Ein Wissenschaftler des Instituts für Leichtbau und Kunststoftechnik arbeitet an einem Flugzeugrumpf..

Ein Elektrofahrzeug steht auf dem Rollfeld des Dresdner Flughafens.

Cutting-edge Research for a Lighter Future

The scientists of the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology conduct cutting-edge research along the entire research spectrum of lightweight engineering and polymer technology – from fundamental to application-oriented research.

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Scientific areas at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technologies

Scientific area Lightweight design

The expert group Lightweight design conducts research on innovative, material-specific design and construction approaches and develops integral lightweight components and systems for cross-sectoral applications based on methodological concept analyses through to the prototypical component.

Scientific area Numerical Methods

The focuses of the expert group Numerical methods are the development and provision of practice-oriented, virtual methods for the design of efficient lightweight components, structures and systems in multi-material design through combined cross-process, cross-material and multiscale simulation approaches.

Zwei Wissenschaftler des Instituts für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik arbeiten an einer Tapelegeanlage..

Scientific area Thermoplastic processing

The expert group Thermoplastic processing at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology takes a unique interdisciplinary research approach, from the development of adjusted semi-finished products and the processing of preforms to the manufacturing of highly integrative component structures in novel combination processes.

Sirko Geller und Eike Dohmen arbeiten an einer LFI-Anlage

Scientific area Thermoset processing and preforming

The expert group Thermoset processing and preforming at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology focuses in particular on the characterisation, modelling and simulation of reactive processes as well as on the facility and process development for innovative preform concepts. In addition, novel materials, semi-finished products and related processing technologies are developed.

Detailaufnahme eines gefügten Materials.

Scientific area Joining technologies

The expert group Joining technologies designs customised solutions for application-oriented problems in the area of joining techniques. To this end, established approaches are taken up and applied in a goal-oriented manner. In addition, entirely novel approaches are identified, and their application potential is worked out.

Ein Mitarbeiter des Instituts für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik arbeitet an einem UTC-Prüfstand.

Scientific area Testing methods and experiments

The development of material-adapted or component-specific test methods and the realisation of complex test rigs that enable stress tests close to reality are the focus of the expert group Testing methods and experiments at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology.

Zwei Wissenschaftler des Instituts für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik arbeiten den der funktionsintegierten Elektronik eines Fanbades.

Scientific area Function integration

The expert group Function integration at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology pools experts of different areas such as lightweight, electro-technical and mechatronic engineers as well as IT specialists with the aim of providing function-integrative lightweight approaches from a single source.

Wissenschaftler Dipl.-Ing. Arnd Struve arbeitet am 3D-Drucker im Innovationslabor für generative Fertigung am ILK.

Scientific area Novel materials and processes

The research focuses of the expert group Novel materials and processes at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology are metal matrix composites (MMC), ceramic matrix composites (CMC), magnetic hybrid materials (MHM), tailor-made fibre functioning and generative production methods (GeFe) as well as fibre reinforced three-dimensional print.

Neutral Lightweight Engineering (green) as the fourth lightweight class.

Scientific area Neutral Lightweight Engineering

In Neutral Lightweight Engineering, we conduct interdisciplinary research on sustainability-oriented topics in the context of lightweight engineering. To this end, we investigate product systems holistically and develop sustainable, application-oriented solutions at the interface of engineering, economics, environmental science and society.

Detailaufnahme eines Demonstratorfahrzeuges aus dem InEco-Projekt.

Cutting-edge Research at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology

The ILK team’s core competence is in the development, design and optimisation of components and systems in high performance lightweight construction as well as in prototype manufacturing. According to the Dresden model of “function-integrative system lightweight engineering in multi-material design”, mixed construction holds a central position.

The institute’s basic competence is expressed in a plethora of different interdisciplinary joint research projects with ILK as initiator and speaker. The knowledge gained through fundamental studies is integrated into the development of innovative lightweight structures and associated manufacturing processes through to the readiness for series production. This is reflected in the extremely successful acquisition of external funding and long-standing co-operations with the industry.

For the transition of lightweight innovations into industrial application as well as for series production, ILK closely works together with the partners Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH and LSK Leichtbau-Systemtechnologien KORROPOL GmbH.