Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCVEngineering and Production
We are convinced that sustainable production in combination with efficient engineering is the essential prerequisite for a future worth living.
Sustainable production combines ecological, economic and social aspects – What has identified years ago as a theoretical need for action has now developed a relevance that hardly anyone wanted to believe in. Especially in industrial production, there is a lot of potential for more sustainability that can be easily leveraged. We support companies in becoming more sustainable and deriving possible courses of action for ecologically justifiable production. Our research and development work for modern, efficient engineering forms the basis for sustainable work and management in production.
We offer a wide range of expert knowledge to make production more efficient, effective and sustainable:
We offer comprehensive know-how in process optimization to make production processes more effective and efficient. By analyzing and improving manufacturing processes, scrap is reduced and quality increased. In addition, materials development plays a vital role in researching and optimizing innovative materials to meet modern production requirements. This includes, for example, lightweight materials and materials with improved properties. Another focus is on digitalizing and automating manufacturing processes to make production more intelligent and more networked. Here, digital twins are developed, manufacturing processes are simulated and optimized, artificial intelligence is used and Industry 4.0 concepts are implemented.
Overall, Fraunhofer IGCV aims to promote sustainable production by using resource-conserving materials, closing recycling chains and exploiting CO2 savings potential. Sustainable production starts with the use of sustainably produced materials. Our aim is, for example, to ensure their reuse without loss of quality by using suitable materials in conjunction with improved technologies.
We ensure efficiency, effectiveness, safety, precision and reliability in production and drive the development of new technologies.
Characterized by our cross-industry research and project work, we are able to provide diverse support in the field of production. In our three focus industries »Mechanical and Plant Engineering«, »Aerospace Engineering«, »Automotive and Commercial Vehicles«, we have excellent know-how and many years of experience. In close cooperation with experts, our scientists and engineers develop and implement innovative solutions and meet the challenges of efficient engineering.
Production planning and optimization
Factory production must be planned and optimized to be effective and efficient. This involves constantly monitoring processes, material flow and inventories and optimizing them to ensure a smooth and safe overall process.
The topic of digitalization is also playing an increasingly important role for Fraunhofer IGCV. In almost all areas of competence, we are researching possibilities for process digitization towards more sustainability in production and facilitating and simplifying work steps, e.g., through digital assistance systems. In the processing of composite materials, for example, our project for automated prepreg deposition in the production of shell components for a helicopter deserves special mention. The foundry business, which impresses with its thousands of years of history, is also undergoing a significant transformation due to the possibilities offered by digitalization.
Fraunhofer IGCV offers many opportunities for collaboration and further training in this area, especially within the framework of our learning factory for networked production.
Thanks to our partnership with the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Augsburg, we can offer special offers and attractive solutions for collaboration, especially to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Design of components, assemblies, products, processes, machines or plants and optimization of manufacturing processes
Manufacturing and production require a careful interplay of designs, materials, processes and tolerances to produce the final product efficiently. In this regard, one of our success stories is developing and producing the A350 door bulkhead, which Fraunhofer IGCV accompanied for Airbus from TRL2 to take off.
By using process-specific simulation approaches, AI and Big Data analytics, the scientists at Fraunhofer IGCV are enabling a step towards the future that is reflected in all of the institute's areas of expertise.
In combination with our competences in the field of additive manufacturing, especially in the production of multi-material components and the know-how in various CFRP manufacturing processes such as pultrusion or fiber placement and composite molding, so-called »first-time-right manufacturing«, for example, is becoming possible and increasingly easy to implement in practice for production engineering companies.
In addition, we are constantly researching how to make greater use of the flexibility of robotic systems in industry, e.g. by automating mold supply using mobile assistance robotics.
Selection, testing and recycling of suitable materials (CFRP, metals, sand, multi-material)
Within the scope of our production technology research, selecting the suitable materials for production is also crucial. Here, our diverse capabilities in measurement and testing technology with a focus on composite and metal components, the recycling of composite components and, for example, the characterization of molding and casting materials play a major role.
Quality management
Our research and development work also ensures that production processes are precise and reliable to guarantee consistent quality. Here, for example, the focus is on our work in quality and technical cleanliness in process chains.
