Research activities of the Institute for Industrialization of Smart Materials

Water as the key to new material properties: As part of the BlueMat Cluster of Excellence, the ISM and Fraunhofer IAPT develop bio-inspired, tree-like structures for highly efficient capillary fluid transport.

BRAVE develops a camera-based in-situ measurement system for roughness detection during the PBF-LB/M process, along with optimized process parameters for the targeted reduction of surface roughness in additively manufactured components.

DruSint-AM develops and experimentally validates an integrated process route combining additive green-part fabrication (MEX/M, MBJ) with a subsequent press-sintering process, targeting high-performance components from hard metals and sinter-based AM materials.

One printer, many materials: FlexMat3D is developing a universal extruder interface and an adaptable process for simultaneous multi-material printing at large scale.

GENSPIN investigates the integration of functional damping structures into additively manufactured main spindle components of machine tools to reduce dynamic vibrations and increase machining accuracy.

KoPro-VR develops an immersive multi-user VR environment for the collaborative processing of CAD product data across the entire additive manufacturing process chain, evaluated through work-science methodologies regarding efficiency and usability.

LitEndo investigates lithography-based metal manufacturing (LMM) of osseointegrative, patient-specific hip sockets; the ISM subproject develops the corresponding heat treatment strategy to achieve standard-compliant chemical and mechanical properties.

LuMEX-HT develops a low-particle, high-performance filament with defined low outgassing behavior (< 100 ppm) for FDM printing, along with a smoothing process to reduce particulate emissions of cleanroom-compatible components.

Reactors that regulate themselves: Within SFB1615, the ISM researches additively manufactured, self-adaptive lattice structures that autonomously steer chemical processes back to ideal conditions.

Shape-memory alloys with graded properties: SmarTiNi investigates how NiTi components can be produced via Laser Powder Bed Fusion with functionally graded properties – for smart actuators and reactors.