Fraunhofer Institute for Structural
Durability and System Reliability LBF

Safe. Digital.
Sustainable.
Annual Report 2022

Index2022 at a glance

Environment, safety,“Smart Services” –we at Fraunhofer LBF
are also working on­solutions to these
global issues.”

Insights
Safe. Digital. Sustainable. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
Current m­ embers of the Board of Trustees �������������������������������������������� 7
Fraunhofer LBF in numbers ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
Systematic Research!
Digital Engineering ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 10
Smart Solutions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16
Reliability Design �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
Circular Economy �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34
Lightweight Design ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 40
Future Mobility ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 46
Insights
Events �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 53
Research Divisions
Structural Durability ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 57
Smart Structures �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 58
Plastics ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59
Insights
LBF Management Team ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 60
Networks �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 62

Editorial notes.
Publisher: Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, Bartningstraße 47, 64289 Darmstadt,
Phone: +49 6151 705-0, info@lbf.fraunhofer.de, www.lbf.fraunhofer.de Director of institute: Prof. Dr. Tobias Melz
Editor: Heiko Hahnenwald Coordination: Anke Zeidler-Finsel Conception: Fraunhofer LBF, T­ echnologiemarketing und Kommunikation
Design/Conception: www.gute-botschafter.deFotografie: LBF-Archiv, ­Ursula Raapke, Katrin Binner, Piotr Banczerowski, WilliamKaal, Piotr Krzeslak, Dionysos1970,
AdobeStock (BANU SEVIM, cat smile, pegasosart, belyaaa, lirtlon, BigBlueStudio, mirkomedia, Doris Gräf, heike114, Oleg Breslavtsev,
Pansfun ImagesStocksy, vegefox.com, Yulia, Farknot Architect, ReisMedia, AA+W, Production Perig, 2ragon)© Fraunhofer-Institut für Betriebsfestigkeit und Systemzuverlässigkeit LBF, Darmstadt, April 2023
All rights, inparticular the right of reproduktion and distribution as well as translation, reserved.

2

The annual report 2022 – digital
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/annual-report3Insights

Insights

Safe. Digital. Sustainable.
Sustainability, ­digitalization and­lightweight design
are key challengesof our time. We
provide smart
solutions in technicalapplications.”
Prof. Dr. Tobias Melz,
Institute Director

Dear customers and partners of Fraunhofer LBF,
Safe. Digital. Sustainable. This is the motto that defines our institute’s agenda for the
future. In 2022, we once again aligned our key research topics according to that motto:
from the development of digital models for components and systems, through deve­
lopment methods and simulation strategies for designing, analyzing and safeguarding
critical products, right up to creating concrete, circular material and system solutions.
In our numerous research projects, we are expanding our scientific and technologicalmarket offerings for polymer materials, durable and intelligent lightweight design,
structural dynamics and experimental, digital and cyber-physical simulations. Whatmatters most to us is providing our customers and partners with optimal support asthey increase resource and energy efficiency, sustainability and innovation in all productlife cycle phases and value chain stages.
Highlights of our work in the area of safety and reliability in 2022 included establishing the Smart Lab for Future Mobility Chassis Systems. In this modular system, ourinstitute now has a cutting-edge laboratory environment for simulating operating loads
for complex and even active component assemblies in automotive engineering systems.
The smart lab was set up as an expertise and application center, but it will also promote
the transfer of research results to industry.
Vibroacoustic metamaterials (VAMM) have been a core area of research at Fraunhofer
LBF for many years, forming the focus of numerous smart and digital technology ­projects in the fields of mobility and infrastructure engineering. Our most recent
achievement in this domain saw our researchers develop a prototype for noise-insulating walls as part of their investigations on how to better protect residents affectedby road traffic noise. Using metamaterials significantly improved transmission values
in comparison to the conventional method of increasing insulation wall thickness.
ASFINAG, the Austrian public corporation that manages the country’s highways, iscurrently planning to implement the materials in practice.
In the last year, our scientists have also worked to drive sustainability in multiple­projects on clean, eco-friendly technology. These projects include efforts to develop
biobased, biodegradable plastic solutions with a high technical quality level fromrecycled materials. In 2022, we also expanded our expertise in the field of recyclable
plastics. In addition, we launched and implemented multiple new projects in two of
our key research fields: smart, durable lightweight design and resource efficiency.

45

Insights

Insights

Electromobility had its own part to play at Fraunhofer LBF in 2022, as
our teams began working on a new application focus with CyPhy­
FuelCell, a unique validation environment for reliability testing anddesign in fuel cell systems for electric vehicles.

2022 – digitalWith this annual report,
we are using the ­digitalchannels in a new andOne particularly notable highlight of the year gone by was the foundingof Altosens GmbH with the support of the CoLab and AHEAD incu­
bator programs. Building on the foundations of the institute’s DELTA-C®
technology, Altosens is developing a cloud-based monitoring systemwith force sensors that can be used in applications such as monitoring
wind farms. Other collaborative initiatives focusing on sensors saw
the development of a technology that is now being tested in technical­applications for bolt monitoring.
These are just a few of the research activities that we will present in thisAnnual Report, which is available in entirely digital form for the firsthis anntime, in line with our efforts to increase digitalization and sustainability.
We hope you enjoy reading this report.

closely i­nterlinked way.
You will find a lot of­attractively prepared­content within our
online presence
w ww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/annual-report

The Fraunhofer LBF team would like to thank you for your trust andcollaboration over the past year. In 2023, the year of our 85th anniversary, we would be delighted to continue this relationship and develop
customized solutions for the challenges ahead of you.
You are most welcome to contact us and we look forward to collaboratingwith you.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Melz,
Institute Director

Current­members of theBoard of Trustees
Thank you very much!

Dr. Xenia Beyrich-Graf
BASF SE, Ludwigshafen
Dr. Matthias Decker
Audi AG, Ingolstadt
Dr. Mathias Glasmacher
Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG, Nuremberg
Dr. Martin Hillebrecht
EDAG Engineering GmbH
Prof. Dr. Tim Hosenfeldt
Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG,
Herzogenaurach
Ministerial councilor Dr. Ulrike Mattig
Hessian Ministry of Higher Education,
Research, Science and the Arts, Wiesbaden
Prof. Dr. Matthias Oechsner
Technical University of Darmstadt
Dr. Kurt Pötter
BMW Group, Munich
Rainer Salomon
Research Association for Steel Application(FOSTA), Düsseldorf
Florian Sprenger
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Weissach
Ministerial councilor (retired) Norbert
Michael Weber

Follow us

67

Insights

Fraunhofer LBF in numbers 2022

Fraunhofer LBF
in numbers 2022

269

  

51

29,2 million €Total budget

Academic examinations(promotions, master theses)

10,4 %
rest

8

Media coverages

70  Work in international expert
committees and panels

108

33,3 %
Economic income

New patents

20,0 %
EU

69,6 %
Germany

50
Lectures26,1 %
Public income

10,9 %
EU

Scientific publications
1,2 % Other income

89,1 %
Federal and state
governments

Personnel

In 2022 the institute had 362 employees. In addition
27 persons were employed by Research Group System
Reliability, Adaptive Structures, and Machine Acoustics
SAM at Technische Universität Darmstadt.

8

Economic income   

9.780

Public income

7.629

Other income

365

Internal programs

4.333

Institutional funding (Grufi)

7.179

Total

29.226

Status: April 2023

Operational budget 2022 [T €]9Digital Engineering

Digital Engineering

Using resources wisely for secure,stable and efficient processes

Digital Engineering

Industrial value creation is characterizedby ever shorter product life cycles and,at the same time, increasing productdiversity – sometimes with individually
tailored properties – as well as the distributed development, realization and use of
products. In addition, there are increasing
requirements for sustainability and resource
efficiency, as well as increased functio­nal
complexity of systems in different operating and usage scenarios.

Area of Expertise

The product development of the future is fast, efficient,flexible and digital. In Fraunhofer LBF, we develop innovative modeling and simulation solutions from productcreation and use to the end of life. In conjunction withnew cyber-physical methods and tools, it is also possible toimplement end-to-end validation of products and productfunctions at the component level throughout the development process. Increasingly scarce development capacities
can be utilized efficient by supplementing and replacing
specific experimental analyses, as well as through numerical methods and validation processes.

We develop the tools
to make your digitalproduct development
efficient.”

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/digital-engineering-en
Against this background, product development processes are coming under increasing pressure in terms of efficiency, costs
and flexibility, e.g. due to the reductionof available prototype systems or theincreasing need for early decision-making
and safeguarding processes to accompany

10development. Alternative development
tools and realistic digital models are there­
fore needed to ensure that the requirements for quality, safety and reliabilityof the products can still be met. The aim
here is to increase the predictive qualityof the actual component and systembehavior through suitable modeling insuch a way that, among other things,
the number of prototype systems can be
reduced and physical validations can besupplemented and optimized by virtual
analyses.
In the Digital Engineering area ofexpertise, researchers are developing
new methods and, where necessary,customized tools that aim to virtually map
development, safeguarding and validation processes. For instance, innovativemodeling and simulation solutions allow
for extended functional properties inplastic components and in mechanicalsystems to be considered in the early
design and realization process already. At
the same time, usage data from practice,production and operation are integrated
for validated modeling and simulation.
This allows influences, stresses or damage
at the material, component and overallsystem level to be realistically digitally
reproduced. In this way, the number ofpossible variants for the later realizationof a product can be reduced to a minimum at an early stage of the design anddevelopment process.

11Digital Engineering

DNAguss:
Multicriteria optimization of casting components
Optimizing castability, lightweight design, structural durability and validation
Fraunhofer LBF helps SMEs conduct rapid feasibility studies to assess new technologies.

Agile dynamic systems – AgiDyS
Rapidly adapting mechanical systems to meet changing requirements

Contact

Jan Hansmann+49 6151 705-8367
jan.hansmann@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
agidys-en

12

Fraunhofer project Generally,
when developing a technical system,
researchers have to ensure that any
vibrations that occur in that system do
not damage it, cause inefficiencies in
production processes or put people indanger. This is a particular challenge
in the case of systems with structural dynamic properties that change
during operation, for example, due
to shifting loads or varying projection
lengths of individual components.
Fraunhofer LBF is developing technologies that allow machines or theircomponents to adjust their ­structuraldynamic properties to changing
requirements.
These technologies include devices thatmake it possible to configure the trans­
lational or torsional stiffness of compo­
nents. If operators also need to configure
the damping of a component indepen­dently, this can be done through adjustable elastomers. Not only do all thesolutions allow for stepless adjustment,

but they are also scalable to a great extent(“mm to m”, “N to kN”) and very easy
to implement – no actuators or energy
supply required. These technologies weredeveloped by Fraunhofer LBF and canbe integrated into customer products orform the basis of new products for ourcustomers.
In our internal research project AgiDyS,
we are developing a largely automateddesign process to facilitate rapid feasibility
studies for SMEs; this process makes it
possible to quickly adapt the technologies
involved to different application scenarios.
This results in an efficient assessment of
the technology’s performance in a concrete use case, which is particularly helpful
for SMEs.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, VIBRATIONS,STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Future project In German, DNAgussdraws its name from the notion of
fully digital design of casting components along the entire process chain.
This research project is focused on
optimizing the development processof casting components, based on theexample of the material EN-GJS-40018-LT. The goal is to combine all thesoftware tools used during the construction process for casting components within one software chain, witha view to optimizing castability, lightweight design and non-destructive
testing while simultaneously ensuring
structural durability.
The development and design process
for casting components usually consistsof multiple steps in which diffe­rent
software solutions are used for a range
of issues and optimization stages.
The DNAguss team is taking an interdisciplinary approach, combining topology

and forming optimization, casting processsimulation, structural mechanics andstructural durability in order to optimize the lightweight design of casting
components.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/This sequence of interlinked softwaretools opens up entirely new possibilities
for the design of casting components.
By integrating all the software tools
used in the design process into a single
software chain, developers can optimize
castability, lightweight design, structural
durability and non-destruc­tive testing ofcomponents and adjust these parameters
to suit each other. This enables improved
structural design, reduced component
weight and lower manufacturing costs,
while simultaneously ensuring structural
durability.

dnaguss-en

Contact

Felix Reissner+49 6151 705-302

SOFTWARE CHAIN, LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN,

felix-christian.reissner@

OPTIMIZATION

lbf.fraunhofer.de

DNAguss Software Chain
Start

Lightweight
designintermediate
process

Manualconstruction

Boundary
conditions

FEM

Castability

Structural
durability

Testability

End

Service life
assessment

NDT
simulation

Optimized
component

Casting proc.
simulation

ManualsmoothingLocalmicrostructure

The DNAguss software chain
represents an innovative
approach to improving theTopology
optimization

Shape
optimization

lightweight design ­potential ofcast components.

13

Digital Engineering

Digital Engineering

Further information
onlineWhich way up? Direction-dependent material­properties in 3D printing
Project AddiSim focuses on the design of 3D-printed plastic components

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
addisim-en

Industry project If components are
structurally identical but printed witha different orientation in the build
chamber, they will have very different
mechanical properties. Understanding
this anisotropy (direction dependence)is an important factor in producing a
reliable simulation of a component.
In the project AddiSim, scientists at
Fraunhofer LBF studied the mechanicalproperties of SLS printed plastic components and developed a suitable simulation method for the given design.

Contact

Tamara van Roo+49 6151 705-8994
tamara.van.roo@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

14

ai-damage-analysis

Efficiently analyzing elastomer failure – with AI.

AI failure analysis of technical elastomers
Developing an automated detection process for elastomer failure

The quality of the simulations is tested
using validation components. This image

The AddiSim team developed a simplified
method for the structural simulation of
SLS-manufactured plastic components
based on their investigations of thecomponents’ mechanical properties.
Using this procedure, extensive resultson the behavior of the printed material
are determined based on differently
located and oriented specimens in thebuild chamber. The method generated at
Fraunhofer LBF includes important findings for the safe and lightweight dimensioning of SLS-­produced components.
Although most manufacturers of printed
components do not have fully equippedmechanical laboratories at their disposal,
they still are expected to develop reliable
lightwieght components. Fraunhofer LBF
can provide assistance here, based on
its experimental findings and simplified
design methodology.

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/shows a tensile test.

The new material modeling method wasdeveloped in the FEA program ANSYS
through parameterization of an orthotropic approach based on a linear elastic
initial deformation. A Hill yield criterion
describes the transition to the plastic
stage, which is modeled based on a
non-linear solidification curve. The print
direction is aligned with the FEA simulation grid via a local component coordinate
system.
3D PRINTING, SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING, TENSILE TESTING/MECHANICAL­INVESTIGATION, SIMULATION

Fraunhofer project Elastomer failureneeds to be detected quickly andeasily – but how? Due the variety of
failure patterns that occur on elastomer components, it is not always easy
to establish the exact cause of a failure.
In the internal Fraunhofer project,
AI Failure Analysis of Technical Elasto­
mers, researchers are exploring thepossibility of objectively analyzing
elastomer failures through artificial
intelligence. The resulting process willbe transferred to customer-specificapplications at a later stage.
The standard VDI 3822 can be used asa basis for analyzing component failure.
However, in this process, experience,expertise and the occurrence of similar
failure patterns with differing failurecauses can lead to a subjective assessment of the failure. In this project,
Fraunhofer researchers hope to automate
this time-consuming and cost-intensive
process and make it more objective. They
also hope to explore the conditions (i.e.,
input parameters, training data base,

extrapolation potential, etc.) that would
be required for practical implementation.

Contact

To begin with, the researchers are working on a process chain that covers every
step from image capturing to reliable
analysis of varying forms of component
damage; the chain will also include
additional material and process parameters. Once the detection, analysis andmatching of failure causes and failure
patterns are achieved successfully, theteam will conduct a detailed analysisof the model’s scope of application byvarying the component or type of failure.
In the process, they will study factors suchas the influence of scaling effects or the
position and shape of the damage, so thatthey can draw conclusions regarding any
generalization errors the model makes.
They will use these findings as a basis forinvestigating whether the process can betransferred to other use cases.

Franziska Kirsch+49 6151 705-8646
franziska.kirsch@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Riccardo Möller
+49 6151 705-408
riccardo.moeller@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

ELASTOMERS, FAILURE CAUSE, FAILUREANALYSIS, AI, MULTIPLE INPUT VARIABLES

15

Smart Solutions

Everything in view and everything under control
to increase technical availabilities

Smart
Solutions
Area of Expertise

In an environment in which value chains,­production flows, as well as materials andcomponents are being optimized as muchas possible, our researchers are developing
smart monitoring systems to prevent
damage, limit the need for maintenance andminimize unplanned failures. The targeted
influence of vibrational properties of struc­tures in mobile systems, machine learningand promising metamaterials play a majorrole here.
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/smart-solutions-en

16Intelligent sensor technology for the targeted collection and assessment of large amountsof data, increasing networking, function distribution and real-time, cross-system data
communication, as well as function enhancement and mechatronization, are all driversof digitization in modern products. Artificial intelligence and data-based services not only
enable process chains in production to be analyzed, simplified and optimized. In fact, theyalso allow for structural monitoring that is adapted to current environmental and operating
conditions, as well as actively influencing factors such as the vibration characteristics ofmachines and vehicles.

Innovative materials andAI-based solutions for intelligent
condition monitoringand noise control.”In the Smart Solutions area of expertise, scientists are researching and developing
hardware and software solutions, based, among other things, on digital engineeringmodeling approaches, for smart maintenance applications, for predicting and preventing unplanned machine and system failures, and for increasing technical availability.
Another topic is the targeted influencing of the vibration-related properties of structures in mobile systems such as vehicles and in machines and systems. In both cases,
machine learning methods are used for the advanced analysis of growing volumes ofdata, in conjunction with intelligent sensors and sensor networks, as well as integrated actuator technology. In this context, work with so-called metamaterials is goingeven further. These have high potential for the structurally-integrated influencing andadjustment of qualities such as acoustic or structural dynamic properties for the purpose of the reduction or alternative adjustment undesirable or harmful vibrations andsound radiation. The linking of methods established in relation to reliability as well as invibration and materials engineering with new data-driven, digital approaches that thework aims to achieve is moreover an important building block for the development andrealization of intelligent lightweight structures.

17

Smart Solutions

“By
Smart
partnering
Solutions
with­Altosens, we can develop
technology further andprovide even better support to our customers.”
William Kaal

HyMon: intelligent tanks forhydrogen vehicles

ff
o
n
i
p
S
Force sensors for monitoring bolt preload force.

Sensor-based condition monitoring for vehicular pressurized hydrogencontainers made from FRP

Technology transfer through a spin-off –Altosens GmbHhigh levels of stress. Containers madefrom fiber-reinforced plastics have far lessmass than metal tanks and can operate
at the same pressure. This makes theman attractive option for the mobility andtransportation sector. They are designed
for a service life of up to 20 years, at­operating pressures of 200 to 1,000 bar.

From sensor technology development to market-ready sensors

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/altosens-en

Contact

Dr. William Kaal
+49 6151 705-440
william.kaal@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Jan Hansmann+49 6151 705-8367
jan.hansmann@
lbf.fraunhofer.deHighlight project Dielectric elastomers are smart materials that can act
as actuators, sensors and generatorsand can be used in a highly varied
range of applications. DELTA-C® isa sensor technology based on thesematerials. Altosens GmbH was founded
as a spin-off with the vision to translate this technology into market-readyforce sensors and providing services
based on the technology.
The digital transformation, industry 4.0
and smart services are creating enormous
challenges for the industry sector. Machinelearning and artificial intelligence methods
are opening up new value creation oppor­
tunities based on data-driven businessmodels. One thing that all these applications and business models have in common
is that they use multiphysics sensor data.
In the internet of things (IoT), sensors areconnected to form networks, thus making
industrial systems even more complex.

To facilitate access to data without
additional effort, machine elements withintegrated sensors are being developed,
such as connecting elements or storage
facilities with an inbuilt measurement
functionality.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, DELTA-C , SPIN-OFF®

18

Johannes Käsgen
+49 6151 705-613
johannes.kaesgen@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Julia Decker

Automated metrological monitoring ofpressurized fiber-reinforced plastics
containers makes them safer.

The current managing director of Altosens
GmbH was convinced that the DELTA-C®
technology could be a success, so heapproached Fraunhofer LBF to discuss thepossibility of founding a start-up basedon it. The Fraunhofer programs CoLaband AHEAD supported the team on thejourney from the initial idea to actually founding the start-up. CoLab brings
Fraunhofer technologies and researchers
together with existing start-ups and external entrepreneurs interested in founding
a company. Meanwhile, the AHEAD incubator program supports start-ups over thecourse of their journey from formulating
the idea to founding the company.

Contact

Future project Fraunhofer researchers have developed technologies forautomated condition monitoring in
high-pressure storage systems. These
technologies can distinguish between
critical and non-critical events during
operation, meaning that simply
replacing the containers at scheduledintervals is no longer necessary. This
reduces the costs involved without
impacting safety. As such, this development may help fulfill yet more of
the requirements for establishinghydrogen technologies on a broad
scale.
Pressurized containers for storing gaseous
fuels are a core element of H2 propulsion
systems for motor vehicles; however, as
safety components, they are also under

At present, containers in automotive
applications have to undergo a visualinspection every two years. However, thisa purely external assessment does notallow the inspector to come to any conclusions regarding the internal state of the
thick, fiber-reinforced composite material.
If pressurized containers had a built-in
structural monitoring system based onsuitable sensors and analysis electronics,
structural health monitoring data (SHM
data) could be used to make the assessment more objective. In the future, asystem like this could enable continuous
monitoring in H2 fuel cell vehicles(H2 FCEV). Going forward, in addition
to supporting repairs and servicing, SHM
data may also be used to help suggest­targeted measures for safe vehicle recovery during rescue missions in the eventof vehicular accidents or misuse.

+49 6151 705-491
julia.decker@
lbf.fraunhofer.defunded by:

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
hymon-en

HYDROGEN, H2, TANKS, PRESSURIZED­CONTAINERS, FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC,FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE

19

Smart Solutions

Smart Solutions

Noise-insulating walls with vibroacoustic metamaterials
The “Meerwind Süd/Ost” wind farm operated by WindMW GmbH.

More peace and quiet for people and animals

InsituWIND – structural monitoring at offshore
wind farms
Combining radar and reference sensors to detect failures

Contact

Matthias Schmidt+49 6151 705-452
matthias.schmidt@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Dr. Dirk Bergmannshoff+49 6151 705-364
dirk.bergmannshoff@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlineFuture project Expanding windenergy and reliably feeding renewableenergy into the electricity grid are
indispensable factors for the energy
transition. In project InsituWIND,
researchers are developing combined
methods for structural monitoring of
the grouting in turbines at offshore
wind farms, to increase the safety anddurability of this element. The team’s
solution is a groundbreaking combination of radar and reference sensor
technologies, which can automatically
identify grouting failures that werepreviously impossible to detect.
Grouting structures in offshore windfarms are exposed to harsh weather
conditions and high dynamic loads caused
by wind and waves. This can lead to wear
and failures, which reduces the turbines’
service lives.

offshore wind turbine in the “Meerwind
Süd/Ost” wind park over a number ofyears. These parameters will be taken
into account in the analysis algorithms. At
the same time, researchers at Fraunhofer
LBF are conducting laboratory tests on
the grouting’s properties under definedloads and without any environmental
factors. In these tests, the team applies
axial and radial forces to the grouting bymeans of three hydraulic cylinders, so thatthe grouting is subjected to a sequenceof loads until it finally fails. The experimentation also includes dynamic testing
using an electrodynamic shaker, which isapplied at certain defined points in theload sequence. In this way, the referenced
radar technology can track the failure
mechanisms even as they occur and analyze their impact on structural dynamics
and integrity.
STRUCTURAL MONITORING, WIND FARMS,

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/insituwind-en

20

In this project, the novel radar and reference sensor technology is being used to
conduct extensive, direct qualitative andquantitative analyses of a wide range ofreal influencing factors (environmental
and operating conditions) for a 3.6 MW

RADAR STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING,
WIND TURBINES, RADAR

Industry project ASFINAG, the Austrian public corporation that manages
the country’s highways, has commissioned Fraunhofer LBF to develop a
prototype of a noise-insulating wall
based on vibroacoustic metamaterials(VAMM). Vibroacoustic metamaterials
are a novel technology for dampening
vibrations and noise. By adding vibroacoustic metamaterials to a sectionof an acrylic noise-insulating wall,scientists achieved a significant reduction in the transmission of the typicalfrequency range for road traffic noise.

Measurements conducted at Fraunhofer
LBF’s acoustics laboratory have shownthat the VAMM principle can reducetransmission through the noise-insulatingwall much more effectively than othermeasures, such as doubling the wall’s
thickness. VAMMs can also be used forabsorbent noise-insulating walls in cassette construction or wooden noise-insulating walls. The VAMM technology could
also offer benefits for other sectors.

To identify innovative solutions for noise
insulation on autobahns, ASFiNAG andthe IÖB (the Austrian public procurement
body for promoting innovation) launched
a competition calling for technologies for
reducing autobahn and highway noise.
Fraunhofer LBF won out over the manyother submissions with its solution forimproving the transmission properties ofnoise-insulating walls using vibroacoustic
metamaterials.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/noise-control

Contact

Sebastian Rieß+49 6151 705-378
sebastian.riess@lbf.fraunhofer.de

The institute went on to conduct a joint
research and development project withASFiNAG, whereby an acrylic noise-insulating wall was equipped with a resonator array so that its sound transmission
properties could be investigated. For the
resonators, the team used 3D-printed
plastic membrane resonators with a steel
cylinder inside to serve as a mass element.

Developing a noise-insulating wall withvibroacoustic metamaterials.

NOISE INSULATION, VIBROACOUSTIC­METAMATERIALS, SOUNDPROOFING

21

Reliability Design

Achieving more with less in terms of complexity,
stability and reliability

Reliability
DesignArea of Expertise
Reliable functioning has always been a key
requirement for products. We continuously
develop new methods and tools for the
reliable design of materials, components
and systems. The research and development
activities in this area of expertise are aimed
at understanding and describing all phasesof product development, use and applica­tion along with their interactions, in an
increasingly comprehensive manner, so thatvalidation and assurance processes can becontinuously moved forward into the early
design process.
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/reliability-design-en

22Ever lighter material solutions and structures on the one hand and ever more complex
products and systems on the other are shaping product development in many industrial
sectors. At the same time, however, the requirements regarding the reliability of such
systems are increasing. After all, malfunctions and failures in this context can quickly
have critical economic, ecological or health effects.

Our research makes reliable
products possible byusing reliable processes.”
The Reliability Design area of expertise represents a key scientific focus of Fraunhofer
LBF. This is not just a matter of ensuring the service life of materials, components andproducts. Rather, the research and development activities in this area of expertise are
aimed at understanding and describing all phases of product development, use andapplication along with their interactions, in an increasingly comprehensive manner, sothat validation and assurance processes can be continuously moved forward into theearly design process. In the spirit of “design to reliability”, digital engineering solutions
are linked with new design and simulation methods. Based on realistic application data
in relation to typical mechanical, climatic, electrical and combined multiphysical loads,
tools and processes are being developed that take into account the reliable design ofstructures as early as the design stage. In this way, “safety margins”, which, in manycases, are still common today, can be reduced further and further in the future while
maintaining or increasing the reliability of materials, components and products, thus
enabling modern solutions that push the limits of what is feasible.

23Reliability Design

The new laboratory facilities were obtained as part of the European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF) program, Smart Lab for Future Mobility Chassis
Systems – SmartLab4Chassis, in conjunction with the Hessian Ministry ofHigher Education, Research, ­Science and the Arts and Hesse WIBank.

New

s
e
i
t
i
l
i
c
a
ry f
o
t
a
r
o
lab

SmartLab4Chassis – Smart Lab for Future Mobility
Chassis Systems
Investigating chassis systems in current and future vehicle designs

Future project The European automotive industry is changing. The
integration of electronic components
and expansion of electromobility
is making vehicles highly complex
and – largely due to the high mass ofhigh-voltage energy storage systems –increasingly heavy. This means thattraditional processes for testing structural durability are no longer suitable
for reliable development of such vehicles, nor for validating a service lifeof at least 15 years or 300,000 km.
In addition, the future customer
requirements will give rise to entirely
new vehicle and chassis types.
At its Kranichstein location, Fraunhofer
LBF has established a smart lab for thedevelopment, functional verificationand validation of the frame and chassis
systems that will be used in future vehicles
with alternative propulsion systems. As
an expertise and application center, theSmart Lab for Future Mobility Chassis
Systems aims to promote faster transfer
of research findings into industrial application, and to make a substantial contribution to the development of low-emission
mobility vehicles.

Lab facility for validating active suspension/damper systems and air suspension systems.
funded by:24

When combined with the vehicle roadsimulator, which has been operating
successfully since 2012, this constitutes
a cutting-edge laboratory environment
for simulating operating loads in complex

assemblies and systems. Specifically, theteam behind the smart lab has procured
and put into operation a road simulator
for vehicles weighing up to a maximum
allowable weight of 4.5 tons, and a servohydraulic laboratory facility for active
suspension/damper and air suspension
systems with the capacity to superimpose
a simulated environment (temperature,humidity). Real-time hardware is available
that allows both systems to be controlled“in the loop” to test out new control
requirements, or model the behavior of an
entire system, for example.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/smartlab4chassis-en

Contact

Marc Wallmichrath+49 6151 705-467
marc.wallmichrath@lbf.fraunhofer.deRoad simulator for validating entire­vehicle frames.

VEHICLE FRAME, AIR SUSPENSION, ACTIVE
DAMPERS, STRUCTURAL DURABILITY­VERIFICATION, FUNCTIONAL VERIFICATION,
HIL

25

Reliability Design

Reliability Design

Sports car prototype:
Endurance test in Darmstadt laboratory

Plastics all charged up

Chassis testing in new multi-axle testing environment

Materials for electrifying and decarbonizing the economy

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/sportscar-prototypContact

Martin ­Große-Hovest+49 6151 705-483
martin.grosse-hovest@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Industry project Road vehicles mustbe guaranteed to operate safely andreliably. Their chassis in particular
are under close investigation during
the development phase to ensure
the safety of the vehicle’s occupants
throughout its entire useful life.
Experiments are carried out in thelaboratory or during a test run toprovide conclusive evidence of structural durability.
This method for ensuring structural durability is also used for sports and racingcars, which are subjected to considerably
higher and more frequent lateral andlongitudinal acceleration than normal
passenger cars. Fraunhofer LBF has carriedout a structural durability test on the chassis, monocoque, and other safety-related
structural components of the Porsche
963 sports car prototype for the Motor
Sports Department at Porsche AG. The
racing car’s 4.6-liter V8 bi-turbo engine
can run on renewable fuels and is able
to reach a system performance level ofaround 680 hp with a maximum speed ofabout 340 km/h. Fraunhofer LBF worked
closely with those responsible for structural durability at Porsche’s Motor Sports
Department (Mr. Rieser) and for operating
the chassis test benches at Porsche AG(Mr. Ruder).

Fast and efficient verdict on­structural durability
Sophisticated laboratory technology was
required to simulate the forces exerted
during operation on a one-to-one basis
in the laboratory. This facility is offered by
the new 12-channel axle test bench used
at Fraunhofer LBF. It was acquired as partof the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF) “Smart Lab for Future Mobility Chassis Systems – SmartLab-4Chassis”
initiative, and has been designed withtesting powerful and electrified vehicle
concepts in mind.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/plastics-under-electricity

Measuring cell for measuring volume

While with some applications, such as thematerial on the reverse side of solar cells,
it is vitally important to have a very small
amount of electrical conductivity to help
prevent current leaks and long-term corrosion, this can cause problems in othercases, e.g., due to electrostatic discharge.
Occasionally, good electrical conductivity
is required, for instance, for bipolar plates
in fuel cells or conductive textile fibers.
Flexible and efficient: New “SmartLab4Chassis” laboratory technology.
CHASSIS, STRUCTURAL DURABILITY
TEST, SERVO-HYDRAULIC LAB EQUIPMENT,OPERATING LOADS

funded by:26

Industry project It is impossible toimagine the electrical and electronics
sectors without the use of plastics.
Their easy malleability and outstanding insulation properties have absolutely revolutionized these sectors. For
instance, elastomers are used in cableinsulation, thermoplastics in housingsor equipment cabinets, along withthermoset polymers in circuit board
materials or high-voltage insulators.
It is vital in every case to describe
the plastic or compound in termsof its electrical properties to ensurethat it can be used in the relevant
application.

With the wide range of applications,materials and shapes of components
involved (plates, tubes, coatings, etc.),
adapted measurement and description
methods are often required. The scientists
at Fraunhofer LBF apply their extensive
expertise in a host of projects that involve

conductivity and surface conductivity ofplastic films and plates.

both adapting and developing methods
for characterizing electrical properties,
such as electric strength, surface conductivity or permittivity of elastomers,
thermoplastics, and thermoset polymers.
Fraunhofer LBF has a comprehensive
range of state-of-the-art laboratory
equipment available for these projects.
Researchers are also developing specificmeasurement devices for customers.

Contact

Dr. Dirk Lellinger+49 6151 705-8667
dirk.lellinger@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

SUSTAINABILITY, ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT,EFFICIENT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

27

The latest information is ­available
on the High-­Performance Center’s
website: ww.leistungszentrum­w
wasserstoff-hessen.de/en.html

ogy
l
o
n
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te
FutureenHydrog
Green
Mat 4 H2
Leistungszentrum

Contact

Dr. Saskia Biehl+49 6151 705-282
saskia.biehl@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/greenmat4h2-en

High-performance center GreenMat4H2

Plastics in hydrogen applications

Hydrogen (H2) is a hot topic

Innovative design, safe design, reliable testing

Future project Hydrogen is thefirst element on the periodic table,
meaning that it is also the smallest,with a radius of around 25 pm. It has
one proton, contained in its nucleus,
and one electron. In its aggregate
state, it is gaseous and highly reactive.
Hydrogen is of increasing importanceto society, industry and politics, as it
represents a future energy carrier thatis seen as an important stepping stone
toward achieving the Paris climate
goals. As an energy carrier that issustainable and can be used flexibly,hydrogen will be capable of replacing
fossil fuels in the future.
For some years, Fraunhofer LBF has been
researching topics related to reliability
engineering in materials and componentsthat come into contact with hydrogen. We
are currently working with partners at theGreenMat4H2 high-performance center,
which has set itself the goal of driving
technologies for generating, storing andtransporting and utilizing hydrogen in
the widest possible range of applications.
With this in mind, Fraunhofer IWKS and
LBF are further developing their rangeof technologies in the areas of fatigue,
system reliability, special testing technologies, analytics, numerical and experimental simulation, material development andrecycling, and component optimization,with the aim of working with partners
from research and industry to ensure safer
application of these future technologies.
To encourage dialogue between thepartners, the high-performance centerhas also hosted regular H2 meet-ups since2022. These meet-ups involve inspiring
talks, technology presentations and tours,
all aimed at intensifying expert dialogue
and, in particular, fostering new regional
partnerships.
HYDROGEN, RELIABILITY, MATERIALS

Future project Hydrogen and its
associated technologies play a sig­ni­ficant role in achieving decarboni­
zation goals and securing energy
supplies. The reliability of materials
in corresponding systems is crucial
to their implementation. Research at
Fraunhofer LBF focuses not only on
metals, but also on materials madefrom plastics.
Plastics are a key factor in the designof sustainable, weight-optimized lightweight structures. They are used in
housings and bipolar plates for fuel cells,
in pressure tanks, and in component seals
or pipelines. In the future, a multitude
of existing plastic-based systems will be
used in the hydrogen field (e.g., in thenatural gas network). For the majorityof these materials, however, only a very
limited amount of knowledge is available
regarding their behavior in the hydrogencontext, particularly in the long term. The
primary focus here is on influences on
their mechanical properties, chemical andphysical aging, sorption or diffusion characteristics, and swelling properties during
media absorption.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/hydrogen-applications

At Fraunhofer LBF, in the course of ourwork on publicly funded research andbilateral customer projects, our unique
combination of interdisciplinary expertisein the areas of materials development,
analytics, materials testing and design
methods allows us to devise solutions forreliable plastic components for hydrogentechnologies. Structural simulations allow
researchers to incorporate these results
when developing methods for component
design.

Contact

Dr. Felix Dillenberger+49 6151 705-8753

HYDROGEN, PLASTICS, MATERIAL

felix.dillenberger@

VALIDATION

lbf.fraunhofer.de

DEVELOPMENT* These activities are embedded in the hydrogen high-performance center GreenMat4H2.

28

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Reliability Design

Model for testing service life under combined
mechanical and hydraulic stress conditions
The improved formula reduces oxidation of the cable formulation as a result of weathering, increasing long-term
stability.

Analysis of the interactions between additives
and fillers using the example of flame-retardant
cable sheaths
Contact

Dr. Michael Großhauser+49 6151 705-8757
michael.grosshauser@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/nanoflame-en

Industry project Plastics used in cablesheaths must meet high requirements
over a long period. The properties
that are required, like flame retardancy, are specifically adjusted using
additives. As a result of standard
EN 50575:2017 coming into force, themore stringent fire requirements canonly be met by adding phyllosilicatesdepending on the composition of thecable formulation. However, doing sowould significantly reduce the cablesheath’s long-term stability, an issue
that the researchers at Fraunhofer LBF
have taken a closer look at as part of
the “NanoFlame” project.
The cable sheaths being analyzed aremade not only from the polymers polyethylene (PE) and ethylene-vinyl acetate(EVA), but also from a high proportionof the filler aluminum trihydrate (ATH)
and nano-scale phyllosilicates that havebeen modified with an intermediate layer.

Various additives, such as antioxidants
and compatibilizers are used to complete
these formulations. The project identified
additive-filler interactions that are responsible for the lack of sufficient long-term
stability. The damage analysis was carriedout using ATR-IR spectroscopy, with thedata being evaluated using non-negative
matrix factorization (NMF).
A method was also developed to allow
failure behavior under the influencing
factors mentioned to be recognized at an
early stage. This can be incorporated into
the development of new materials which
need to be both flame-retardant andpossess suitable long-term properties. The
new tool can be used to accelerate thedevelopment of cable sheath formulations
and can be adapted to other systems.
ADDITIVES, RECYCLING, FLAME RETARDANCYInvestigating service life in elastomer components

Industry project When investigating
component service life, the value of atest is determined by its ability to realistically simulate all relevant stresses
under real-life operating conditions.
Pump components are subject to bothmechanical and hydraulic stresses.
The local elongation maxima of therespective elastomer components are
established by superposing both typesof stress. These elongation maxima
play a crucial role in determining
service life. Synchronous applicationof both stresses serves to establish service life and improve product quality.

mechanical-hydraulic stresses that involves
media separation. The central elementin this approach is the use of a flat
membrane for the separation. This newexperimental assembly allows realistic
operating load signals to be applied toelastomer pump components in orderto verify service life. The experimental­assembly enables the transfer of comparable load mechanisms from the field into
the laboratory environment, thus improving product quality.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/evaluation-concept

Contact
ELASTOMERS, WÖHLER EXPERIMENTS,MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC LOADS
Riccardo Möller

Pressure transducers can be used to great
effect to generate hydraulic stresses oncomponents. These typically use hydraulic oil as a medium for directing stresses
and building pressure. Elastomer components should only come into contact withmedia actually used during operation,or other media that are compatible withthe former. Unless explicitly intended,direct contact with hydraulic oils must be
prevented. As such, particular attention
must be paid to hydraulic oils’ excellent
lubrication properties when it comes togenerating pressure to prevent wear inpiston cylinder pairs and the elastomer
samples compatibility with the media.

+49 6151 705-408
Experimental service life verification

riccardo.moeller@­methods at Fraunhofer LBF bringlbf.fraunhofer.de

improved product quality.

Fraunhofer LBF and Robert Bosch GmbHhave taken an approach to applying

30

31

Reliability Design

Exploiting the potential of high-strength wrought aluminum alloys in lightweight design

You can find more
information online

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/

Repair welding of spheroidal graphite cast ironallegro-en

Cross-section of a laser-welded seam in EN AW-7075 metal sheet with a superimposed
finite element mesh.

Contact

Dr. Steffen Schönborn+49 6151 705-656
steffen.schoenborn@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Dr. Christoph Bleicher+49 6151 705-8359
christoph.bleicher@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
nodularweld-en

32

Future project Components madefrom spheroidal graphite cast iron
(GJS) are used in many areas ofmechanical and plant engineering, as
well as automotive and energy technologies. The casting process allows
for freedom of design, high durability
and manufacturing of larger components. Very large, high-mass components that are put under high levelsof stress have to fulfill special requirements in terms of fatigue strengthand rupture safety. In addition, calls
to increase power-to-weight ratios
and reduce weight are bringing more
complexity to the manufacturing
process. This increases the likelihoodof mold filling and shrinkage faults,
as well as structural irregularities.
New repair processes such as repair
welding are set to help avoid thehigh costs associated with eliminating
and recasting faulty large-scale castcomponents.
In the nodularWeld research project,
Fraunhofer experts have been investigating both the welding process and how it
affects the fatigue strength of three different cast iron alloys that are commonlyused in the large-scale casting industry. A
comparison of the S-N curves shows thatwelding reduces fatigue strength, particularly in the high-cycle fatigue range, andtherefore decreases load-bearing capacity.

In addition, the test results have a larger
scatter and the allowable nominal
stress amplitude of materials such as
EN-GJS-400-18LT, for example, is reduced
by around 38 percent under alternatingload conditions and for a service life of
5 ∙ 106 cycles. This must be taken into
account when estimating the service lifeof a potential repair weld, in order toensure the components reliability. This
process is particularly suitable for repairing
material sections of the cast componentsthat experience lower amounts of stress.
WELDING, CAST IRON, SPHEROIDAL­GRAPHITE, FATIGUE STRENGTH­

Fracture pattern showing typical failure in
the area of the weld seam due to defects,
as-welded, integral probe A-10, base­material EN-GJS-400-18-LT.

Exploiting the potential of high-strength
wrought aluminum alloys in lightweight
designAssessment of unconventional process technologies for wrought aluminumalloys in the 7xxx series
Future project The demand forincreased ranges of electric vehicles
makes it necessary to further exploit
the potential of lightweight materials.
Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys of the 7xxx series
exhibit high lightweight potential dueto their high static strengths at low
mass density. Due to the challengesof forming and joining these alloys,
process-related fatigue strength
assumes a key role for their future use
in lightweight design applications.
In the LOEWE focus area “ALLEGRO”,
forming and welding processes weredeveloped to realize high-quality joints
consisting of the high-strength alloy EN
AW-7075. In this process, the Fraunhofer LBF carried out fatigue strength
investigations using specially developed
electro-mechanical and piezo-actuator small-load test rigs. These enableenergy-efficient tests on miniaturized
and locally removed specimens with aminimum length of 35 mm.

Through “reverse engineering” andbased on 3D laser scans as well as
metallographic cross-sections of thejoining area, finite element models
were created. The alloy EN AW-7075
is considered to be weldable only to alimited extent. According to the current state of research, dissimilar joints
with additively manufactured structures often lead to defects in the joining area. Nevertheless, it was possible
to demonstrate a fatigue strength
in a range of welded 5xxx and 6xxx
wrought aluminum alloys on the basisof the local notch stress approach forbutt-welded and overlapping magnetic pulse welded joints with additively
manufactured AlSi10Mg.

ContactAndre Jöckel
+49 6151 705-652
andre.joeckel@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Dr. Benjamin Möller
+49 6151 705-8443
benjamin.moeller@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

PROCESS-RELATED STRUCTURAL
DURABILITY, FATIGUE LIFE APPROACHES,CYCLIC MATERIAL BEHAVIOR

33

Circular Economy

Circular Economy

We develop sustainable,
recyclable and bio-based
plastic solutions for agreen future!”
Circular Economy
Area of Expertise
Plastic materials have a large amount of untapped potential applications. We are intensively working on solutions for resource-efficient,sustainable and bio-based plastics so that they can be used in an environmentally friendly way. Our particular strength is profound expertisein the additivation of plastics in order to adapt highly-specific material
properties. Thus, biopolymers made from renewable raw materials canalso be adjusted and upgraded for demanding technical applications interms of their service life, degradation or performance. On the other
hand, innovative additive systems allow for enhanced processability andimproved end properties for recycled material.

Renewable and upcyclable raw
materials also for demanding
technical applications
Plastics are an integral part of our every­
day lives. They offer the widest range ofoptions in material technology solutions
for a large number of applications. A wide
range of properties can be imprinted in atarge­ted manner: Foodstuffs are hygieni­
cally packaged in a safe and durable way
using plastics. As insulating and sealingmaterials with special fire protection
properties, they are a modern building
material. As engineering plastics, they offer
effective and efficient functional featuresand lightweight design potential in primaryand secondary components – often being
shaped in a highly complex manner withdefined insulating, vibration damping,sensory or actuator functions.
Yet while their extraordinarily positive technical properties cannot be denied, plastics
are increasingly the subject of critical
discussion. They are emblematic of modern
environmental problems, in the formof microplastics or the pollution of theoceans, which we help to reduce throughour research work.

In the Circular Economy area of expertise,
Fraunhofer LBF scientists are working onsustainable, durable and environmentallycompatible plastics solutions, from themolecule, formulation and chemical-physi­
cal characterization to synthesis and validation, from use to the “end of life” andrecycling – thereby transforming linear
processes into circular ones. The particularstrength of LBF is the profound expertisein additivation of plastics in order to adapt
highly-specific material properties. Thus,
biopolymers made from renewable
raw materials can also be adjusted andupgraded for demanding technicalapplications in terms of their service life,
degradation or performance.
Beyond that, innovative additive systems
allow for enhanced processability andimproved end properties for recycledmaterial. Additive systems can significantly
expand the possibilities for material recycling of conventional polymers in terms ofupcycling. Another field of research involves the development of bioadditives as
substitutes for commercial systems which,in terms of quality and performance, achieve
comparable properties to conventional
additives and in some cases significantly
surpass them, e.g. for the weather resistance or flame retardancy of polymers.

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/circular-economy-en34

35

Circular Economy

Circular Economy

Circular reusable transport solution with integrated
air padding
Sorted and washed post-

Sustainable transportation using an adaptable mono-material concept for B2B and B2C

consumer polyethylene waste
broken down into flakes.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/reusable-transportbox

Fraunhofer project Packaging materials are becoming increasingly scarceand are often not environmentallyfriendly. Conventional transportation
packaging is designed to be disposed
after a single use, and is often madefrom corrugated cardboard. At Fraunhofer LBF, researchers have collaborated with Berges GbR to develop
an alternative solution to single-use
packaging and submitted a patentapplication. This fully recyclable, reusable transportation solution for fragile goods protects the environment
and enables companies to improvetheir carbon footprint.

Contact

Dr. Christian Schütz+49 6151 705-8805
christian.schuetz@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
innovative-transportbox@
lbf.fraunhofer.deUpcycling also makes sustainable­packaging viable for end users.

Padding and filler materials are often
used to protect goods during transportation; from a purely financial perspective,these materials are currently not worth
recycling.

There is considerable potential here for
improving sustainability, and this is going
untapped.
The fully recyclable, reusable transportation box developed by Berges incollaboration with Fraunhofer LBF offers
an alternative solution (registered utility
model DE202017106455). To contributeto circular value creation, all the box’s
components are made from the sameclass of plastic.

Functional, flexibly adaptable
and individually adjustable
The box contains a reversible inflatable
air cushion that can be wrapped aroundthe packaged goods, providing a highdegree of protection during transportation. Once the air is let out, the cushion
can be folded up. The transportation box
can be adapted for specific mechanicalstresses, refrigerated transportation and
ESD equipment for electronics. Regulatory
requirements can also be accounted for.
It could also be possible to use sensors to
track the box and monitor its status, or fit
it with a secure locking system.
The box’s individual components are commercially available, which means the wholesystem can quickly be adapted according
to the needs of the respective end user.

Recyclate analytics: developing a modern­analytics process for post-consumer waste
Analyzing sorted PE and PP waste

Industry project Plastic products
from recycled materials are becoming
ever more important commercially,and support the circular economy.
Fraunhofer LBF has created a cuttingedge, high-performance analytics
system for sorted post-consumer
PE and PP waste. The system allows
the sorted objects to be characterized in detail, providing information
on whether they contain foreign
polymers, additives, volatile organic
compounds (VOC) and metallic impurities. This information is essential forevaluating material properties that
may affect their possible applications.
This opens up new possibilities fordeveloping innovative recyclates in atargeted way.

Plastics get a second chance at life
After polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)are the most common commercially usedplastics with the widest range of possible
applications. A key challenge in developing plastic recyclates from this material
flow lies in analyzing the different chemical compositions of the sorted PE and PP
waste in detail and finding a representative way of displaying the analysis results
for the entire waste load. For this reason,
Fraunhofer LBF researchers are developing
customized sampling and preparation
processes that take statistics into accountso as to ensure optimal representation.
This analytical range is suitable for a broad
spectrum of waste streams. As theseprocesses cover the analysis of non-polymer impurities, they also address regulatory concerns and issues in processing.
This opens up new material and processdevelopment opportunities for recyclatedevelopers and processors.

Contact

Dr. Frank Malz+49 6151 705-8763
frank.malz@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Dr. Robert Brüll+49 6151 705-8639
robert.bruell@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
recyclates-analytics

CIRCULAR ECONOMY, RECYCLATES,ANALYTICS

CIRCULAR ECONOMY, REUSABLE TRANS­PORTATION SOLUTION, MATERIAL RECYCLING

36

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Circular Economy

Circular Economy

Plastic additives make a significant contribution to
improving the quality of recycled materials
Improved management of fluctuating material flows.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/plastic-additives

Contact

Dr. Elke Metzsch-Zilligen+49 6151 705-8609
elke.metzsch-zilligen@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Using the right additives
produces flawless film.

38

Future project Post-consumer plastic
generally cannot be recycled in theform that it had at the time of production or collection. It will usually
be sorted (where necessary), cleaned
and reprocessed. The plastic mustbe treated with special additives inpost-stabilization in order for therecycled material to meet the levelof quality required for the specificapplication and be stable enough forprocessing and long-term use. Stabi­
lizers, compatibilizers and reactive
additives can enable recycled materials to reach comparable properties tovirgin materials.
Although stabilizer residue from the plastic’s first use can help with the recycling
process and further stabilizing the recycled material, it is generally insufficient,
especially if the post-consumer plastic wasoriginally used for a short-term application (e.g., packaging) and it is intended
for long-term application in its new form.
The post-stabilization of recycled materials

using suitable additives is an essential step
toward improving the quality of recycledmaterials. The stabilizers used can protect
the recycled material from further oxidative and/or photo-oxidative damage, justas with virgin material.

PET secondary materials from different
post-consumer sources

Additive formula improves film
made from recycled plastic film

Influence of the characteristics and formulation of recycled materials on material properties

At Fraunhofer LBF, researchers have succeeded in carrying out post-stabilization
on polyethylene films, which can now be
produced from recycled film materials.
For these films to be reliable and durable,
flaws cannot occur during the manufacturing process. By treating the material
with a suitable additive formula, theresearchers have significantly improved
the film’s quality. They have also madethe production process more efficient andcost-effective.
ADDITIVES, MATERIAL RECYCLING,CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Future project Fraunhofer LBF has
collaborated with EASICOMP GmbHto lay the foundations for producing
long glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) from post-consumer
recycled materials outside of theconventional bottle recycling cycle
based on polyethylene terephthalate(PET). Identifying suitable material
flows presented a significant challenge for the researchers; what’smore, the flows in question fluctuate
more intensively in terms of material
composition, aging and delivery form
when compared to virgin plastics or
PET from bottles.
In the UpcyclePET project, a new LFT
material has been developed based on
used PET drinks bottles. In UpcyclePETPlus, the research team worked to develop
secondary raw material sources thatcannot yet be used in high-quality recycling processes. They are planning obtainto new sources of post-consumer raw
materials for the LFT material from PET

tray fractions from household recycling
collections and PET from commercial andindustrial waste flows. To identify themost suitable additive strategy for therespective material flow, the researchers
need to know the exact composition of
input material flow, and must identify andevaluate critical contaminants. They canthen determine the type and content ofsuitable additives and adapt the formula.
The LFTs that the Fraunhofer researchers
were able to develop from the new material flows have comparable properties tothose developed in a previous project. In
comparison to LFTs based on PET bottles,
which, according to the life cycle assessment by the Öko-Institut, produce 5.1 CO2equivalent/kg, the new LFT has a reduced
CO2 footprint of 3.8 – 4.4 CO2 equivalent/kg.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/upcyclepetplus-en

Contact

Dr. Frank Schönberger+49 6151 705-8705
frank.schoenberger@

PLASTIC ADDITIVES, UPCYCLING, SUSTAIN-

lbf.fraunhofer.de

ABILITY, SECONDARY RAW MATERIALS
Shilpa Khare+49 6151 705-8739
shilpa.khare@
lbf.fraunhofer.de39

Lightweight Design

More efficiency for commerciallysuccessful products thanks ­to lightweight technology

Lightweight
DesignLightweighting has long since ceased to
be a “technical niche solution” for aircraft
and innovative sports vehicles. Rather,affordable lightweight solutions for thebest possible mass and energy efficiency inall mobile systems – such as in the production and operation of products – are key

is possible even further. This is based on
holistic knowledge at the level of materials, components and system technologies.
In addition, methods of material construction as well as those of constructive andsystemic lightweight design are combined.
Fraunhofer LBF pools its expertise in the
research areas of plastics, structural durability and smart structures and develops
novel solutions from function-integrated,
intelligent lightweight design, always

Area of Expertise

Lightweight design is one of the mostimportant cross-sectional technologies of the
future. With our research, we are consciously
pushing the boundaries of what is possible
ever further and developing particularly
lightweight structural solutions. This is basedon holistic knowledge at the level of materials, components and systems technology.
We pool our expertise in the research areasof plastics, structural durability and smart
structures and develops novel solutions
from function-integrated, intelligent lightweight design, always taking into accountthe reliability, sustainability and affordabilityof the technical product solution.
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
lightweight-design-en

With our research, we arepushing the boundaries of what is
possible and developing r­ adicallylightweight, property optimized ­structural solutions.”
to achieving climate policy goals in vehicle
manufacturing, mechanical and plantengineering, energy and the constructionindustry. Without lightweight design,
the possibility of commercially successful
products, such as those in electromobility, would become less and less, perhaps
rendering them impossible. What is more,
successful, safe lightweight design requires
comprehensive expertise in reliability andstructural durability.
In the Lightweight Design area ofexpertise, LBF is pushing the limits of what40

taking into account the reliability, sustainability and affordability of the technicalproduct solution. Scientists conduct
interdisciplinary research and develop
solutions, for example, for functionalizedpolymers, functionally integrated fiber
composite systems, mono and multi-material systems, numeric al and experimental methods of reliability and durability
assessment of lightweight solutions,and the use of integrated sensors andactuators for the monitoring and property
optimization of structures.

41

Lightweight Design

MetaVib – Vibro-acoustic metamaterials
for reducing noise and vibration
New potential lightweight structure for vehicles and machines
SMEs benefit from new methodology developed by Fraunhofer LBF

Optimizing dynamically loaded lightweight structures

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/duradyn-en

Research project Every branch ofmachinery and plant engineeringand the mobility sectors are seeing a
growth in requirements in terms ofthe vibration behavior of components
and structures. At the same time,
products need to be made as lightweight as possible, while still guaranteeing a sufficiently long service
life. The tasks of optimizing structuraldynamics, on the one hand, andassessing service life, on the other,are generally considered separately.
As part of the “DyraDyn” research
project, Fraunhofer LBF is developinga methodology for digitally optimizing lightweight structures, while
taking structural dynamics and service
life into account. This should benefit
medium-sized companies in particular.

Contact

Dr. William Kaal
+49 6151 705-440
william.kaal@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

42

expanded by taking into account modal
stresses at critical points, resulting in a
service life assessment.
The methods applied for optimizing
dynamic systems with passive and active
measures, such as using reinforcements,
vibration absorbers or inertial mass actuators, are then expanded by assessing theservice life so that, for instance, required
minimum service lives can be specified
as an additional influencing factor for
optimization.
The methodology is validated and demonstrated using industry-related application
scenarios where particular consideration
is given to structures from the agricultural
machinery sector.
LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN, STRUCTURALAt the heart of this project is the develop­
ment of a digital method for simultaneously
optimizing structural dynamics and theservice life of components and systems ina calculation process. With this in mind,
a parametric model reduction is being­DURABILITY, STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Fraunhofer project To enable machinery and mobility devices to become
more economical and sustainable, thecomponents used in them need to be
manufactured more efficiently anddesigned with a more lightweight
structure. However, these structuresoften encounter vibration problems.
As part of the “MetaVib” project,vibro-acoustic metamaterials havebeen researched and developed as aninnovative approach to reducing noiseand vibration. They offer new freedom when it comes to designing components with targeted vibro-acoustic
improvements, while also taking into
account criteria for a lightweight
structure.
Currently, vibro-acoustic metamaterials
are a topic being researched across theglobe in the area of noise and vibration
reduction. They can be used to reduce theamplitudes of harmful structure vibrations
and noise to such a low level and across
such a wide range that would not be
possible using conventional measures.
They are applied to passive or active local
resonators usually arranged periodicallyon the component to be influenced. The
local resonators are tuned into the natural
frequency in question and are placed on
the basic structure at distances smaller
than half the wavelength of the frequency

Contact

Heiko Atzrodt+49 6151 705-349
heiko.atzrodt@
lbf.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer has developed new concepts
and manufacturing technologies for VAMM.

to be influenced. “Stop bands”, which areareas where no wave propagation is possible, occur in this frequency range during
the transfer function.
During the “MetaVib” project, Fraunhofer
researchers managed to achieve an effective structure-borne noise reduction of
up to 20 dB in defined frequency ranges.
This knowledge is provided in a toolbox
that facilitates the task of designing andoptimizing structures as vibro-acoustic
metamaterials at different levels of detail.
The design process varies according to theapplication and supports efficient prototype development in industrial follow-up
projects.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/metavib-en

VIBRO-ACOUSTIC METAMATERIALS,PASSIVE VIBRATION REDUCTION MEASURES,
STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

43

Lightweight Design

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/Hybrid lightweight wheels

cooperate-en

Secure adhesive joints in highly stressed hybrid structural components
Better life cycle assessment (LCA) and greater sustainability in product development.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
gohybrid-en

Contact

Julia Decker

Future project The past few years
have seen an increased focus on lightweight development processes forcomponents and systems – particularlyin the mobility sector, where there ishuge potential for the use of mixed
construction methods using lightmetals and fiber-reinforced plastic.
However, the process of designinghybrid structures that are exposed tohigh levels of stress presents particular challenges, because the varying
degrees of thermal expansion in thematerials must be taken into accountthroughout the construction process and the hybrid joints must be
designed safely.

+49 6151 705-491
julia.decker@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Jens-David Wacker+49 6151 705-8356
jens-david.wacker@
lbf.fraunhofer.deHybrid wheels that consist of alloyedaluminum spokes and a wheel rim madeof carbon fiber composite are alreadywell-established on the market. These two
joints are connected via a highly complex
screw arrangement, which runs counterto the principle of consistently lightweight

design.
As such, researchers in the GOHybrid­project developed an adhesive joint for
hybrid wheels of this type. Since thewheels are a safety component, they must
be able to reliably resist the high structuralstresses that occur during various loading
conditions. The individual materials usedin the hybrid adhesive joint must be able
to withstand both low and elevated temperatures and compensate for the varying
degrees of thermal expansion.
Researchers at Fraunhofer LBF have combined this firmly bonded adhesive joint
with a form-fit geometry and developed
a joining process for the spoke wheel
center that can follow the direction ofrotation. By adapting the fiber structurein the wheel rim, the team succeeded insignificantly reducing the thermal residual
stresses affecting the joint. Test results
show that the bonded joint exhibits sufficient strength and that the new, form-fit
joint is an improvement when comparedto simpler bonded joints.
ADHESIVE JOINT, HYBRID JOINT,

Strong low CO2 components fromfiber-reinforced biopolymers
Development of sustainable, durable components for challenging operating conditions

Future project Plastic components
offer great potential for reducing
emissions. As part of the “­COOPERATE”
project, Fraunhofer LBF is working
with partners to develop methods
for fundamentally improving the
product design in terms of LCA andsustainability. Combining the replacement of petroleum-based plastics
with bio-based alternatives and thedevelopment of improved methods
for designing components favoringa more economical use of materials
will cut the CO2 requirement of plastic
components by up to 75 % in challenging industrial applications andconsumer goods.

­LIGHTWEIGHT WHEEL

New fiber design in the wheel rim area sig-

Improving design processes will boost thepotential for a lightweight structure aswell as the resource efficiency arising fromthis downstream. The project partners willthen jointly develop design methods thatfavor a more economical use of materials
and bio-based composites to produce

durable, heavy-duty components. Specificuse cases from the automotive engineering
sector are being used as a benchmark.

Contact

Georg Stoll

Given that bio-based materials achieve a
different performance level than tradi­tional
materials, the climate-neutral substitutes
will be developed further in this project,while practical analyses will be conductedon the material properties in light ofthe structurally important characteristic
values. One of the upshots from the
project has been new calculation methods
that consider the influences of manufacturing on the quasi-static and dynamic
behavior of the materials.

+49 6151 705-8528
georg.stoll@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

The new methods developed and theimproved material properties will pave theway for new plastics to be deployed inother technology sectors.
SUSTAINABLE, POLYMER, LIGHTWEIGHTDESIGN

nificantly reduces thermal residual stresses.

44

45

Future Mobility

Future Mobility

Future Mobility
Area of Expertise
Sustainable, networked and autonomous – these features are thehallmarks of future mobility. With our core competencies in Lightweight
design, Reliability Design and Digital Engineering tools, we design
innovative vehicle concepts. Here, we combine the work of the otherareas of expertise in relation to their application in mobility solutions,e.g. cyber-physical methods for the validation of new mobility technologies that accompany the development of alternative drive concepts,
component-integrated battery systems or innovative ultra-lightweight
design solutions. One focus of the work is electromobility, using both
battery-electric and fuel cell systems.

Pooling expertise for sustainable,
connected and autonomous
mobility
Mobility is undergoing a sustainable transformation process. It is increasingly understood as a networked system of different
mobility solutions and operator models.
The demands on mobile resource efficiency
have once again massively increased, notleast due to criticism regarding increasingpressures in relation to climate change andthe decarbonization required. They makeit necessary to develop new drive technologies, lighter construction methods andalternative mobility concepts.

www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/future-mobility-en

With our methods, we arealso supporting and shaping
the implementation of future
innovative vehicle concepts.”

46

The progressive electrification of mobile
systems, the intermodality of modes oftransport and the introduction of increasingly automated driving functions are an
essential building block in the movement
toward future mobility, from a technicaland organizational perspective. The same
applies to the increased use and development of new small and micro vehicles
in the field of private transport, such as
pedelecs, cargo bikes, e-scooters – orincreasingly drones.
The topic of shared mobility also offers
technical challenges ranging from smart
digital solutions, app developments, anddistributed functions to material techno­
logy – especially because, in this context,
it is necessary to master entirely newusage scenarios. New future mobility­solutions whether on land, by road orrail; on water or in the air – must function
safely and reliably, while, at the sametime, being cost-effective and efficient
to implement and operate. Yet they mustalso meet the ever-increasing requirements in terms of the number of mobility
carriers, individualization and sustainability in the passenger vehicle, commercial
vehicle and special vehicle sectors. The
consistent focus on a thermoplastic andthermoplastic-based approach has led
to questions being asked about suitable
lightweight solutions, reliable systemdesign, intelligent structural and monitoring functions, sustainable materials andeven the use of biomaterials.
In this context, the Future Mobility areaof expertise at Fraunhofer LBF combines
the work of the other areas of expertisein relation to their application in mobility
solutions, e.g. cyber-physical methods forthe validation of new mobility technolo­
gies that accompany the development ofalternative drive concepts, componentintegrated battery systems or innovative
ultra-lightweight design solutions. One
focus of the work is electromobility, using
both battery-electric and fuel cell systems.

47

Future Mobility

Minimizing friction losses
New star-shaped polymers reduce friction when used as a lubricant additive

Design freeze in place for the eVTOL autonomous freight

Researchers tasked with creating the­formula for a lubricant must confront a
conflict of objectives: Low-viscosity oils
result in low friction losses in the hydrodynamic range (i.e., when there are low
loads, but high speeds). However, at
higher loads or low speeds, this leads togreater wear. Polymers on the surface canhelp counteract this wear. On the other
hand, when polymers dissolve into the
lubricant, this causes an increase in viscosity,
which in turn leads to higher friction loss
at low loads and high speeds.

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/prometheus-en

The star polymer in the form of a highly
viscous liquid.

Contact

Dr. Roland Klein+49 6151 705-8611
roland.klein@
lbf.fraunhofer.de48

Future project Lubricants are used
to reduce friction and wear in moving
machine parts. Reducing friction cansignificantly contribute to energy
savings and lower CO2 emissions.
Selecting suitable base oils and using
additives to assist with lubrication areboth essential measures for minimi­
zing friction losses. These friction
modifiers (FM) include surface-active
polymers that form a protective­polymer layer on the surface.

Researchers in the laboratory at Fraunhofer LBF have synthesized a new typeof star-shaped polymers that can interact
with the surface in a promising way. Thissynthesis was scaled up to the kilogram
mark to facilitate tests by the LBF’s project
partner Fuchs Lubricants Germany GmbH,
who examined its potential to reduce
friction in lubricants. The results were
impressive: The tests found significantly
lower coefficients of friction both inlubricant model formulations and in fully
formulated engine oils that contained the
new star-shaped polymer.
POLYMER SYNTHESIS, LUBRICANT ADDITIVES,
TRIBOLOGY

transport drone.

ct
e
j
o
r
p
use
o
h
t
h
g
Li

ALBACOPTER®: The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s
eVTOL lighthouse project

Highlight project Fraunhofer ismaking an important contribution toachieving emission-neutral Urban Air
Mobility (UAM) with their develop­
ment of eVTOL drones for autonomous
freight transport.
Fraunhofer LBF is one of the six Fraunhofer institutes involved. The core tasks
at the institute are battery development,
aerodynamic design and the constructionof the aircraft. In developing a method fordesigning the structure, the researchers
are taking a mission-oriented approach,accounting for requirements in terms
of aerodynamics and strength, among
other things, during different phases ofthe flight and for an array of overarchingconditions associated with the design andmanufacturing processes. The fuselage
is designed and constructed to integratewith and adapt to various system components – this includes the battery andemergency rescue systems, electronics,
junction boxes, sensor systems in the fuselage and wingtips, and the connectionof the engines to the wings via motor
support arms. Fraunhofer LBF is leading a
subproject on materials and aerodynamic structures, combining its own design
methods with the manufacturing technologies produced by Fraunhofer ICT. The
results of this subject include the creationof a skeletal hull structure made of pultruded tubular profiles and sustainable,scalable and easily recyclable transport
boxes. As part of a subproject on engines,
Fraunhofer LBF is developing an energy
storage system, thereby contributing
significantly to the goal of making the
Albacopter fully electric.
With this development, the consortium
led by the Fraunhofer IVI aims to make amajor contribution to an environmentallyfriendly, flexible and safe future transportation culture.

Contact

Dr. Saskia Biehl+49 6151 705-282
saskia.biehl@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
Dr. Sven Herold+49 6151 705-259
sven.herold@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/albacopter-en

AUTONOMOUS FLYING, LIGHTWEIGHTDESIGN, TRANSPORTATION,
THERMOPLASTICS

49

Future Mobility

Future Mobility

CIRCULUS – Sustainable battery systems for theenergy transition

The cyber-physicalvalidation of fuel cell­systems at Fraunhofer LBF.

Developing a sustainable energy storage system for mobile and, subsequently, stationary use

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/circulus-en

Contact

Eva-Maria Stelter+49 6151 705-8265
eva-maria.stelter@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Future project In terms of design,traction batteries are generally notdeveloped for further use as stationary storage systems once they are nolonger used in vehicles. However, as
they still retain their electrical power
values, traction batteries would besuitable for storing energy from photo­voltaic systems and, subsequently, forstationary use. Purchasing new cells is
expensive, and as a result, stationary
storage is often not financially viable –in this context, the use of existing
batteries would represent a verysustainable approach. From a ­systems
perspective, however, it presents achallenge.
Basically, there are three main aspects
to be considered in the secondary useof lithium-ion cells or lithium-ion battery
systems: the current condition of the cell,the evaluation the battery’s continuing
safety in view of its age and the design ofthe battery system as a whole.

As part of the CIRCULUS research project,researchers are developing a battery
system designed specifically for a second
use phase. The main focus of their work
is on creating reliable joints that are
reversible, but lightweight at the celllevel throughout the entire process, frommodule fastening to system housing. They
are investigating practicable methods forevaluating cells and implementing theirplans for quickly and efficiently converting
batteries from mobile to stationary applications; they are also exploring financially
viable methods of separating and recovering the plastics.
This would result in a sustainable mobile
battery system and a real stationary
storage system made of aged lithium-ion
vehicle batteries that will be installed ina residential area.

Unique experimental validation environments for hydrogen fuel cell systems

Future project Experts expect thathydrogen fuel cell systems will quickly
enter widespread use. For this, theymust need a reliable and efficientdesign. The systems’ materials andcomponents, as well as the systemitself, must be validated as early as
possible during the development process, in a cost-efficient way that takes
operational conditions into account.
Further more, it must be possible toconduct the validation without having
the entire system manufactured oravailable. Cyber-physical testing andvalidation methods could provide thesolution here.

infrastructure that will supply fuel cellstacks of up to 200 kW; moreover, they
will install shakers that work in combination with climate chambers to facilitate
vibration studies under environmental
conditions, as well as analysis environments
for metallic and polymeric materials andcomponents that come into contact withhydrogen. Cyber-physical validation scenarios could provide cost-effective and flexible
analysis processes for fuel cell systems andtheir components in the future, thanks their
sophisticated combination of experimen­tal
test environments, model-based simulations
and cutting-edge information t­ echnology
with operational stresses.

The establishment of an electrochemicalenergy supply using hydrogen fuel cells
would represent an important system solution for commercial vehicles in the context
of transitioning to climate-neutral mobility.
At the same time, the fact that these cells
are used on a non-stationary basis andthus subjected to multiphysical and chemi­
cal stresses means that creating a reliable
design presents some special challenges.

With the CyPhyFuelCell platform, which
involves the cyber-physical validation offuel cell systems for future mobility applications, the Darmstadt site has gained aunique area of experience and an application focus that represents an important
step toward sustainable mobility.

LITHIUM-ION BATTERY, SUSTAINABILITY,EMISSION REDUCTION, MATERIAL EFFICIENCY

Symbolic representation of vehicle use and recycling.

50

Electromobility: Assessing the reliability of hydrogenfuel cells

Fraunhofer LBF is expanding its
research facilities to include a hydrogen

Contact

Dr. Benedict Götz
+49 6151 705-8524
benedict.goetz@
lbf.fraunhofer.de

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/h2fuelcells

FUEL CELL, HYDROGEN, RELIABILITY
AND SAFETY
funded by:51

Event Highlights

Multibody simulation model of the entire vehicle (traction unit and trailer) in MSC.Adams.

State identification of trailers connected toautomated trucks
Identifying dynamic- and safety-related states using digital twins

Further information
onlinewww.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
ident-enContact

Future project Self-driving trucks
will be on our roads in the future.
The question is how the conditionsof the trailer can be verified to seethat it has no technical faults before
setting off if there is no longer adriver. This relates in particular to thecomponents that are responsible fortraffic safety and driving stability.
Even the driving characteristics of the
combined unit that drivers usuallysense while driving the vehicle andto which they are able to adjust theirdriving need to be recorded automatically in the future and considered by
the autopilot. Solutions have beendevised for these issues as part of
the “IdenT” project.

Riccardo Bartolozzi+49 6151 705-8264
riccardo.bartolozzi@
lbf.fraunhofer.deJohannes Käsgen
+49 6151 705-613
johannes.kaesgen@lbf.fraunhofer.de52

At the heart of the solution is an EDGE
device on the trailer, which records, withthe help of a network of sensors, metrics such as acceleration and pressure or
images from a camera. There is an online
digital twin that runs on the computerand processes the data in real time via
a vehicle dynamics model of the trailer.

The "Forum Plastic
Recyclates" discusses
how recycled materials
are turned into high-­
performance raw materials.
Prof. Rudolf Pfaendner,
Chairman Forum Plastic RecyclatesS­ pecific driving situations that require further analysis are identified and automatically transmitted to a cloud-based offline
twin for a more detailed assessment.
A vital metric for modeling the digital twin
are the coupling forces on the kingpin,
which is used to connect the trailer to thetraction unit. The forces and moments
are recorded at this point and comparedwith the measurement data so that theseinterface forces can be reliably determinedusing models.
A sensor module forms part of the sensor
network, which is installed as a hub cap
on the trailer’s wheel. The small generator, which is powered while the wheel
rotates, supplies enough energy to operate the sensors, a powerful controller andvarious wireless interfaces such as Bluetooth or LoRaWAN. The hub cap sensor
can also be used as a standalone device torecord, assess and send sensor data.

2022 event
highlights
We can finally meet in person again. Our
research teams attended 15 trade shows, andwe organized “public discussion panels” andworkshops devoted to specific topics on sitein Darmstadt. We have also continued with
our virtual event formats.

DIGITAL TWIN, CONDITION MONITORING,
KINGPIN, HUB CAP SENSOR

53

Event Highlights

Hands-on research

Hands-on research

K trade fair: Efficient manufacturing process for natural fiber­reinforced plastics
Trade show Lightweight design ensurescompetitive and sustainable products;
however, safety and reliable functioning
must still be guaranteed. Researchers from
Fraunhofer LBF presented their promising
new approaches for sustainable and efficient manufacturing processes with natural fiber reinforced materials. With our
project on sustainable battery housing fore-bikes, we are demonstrating thepotential for batch production. At
Fraunhofer LBF, the quality of products
made from plastic recyclates can be
efficiently investigated in the early development process, i.e., before batch production. Our exhibit on reliably estimating
service life for plastic recyclates was wellreceived (see image left).

VAMMs offer structural dynamic solutions

Vibroacoustic metamaterials for theinternational aerospace industry
Trade show At trade shows such as the Space
Tech Expo and the ILA, experts from the worlds ofindustry, research and politics exchange ideas anddiscuss innovations and developments on topics
pertaining to lightweight design. Lightweight
design solutions often present problems relating
to vibrations. Vibroacoustic metamaterials (VAMM)
represent an innovative approach to reducing
vibrations; moreover, when it comes to influencing
vibration behavior, they offer advantages overconventional measures.
A team from Fraunhofer LBF demonstrated how
VAMMs are used to reduce micro-vibrations on
optical devices for satellites, before showcasinga sandwich panel for that can bear sensitive­satellite components while keeping vibrations
to a ­low level.

54

BF
L
r
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o
aunh
r
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t
a
On siteshowed plastics’ fun side

Plastic – is it all garbage? Residents of Darmstadt were invited toan open lab event at Fraunhofer LBF
On site The visitors learned a lot of new information about “good” plastics. Highlights included the guided tours, short lectures, exhibits and astounding experiments
related to recycling and the circular economy. One tangible project result featured at
the event was a shopping cart chip made from grass fibers and produced live in thepilot plant. The amount of incorrect or heavily soiled waste in plastic recycling collec­
tions means that very little of the plastic inside can be separated by type and go
through further processing. As a result, a lot of plastic waste ends up in waste incine­ration plants or is recycled as a substitute fuel.
Recycle more plastics, separate waste properly – both young and old­participated in activities that produced some valuable tips.

for a variety of applications.

Flying the H2 flag

Close

One highlight of the event

With this event, we participated in activities celebrating the 25th anniversary ofDarmstadt’s title as a cityof science – Darmstadt was
the first city in Germany toreceive this honorary title.

Forum Plastic Recyclates

s
r
e
m
o
t
to cusOn site As part of the GreenMat4H2
high-performance center, Fraunhofer LBF
organized regular H 2 meet-ups and an
OpenLab Day. The aim is to develop
new partnerships, particularly within theregion, through inspiring lectures, technology presentations and guided tours.
More than 300 people took part.

Online event The 2022 Plastic Recyclates Forum, which took place virtually,
included its first-ever session dedicatedentirely to creating recyclates equivalent
to virgin plastics in quality. In order torealize the full potential of recyclates, itis necessary to analyze recyclate streams;
Fraunhofer LBF addressed the questionof whether analytical fingerprinting could
advance the cause of a circular plastics
economy. Plastics producers and processors, as well as recyclers and interested
parties from the automotive, white goods,
construction and packaging user industries, took advantage of this excellent
opportunity to update their knowledge.

By the way…
The 2023 Forum Plastic
Recyclates brought together
more than 100 in-person­participants; planning willsoon begin for the March2024 event in Darmstadt.
55

Systematic Research!

Research Divisions

Structural Durability
Structural durability is one of the mostpowerful means of assessing components
and structures in terms of lifetime; assuch, it has formed the foundation of ourresearch activities at Fraunhofer LBF since
the founding of the institute.

Systematic
Research!
We apply our core competences of structural
durability, system reliability, smart structuresand plastics across divisions and achieve­optimal benefits for our customers with­innovative system solutions.

56

We create
lightweight
design.
Reliable.”
The mobility industry, as well as mechani­
cal and plant engineering and energy
technology, all benefit from productsthat are both light and designed to besafe and reliable for the entire operating
and usage phase. Our research and work
focuses on designing safe components,
assemblies and systems for road andvehicle construction, shipping, aviation,
crane construction and wind turbines witha strong focus on practical applicationand ensuring a long lifetime. Our eightstep block program, developed by Ernst
Gaßner, ensures our place in the historyof structural durability innovations. Today,
we combine cutting-edge numerical,
metrological and experimental methodsof ensuring structural durability to achieve
solutions that meet our high standards ofquality and actively incorporate relatedmaterial science and engineering disciplines. Our core areas of expertise involve
developing methods and procedures fordesigning structures with a view towards
long lifetimes and provable safety andstructural integrity. You will find thesein successful products, in materialand component innovations as well asin processes, such as in additive manufacturing, for example. Over the courseof the digital transformation, these coreareas of expertise will be expanded toinclude powerful tools for cyber-physicalsimulation and a comprehensive description of cyclic material properties from the
LCF to the VHCF regime.

Division Director
Structural Durability

Dr. Christoph Bleicher+49 6151 705-8359
christoph.bleicher@lbf.fraunhofer.de
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/
structural-durability

From materials to complete structures: thedepartments Materials and Components
and Assemblies and Systems specialize inissues pertaining to structural durability,
providing you with the answers you needto questions around assessing structural
durability of metal materials and components, developing numerical methods,
describing complex kinematics by meansof multibody simulation (MBS), constructing and verifying suitable models forboth components and complete vehicles,
and formulating time-accelerated test
procedures for laboratory testing.

57

Research Divisions

Division Director
Smart Structures

Dr. Sven Herold+49 6151 705-259
sven.herold@lbf.fraunhofer.de
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/smart-structures

Research Divisions

Smart Structures

Plastics

In addition to function and performance
characteristics, sustainability and comfort
properties will play an important role inthe success of new products and systems
in the future. In complex systems withmultiple external influencing factors
acting simultaneously, the process ofdesigning these properties often leads
to conflicting goals, thereby limiting thenumber of scenarios in which the productor system can operate.

Only cutting-edge products with reliable
and rapid access to innovative and highperformance materials can be offeredcompetitively on the world market today.
Tailored plastics, plastic additives, plastic
composites and plastic processing technologies play a central role in meeting highglobal demands in the areas of mobility,
energy, environment, communication,
health, nutrition and safety. Plastics
enable tremendous savings in resourcesand energy as well as a wide variety ofoptions in lightweight design. Particularly
when they are fiber-reinforced, particle-­filled, foamed or integrated into sandwich
structures, plastics can withstand the highest degree of loading and absorb a great
deal of energy. They can be supplemented
with an additional range of functions suchas protection from UV rays and the affects
of weathering, reduced fire behavior,functions for the development of special
optical properties, electric and thermal
conductivity and with sensor and actuator
functions. At the same time, increasing

In our research, we concentrate on the
dynamic behavior of mechanical components and structures, taking into account
how they interact with various electricalor thermal behaviors, for example – areas
where conventional development methods
often come up short. Our focus is on
analyzing, evaluating and optimizing theabove-mentioned properties and ensuringsystem reliability. To this end, we research,develop, validate and apply new formsof passive, active and adaptive structural
measures.
We provide support for problem andfeasibility analyses, design optimized­solutions for our customers and implement
them on a prototype basis. The customized
tools for multiphysical system designthat we have developed at our institutesupport the transfer of the latest scientificfindings into commercial applications.
For this purpose, our researchers develop, link and flexibly apply methods fromfields such as numerical and experimental
structural and reliability analysis, structu­
ral dynamics and signal processing. We

58

We design reliable
systems with ahigh degree of
autonomy so thatthey can function
optimally inoperation.”
use these methods to create reliable,
networked and increasingly autonomous
structural and system solutions that makeuse of smart sensor and actuator systems
linked by intelligent signal processing.
Our three departments for Experimental
Analysis and Electromechanics, Structural
Dynamics and Vibration Technology and
System Reliability will support you in yourresearch and development process, fromthe first stroke of the pen to conducting
tests in the field. To this end, we provide
a comprehensive design chain for reliable,
circular and smart solutions for making
your product innovations a reality, usingbuilding blocks that we adapt on a custo­
mer-specific basis.

demands on sustainability require new
solutions in terms of a circular economy
and recycling or the development of
bioplastics.
All components relevant for the implemen­tation of sophisticated plastic applications,running the scope from basic naturalscience disciplines such as chemistry andphysics, material sciences and material
technology in processing to expertise inanalytics, testing and modeling, are united
at a high level under one roof.
This is what the following four departments – complementary in their disciplines
and methods – “Polymer Processing andComponent Design”, “Material Analytics
and Characterization”, “Additivation and
Durability” and also “Synthesis and Formulation”, stand for.

Division Director
Plastics

Prof. Dr. Rudolf Pfaendner+49 6151 705-8605
rudolf.pfaendner@
lbf.fraunhofer.de
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/plastics

We develop long-lasting and safe plastics with
­improved recyclability as well as new technologies
for an efficient circular economy.”
59

Insights

Management of the Institute

LBF Management Team

Institute Director
Prof. Dr. T. Melz
tobias.melz@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Smart Structures

Structural Durability

Plastics

Staff Sections

Dr. S. Herold

Dr. C. Bleicher, M. Sc.

Prof. Dr. R. Pfaendner+49 6151 705-259+49 6151 705-8359+49 6151 705-8605

sven.herold@lbf.fraunhofer.dechristoph.bleicher@lbf.fraunhofer.de

rudolf.pfaendner@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Structural Dynamics andVibration Technology
Dipl.-Ing. H. Atzrodt+49 6151 705-349
heiko.atzrodt@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Experimental Analysis andElectromechanics
Dipl.-Ing. M. Matthias+49 6151 705-260
michael.matthias@lbf.fraunhofer.deMaterials and Components
Dr. H. Kaufmann+49 6151 705-345
heinz.kaufmann@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Polymer Processing andComponent Design
Dr. C. Beinert+49 6151 705-8735
christian.beinert@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Assemblies and Systems

Material Analytics and Characterization

Dipl.-Ing. M. Wallmichrath

Dr. R. Brüll+49 6151 705-467+49 6151 705-8639

marc.wallmichrath@lbf.fraunhofer.derobert.bruell@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Additivation and Durability
Dr. E. Metzsch-Zilligen+49 6151 705-8609
elke.metzsch-zilligen@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Knowledge Management
Prof. Dr. T. Bein
+49 6151 705-463
thilo.bein@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Strategic Management
Dr. S. Biehl+49 6151 705-282
saskia.biehl@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Scientific-technical Organizationof Operations
Dr. K. Burlon+49 6151 705-8899
konrad.burlon@lbf.fraunhofer.deTechnology Marketing andCommunication
H. Hahnenwald+49 6151 705-8330
heiko.hahnenwald@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Synthesis and Formulation

Organizational Development

Dr. F. Schönberger

I. Langer+49 6151 705-8705+49 6151 705-648

frank.schoenberger@lbf.fraunhofer.de

ilona.langer@lbf.fraunhofer.de
Occupational Health and Safety

Zentrale Dienste

Associated Department

R. Wirth+49 6151 705-332
reinhard.wirth@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Administration andStrategic Controlling
P. Betzholz+49 6151 705-233
peter.betzholz@lbf.fraunhofer.de60Technical Management
Dr. T. Hering+49 6151 705-8514
thorsten.hering@lbf.fraunhofer.de

System Reliability, Smart Structures
and Machine Acoustics
Prof. Dr. T. Melzwww.sam.tu-darmstadt.de/en

61

Insights
Fraunhofer
Netzwerk Simulation

Networks

BremenBerlinHannoverWith our involvement in alliances and market-oriented­networks both within and outside of the FraunhoferGesellschaft, we expand your and our possibilities intechnical and economic terms. LBF is firmly anchored in
the Fraunhofer Group for Materials and Components,
which has been pooling the expertise of the materials
science-oriented institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
for more than 20 years. In addition, the close, interdisciplinary cooperation with our specialized sister institutes in
lead-market-oriented alliances creates excellent conditions
for the development of our system services and reinforces
our innovative strength for the design of your productdevelopments. Since 2019, we have also been involved in
the Group for Defense and Security (VVS).

DortmundOberhausen
Düsseldorf
Köln

Chemnitz

St. Augustin
Euskirchen

Green
Mat 4 H2
Leistungszentrum

Frankfurt a. M.
Wiesbaden

Fraunhofer
Geschäftsbereich
Adaptronik

Hanau

Darmstadt

At the same time, we can work with industry partners inthe business-related networks across the process chain tocompetitively and efficiently discover new developmentsfrom business, science and applied R&D. Take advantage of
our extensive opportunities in a network of experts frombusiness, science and applied R&D!

Pfinztal
Ettlingen

Freiburg

MünchenFraunhofer
Netzwerk “Wissenschaft,
Kunst und Design”

BrüsselFraunhofer
Forschungsfeld Leichtbau

62

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ISSN 1864-0958

Digital dialogue

Fraunhofer Institute for Structural­Durability and System Reliability LBF
Bartningstrasse 47
64289 Darmstadt, Germany
www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/annual-report