Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology

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News

A group of people stands in the open-cast mine area. A mining vehicle can be seen in the background.

Jul 16, 2026

Structural change on site: syntral and ACL at the Nochten open-cast mine

Two men stand in front of a Lufthansa aircraft. In front of them is a three-dimensional "ILA" letter installation.

Jul 16, 2026

ILA Berlin 2026: ILK presents Hybrid IMC as a technology demonstrator for innovative lightweight design solutions

Four men in suits stand side by side, smiling at the camera. The second man from the left is holding a bouquet of flowers.

Jul 13, 2026

Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Gröger schließt Promotion am ILK erfolgreich ab

Topic overview

Luftbildaufnahme von Mitarbeitern des ILK, die die Buchstaben I, L und K bilden.

At a glance

The Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology has been active in “function-integrative system lightweight engineering in multi-material design” for more than 20 years. The research spectrum ranges from fundamental and application-oriented research to a concrete innovation development for industry partners.

A man wearing protective gloves explains a component he is holding to a group of students in a technical laboratory environment. The students stand in a semicircle around him, with a robotic arm positioned nearby.

Study Lightweight Engineering

Lightweight engineering is one of the key technologies for a resource-efficient and sustainable future. It combines materials, design, manufacturing, and simulation into an interdisciplinary engineering field with a wide range of applications. TU Dresden is the only university in Germany to offer a dedicated specialization in lightweight engineering, providing an excellent foundation for diverse career opportunities in industry and research.

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Research areas

The Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) pursues a material and product spanning approach to systems lightweight engineering. By combining interdisciplinary expertise with a comprehensive research infrastructure, ILK develops holistic lightweight solutions for a resource-efficient and circular future.

Bürogebäude des Instituts für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik

Cross-material and Cross-technology Lightweight Engineering – sustainable.resilient.competitive.

The Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at TU Dresden develops material and technology open lightweight solutions for a resource-efficient and sustainable future. Around 245 employees combine interdisciplinary research, advanced infrastructure, and industrial applications across the entire development chain.
The foundation of this work is the Dresden model of function-integrated systems lightweight design in multi-material design. Different materials and technologies are strategically combined to develop high-performance, sustainable, and circular solutions.