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At the Hannover Messe from April 22 to 26, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT will present the diverse applications of laser technologies in production at two booths: An "animal" exhibit at the joint Fraunhofer booth will show how the com-bination of additive and subtractive processes makes production more efficient and products of higher quality. In the "Bioeconomy Showcase", the Bio4MatPro competence center will present the "Heart 2.0" research project. In this project, Fraunhofer IPT and its partners have developed complex micro- and nanostructures to prevent dangerous blood clots. Lasers were used to apply these structures to the inside of artificial hearts.

Green hydrogen is one of the energy sources of the future. In order to produce it in large quantities, store it and convert it back into electrical energy, however, the industry needs efficient and scalable production processes and systems for the required electrolysers and fuel cells. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen are focusing on both conventional discrete and continuous production processes using roll-to-roll systems (R2R). At the Hannover Messe from April 22 to 26, 2024, Fraunhofer IPT will be exhibiting parts of its modular system technology "Scalab," the bipolar plates and membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) produced with it, as well as pressure tanks for storing hydrogen.

Connectivity, edge computing and precise control of automation systems are crucial for competitiveness in many industrial sectors: They improve efficiency, enable real-time communication between machines and systems and create new opportunities for integrating robotics into conventional production processes. At this year's Hannover Messe from April 22 to 26 in Hall 14, Stand H06 (30), the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT from Aachen will demonstrate the potential of new technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and the digital twin for industry in a playful way at the "5G-Kicker" foosball table.

Small, large, round, square – polymer optics are found in numerous products. From general lighting scenarios to LED front optics for vehicles to cell phone cameras or displays in classic consumer goods, there is a wide range of applications for polymer optics. However, ever shorter product cycles, the trend towards miniaturization and increased material requirements call for new product concepts and production solutions. The "Aachen Polymer Optics Days" conference offers a varied program of lectures on innovations and trends in optical polymer production. The international conference will take place for the fifth time in Aachen from June 19 to 20, 2024.

Which digitalization approaches are suitable for redesigning and optimizing existing production processes? In its annual study report, the International Center for Networked, Adaptive Production (ICNAP) presents the latest research findings on the digitalization of production. The free report offers insights into the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the implementation of digital twins in production, describes the prerequisites for plug-and-produce technologies, and looks at new sustainable concepts for monitoring and controlling the energy consumption of technical systems. 

New mRNA vaccines and gene therapeutics have gained media attention as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. These pharmaceuticals, known as ATMPs (Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products), contain living cells or the nucleic acids DNA or RNA. Producing such ATMPs in high quality requires customized produc-tion facilities and an associated range of services. The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT from Aachen and Harro Höfliger from Allmersbach im Tal are now entering into a cooperation to develop fully automated ATMP production systems: Together, the partners are developing an offer for consult-ing, analysis and product development through to the serial production of mar-ketable ATMP systems. The cooperation was launched with the signing of the cooperation agreement on November 14, 2023 in Aachen.

Over the past eight years, since Formnext opened its doors as a trade fair for additive manufacturing, the market and the needs of the industry have changed significantly: Whereas in the beginning, sheer enthusiasm about the technical possibilities dominated, companies now demand flawlessly functioning solutions for processes and systems technology in order to turn new ideas into concrete products quickly and cost-effectively. This year at the trade fair, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT from Aachen will be demonstrating how it ensures that production chains function seamlessly and what is required to turn a 3D-printed object into a finished end product.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen has expanded its machinery with a new system for the automated molding of high-precision optical glass components. As a result, the institute is now the only research institution in Europe able to offer research on efficient small-series production of small glass optics using a wafer-level approach. Large individual optics with a diameter of up to 150 millimeters can also be manufactured with the facility.