Organization

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Our business units (departments) are oriented to materials-related research and development topics and the impacts upon a product's life cycle. In each phase the Fraunhofer IWM provides sustainable and innovative solutions for product and technology development processes. Each business unit has a clearly defined contextual focus, these being Materials Design, Manufacturing Processes, Tribology, Component Safety and Lightweight Construction and Assessment of Materials, Lifetime Concepts. The Fraunhofer IWM business units address central research themes which are related to energy and resource efficiency.

Fraunhofer IWM Organization Chart [ PDF 0.09 MB ]

Fraunhofer IWM Business Units

Manufacturing Processes

Innovative manufacturing processes for precision contours and functional components with defined property profiles. Focus areas are powder and fluid systems, forming processes, machining processes and glass forming.

Tribology

Solutions for reducing friction and for abrasion protection for bearings, seals and drive systems. Focus areas are micro tribology, tribological simulations, technical ceramics, lubricants, tribological coatings.

Component Safety and Lightweight Construction

Qualification of materials and components for mobility, energy, machinery and engineering. Focus areas are safety and lifetime analysis, crash simulation, joints, composite materials.

Assessment of Materials, Lifetime Concepts

Reliable systems for energy conversion and energy storage, material qualification for power plant technology. Focus areas are microstructure modeling, lifetime prediction, material models, hydrogen embrittlement, damage analysis.

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Budget Fraunhofer IWM

At 26.3 million euro, the Fraunhofer IWM's operating budget increased slightly compared to the previous year. The share of industrial income in the 2023 operating budget was 30.2 percent. Investments amounted to 2.2 million euro.

At the end of 2023, a total of 324 people were employed at the Fraunhofer IWM. Of these, 258 employees were permanent staff and 66 employees were employed as support staff. The permanent staff consisted of 172 scientific employees, 30 technical employees and 56 employees in administration and institute management. 10 apprentices were trained in four professions.