Press & Events

Transporting quantum information over long distances with glass fibers and paving the way for the quantum Internet: With this goal in mind, the Dutch research center QuTech and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT launched the ICON project QFC-4-1QID on September 1, 2019. In this long-term strategic partnership between the research institutions, the scientists will be developing quantum frequency converters that will connect quantum processors to fiber optic networks. The new technology will be used in the world's first quantum Internet demonstrator in 2022.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP has been developing processes and equipment for cleaning, sterilization and surface modification for decades. Within the framework of an internal funding project, the Institute has been developing a novel approach for the automated detection and inactivation of biofilms. First results will be presented at parts2clean (October 22 – 24, 2019 in Stuttgart, booth no. C31, hall 9).

In the Fraunhofer lighthouse project “futureAM – Next Generation Additive Manufacturing,” an alliance of six Fraunhofer institutes shall accelerate 3D printing with metal powder by at least a factor of ten. The first tangible results prove that this is not a dream of the future. The futureAM team will be presenting these results at the joint Fraunhofer booth D51 in Hall 11 during formnext from November 19 to 22, 2019 in Frankfurt am Main.

In modern architecture, large-area glazing is a continuing trend because of its appearance and design variety. Large southwards-oriented windows help to reduce the energy demand for heating in winter. However, large-area glazing may significantly increase the energy demand for cooling and air-conditioning in hot summers. Smart Glass Solutions – such as electrochromic (EC) and thermochromic (TC) windows and glass façades – control the radiation energy transfer with the “touch of a button” and thus can drastically reduce the energy demands for heating and air conditioning of large buildings. In addition, they allow superior indoor lighting comfort in contrast to conventional mechanical window blinds. On October 1, 2019, the EU-funded initiative “Switch2Save” was launched to improve the availability and affordability of EC and TC smart glass technologies. The consortium of ten partners from research and industry will demonstrate the energy saving potential of smart glass solutions in two fully-operational buildings.

The market for additive processes continues to grow by around 20 percent annually and has reached a volume of 10 billion euros. This was reported by the organizer of formnext, the world's leading trade fair for additive manufacturing (AM) in Frankfurt. In AM, the trend is clearly moving towards greater productivity. Thanks to its new materials, lasers for eMobility and highly efficient 3D coating processes, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT is providing the right ideas at the right time.

For decades now, the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP has been developing processes and systems for cleaning, sterilization, and surface modification. The newly in-house developed process, called SULEEI, makes it possible to sterilize (S) and preserve decellularized pericardial tissue by means of photo-initiated ultraviolet (U) crosslinking with low-energy electron irradiation (LEEI). The complex procedure is under evaluation in cooperation with the department of cardiac surgery belonging to the heart center of the university hospital as part of the Technische Universität Dresden (TUD). The initial findings will be presented as part of the Future Hospital showcase, and at the Fraunhofer FEP stand, at the XPOMET Festival taking place in Berlin on October 10–12, 2019.

Within a BMBF-funded project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT is tackling the issue of 3D printing large components economically by using a new process called Hybrid AM that combines conventional manufacturing with additive processes. An important step forward in this process development is a new wire LMD head and its modular components which the Aachen-based experts will be presenting for the first time at formnext from November 19 to 22, 2019 in Frankfurt am Main.

Six Fraunhofer Institutes have demonstrated the individualization of single products in mass production environments by the employment of digital printing and laser technologies. This substantial progress provides completely new opportunities for design and weight reduction by material savings.

At the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting 2019 (ISAL) in Darmstadt from September 23 to 25, 2019, the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP, a provider of research and development services in the field of organic electronics, will present OLED light strips of any length with additional functionalities for the first time at booth no. 37.

To make aircrafts more economical, environmentally friendly and robust, Fraunhofer engineers from Dresden have developed a new ceramic heat shield technology. In this process, a powder of yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ) is added to water to form a suspension. Quickly and cost-effectively this liquid powder mixture can be sprayed onto turbine blades or other aircraft parts. Such and similar thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) facilitate aircraft engines, which consume less fuel and do not contaminate the atmosphere as much.