Starting signal for new SFB/TRR project - millions in funding for pioneering lightweight engineering technologies

In November 2024, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced the funding of the new Collaborative Research Center/Transregio (SFB/TRR 402). Entitled "Intelligent production technologies for lightweight plastic structures with load-dedicated 3D grading of the reinforcement architecture (DediGrad)", the project involves a collaboration between TUD Dresden University of Technology and the partners TU Chemnitz, RWTH Aachen University, TU Vienna and Fraunhofer IWU. The total funding of 16.4 million euros will be used over the next 3 ¾ years to develop advanced production technologies for resource-efficient and sustainable lightweight structures. The project not only strengthens the scientific excellence of the Dresden region, but also continues to position TU Dresden as a stakeholder in interdisciplinary basic research.

The SFB/TRR 402 pursues the ambitious goal of creating lightweight structures that are both resilient and fully recyclable thanks to innovative material combinations and production technologies. The components should be able to meet the highest performance requirements. They are used in various industries - from the automotive and aviation sectors to rail transportation. The project has the potential to revolutionize the production processes of many industries and contribute to a more climate-friendly future.

In the first phase of the project, the focus is on developing technologies to integrate continuous and discontinuous fiber reinforcements. The combination of these fibre types will enable a tailor-made material design that not only optimizes mechanical properties but also ensures suitability for efficient mass production. Particular attention is paid to 3D grading, in which material transitions are designed to be fluid in order to address different load requirements in a targeted manner.
The long-term goal is to significantly reduce both energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in the production and operation of vehicles and machines and to optimize production processes. The aim is to create a holistically sustainable value chain that minimizes the ecological footprint of products over their entire life cycle.

Core research areas of the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) in the SFB/TRR 402

The ILK is significantly involved in the integration and alignment of magnetically coated carbon fibers (mc-CF) in polymer matrices as part of the SFB/TRR 402. By using external magnetic fields, the fiber orientation can be controlled in a targeted manner, which is particularly important for the production of components that meet application-specific requirements in terms of both their load-bearing capacity and their service life. The precise design of the transitions between different material zones plays an essential role in the capabilities of the resulting components.

An integral part of research at the ILK is the development of innovative preforming and pre-treatment technologies based on laser-based processes. The aim is to create advanced technologies and construction methods that make it possible to control graded material properties in a targeted manner and make optimum use of the potential of lightweight materials. Particularly noteworthy is the use of braided structures, which can be processed into high-performance components using a pressing process. The ILK is also working on the computer-aided design of modular tool systems in order to increase flexibility and efficiency in production.
To characterize the gradient material composites developed, the ILK uses hybrid data spaces to record and evaluate the complex process-structure-property relationships in detail. This enables precise optimization of the developed technologies and ensures that the desired material properties can also be realized in practical applications.
The development of sustainable design methods based on the principles of product life cycle management and life cycle analysis will also become a central component of the research. The entire life cycle of lightweight structures will be considered in order to establish an ecologically optimized design methodology. In close cooperation with RWTH Aachen University, these concepts will be further developed in order to minimize the ecological footprint of the manufactured components and promote the principles of eco-design.

We are looking forward to the collaboration within the SFB/TRR 402 and to developing innovative solutions together with our partners and the support of the DFG, which will make a significant contribution to the further development of lightweight engineering technologies.

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© Kirsten Lassig

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Dr.-Ing. Anja Winkler

Unit Composites

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Project partners

• TU Chemnitz
• RWTH Aachen
• TU Vienna
• Fraunhofer IWU

Project partner at the TU Dresden:

• Institute of Mechatronic Engineering (IMD)
• Institute of Manufacturing (IF)
• Institute of Machine Elements and Machine Design (IMM)