johannes Markmiller (Institute of Aerospace Engineering, TUD), and Prof. Niels Modler (ILK, TUD).

Dr.-Ing. habil. Robert Kupfer graduated from TU Dresden with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2005 and began conducting research at the ILK on technologies for thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composites. In 2014, after working as a development engineer, he took over leadership of the research group on joining technologies at the ILK and completed his doctorate in 2016. Since then, as head of the Neutral Lightweight Engineering group, he has been actively shaping research and teaching in the field of sustainable lightweight strategies. His current work focuses on circular economy, life cycle assessment, and innovative methods for designing future-proof lightweight systems.

We thank Dr.-Ing. habil. Robert Kupfer for his longstanding commitment, scientific excellence, and valuable contribution to the advancement of our institute. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in research, teaching, and technology transfer.