Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials
Coordinates: 48 ° 2 ′ 0.6 ″ N , 7 ° 51 ′ 6.7 ″ E
| Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM |
|
|---|---|
 Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, Wöhlerstrasse 11, Freiburg |
|
| Category: | research Institute |
| Carrier: | Fraunhofer Society |
| Legal form of the carrier: | Registered association |
| Seat of the wearer: | Munich |
| Facility location: | Freiburg in Breisgau |
| Type of research: | Applied research |
| Subjects: | Engineering |
| Areas of expertise: | Materials science , materials science , materials mechanics |
| Basic funding: | Federal government (90%), states (10%) |
| Management: | Peter Gumbsch |
| Employee: | 313 |
| Homepage: | www.iwm.fraunhofer.de |
The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg is an institution of the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research eV Fraunhofer IWM is a research and development partner of industry and public clients on topics of safety, reliability, service life and functionality of materials in components and manufacturing processes. With its business fields and their range of services, the Fraunhofer IWM is a research and development partner for the evaluation and further development of highly stressed materials and components and the optimization of relevant manufacturing processes. It was founded in Freiburg (Breisgau) in 1971 and expanded to include a location in Halle (Saale) in 1992. The Halle branch of the Fraunhofer IWM became the independent Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS on January 1, 2016 .
Competencies
The mechanics of materials at Fraunhofer IWM encompasses all questions relating to the function, behavior and properties of materials during their development, manufacture, processing and use. Based on material-mechanical know-how, the properties, functions and load limits of materials and components can be evaluated, adjusted and improved for the desired requirements. The expertise of the Fraunhofer IWM lies in the areas in which materials in components and manufacturing processes are exposed to extreme and complex load conditions and in which improvements in performance and functions can therefore only be achieved through a holistic understanding. From the interaction of experiment and simulation, solutions for material-related questions from almost all industrial areas are developed. The core competencies of the institute serve as scientific and technological "tools of the trade":
Material and component characterization
The Fraunhofer IWM characterizes and evaluates the properties of materials in components and manufacturing processes and the behavior of components on many scales. It considers the development, production and use of materials and components as an integral part and supports the implementation of new functions and production steps.
Material modeling and simulation
In order to derive the properties of materials from their internal structure, the Fraunhofer IWM develops and uses mechanism-based material models. Conversely, such structure-property relationships can be used to influence the structural development during manufacture and use.
Tribology and surface design
Stresses on surfaces are analyzed and modified for more functionality and performance.
research
Project processing at Fraunhofer IWM takes place in five business areas. Depending on the project topic, an interdisciplinary team with the necessary skills is put together.
Material design
With simulatory and experimental methods based on solid state physics and material mechanics, the business field material behavior clarifies and predicts material properties. This allows material structures and functions to be designed. Influences of crystal defects and microstructures on the material behavior on a large scale are revealed. These findings form the basis for combining materials in a resource-efficient and energy-efficient manner and thereby sustainably improving technical systems.
Manufacturing processes
The business area conducts the investigation and technological development of efficient and safe manufacturing processes for the manufacture of semi-finished products and components with functional properties. The focus is on powder technology processes including complex fluid systems up to microfluidics, the forming and processing of ductile materials as well as processing methods for brittle materials and glass shaping.
Tribology
The business field conducts friction and wear research. It optimizes tribological systems and develops solutions for friction reduction and wear protection through technical ceramics, through new types of lubricants, tribological coating systems as well as through production-related conditioned tribological materials. Friction, abrasion, running-in and wear mechanisms are clarified as well as the tribochemistry of machine elements such as roller and plain bearings, cutting and forming tools, and motor and gear elements. For this purpose, experimental investigations, multi-scale modeling and numerical simulation as well as microstructure analysis are used.
Component safety and lightweight construction
The assessment of the safety and suitability for use of components with high safety requirements under operationally relevant loads are the focus of the range of tasks. The range of applications ranges from the proof of the safety of power plant components to the proof of fault tolerance of aerospace components, the service life analysis of thermomechanically stressed components in power plants and automobiles to the crash analysis of vehicle components. In addition to the behavior in use of modern materials, joints and hybrid constructions are also of central importance.
Material evaluation, service life concepts
The business field evaluates the influence of microstructure, residual stresses and damage on the functionality and service life of components. A special focus is on the connection of targeted analyzes and experiments with advanced material models. The focus of the work is the modeling of cyclical thermo-mechanical stresses and the elucidation of degradation mechanisms of corrosion, stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement. In the event of acute damage, the business unit prepares expert reports.
Financing and workforce
The operating budget is financed by external income and institutional funding (basic funding). The operating budget has increased compared to the previous year and amounts to 21.7 million euros, the share of industrial income was 36.6 percent. The investment budget in 2019 was 2.3 million euros.
At the end of 2019, the Fraunhofer IWM employed a total of 313 people: 233 employees as permanent staff and 80 employees as auxiliary staff (auxiliary staff, internships, training, theses). The permanent staff consists of 122 scientific employees, 43 technical employees and 68 administrative employees. Nine apprentices are being trained in four professions.