With summer temperatures soaring, the spectre of water scarcity looms large. As a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a novel thermal desalination system which can work using solar energy. The most common methods for desalination are membrane-based reverse osmosis and thermal desalination. However, both consume a lot of energy. Thermal desalination systems work by heating saltwater and then condensing the resulting vapour to obtain freshwater….
The “DeMoBat” research project came to an end in April. For this, twelve project partners developed concepts and applications for handling and reprocessing electric car components in a sustainable and economical manner. The aim here was to avoid valuable raw materials going to waste. The project was coordinated by Fraunhofer IPA, with funding provided by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg. The European Parliament’s decision to ban combustion engines from 2035 has ensured that…
University of Bayreuth involved in pilot project on turbine development. The use of industrial waste heat can develop into an important component of an energy industry that is independent of fossil fuels. To convert large amounts of waste heat into electricity as efficiently as possible, turbines with a high degree of efficiency are required that work with a special conversion process – the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). In a pilot project for the development of such a turbine, the Center…
Additive Manufacturing of XXL components: Research institutes and companies from Lower Saxony have jointly developed a giant 3D printer. It can produce steel components weighing several tons – and is intended to save resources in production. Manufacturing individual large-scale components is usually an energy- and material-intensive affair. In the “XXL3DDruck” project, scientists at the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) have joined forces with partners to test a more resource-efficient way of producing XXL components. To this end, they produced parts…
Spacecraft-inspired system enhances quadruped agility and balance. Researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute (RI) have designed a system that makes an off-the-shelf quadruped robot nimble enough to walk a narrow balance beam — a feat that is likely the first of its kind. “This experiment was huge,” said Zachary Manchester, an assistant professor in the RI and head of the Robotic Exploration Lab. “I don’t think anyone has ever successfully done balance beam walking with a robot before.” By leveraging hardware often used to control…
Autonomous, self-controlling production systems have tremendous potential in the transformation towards sustainability. At the Hannover Messe, the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST will be presenting innovative solutions for real-time data acquisition directly in the running process.Through the development of integrated and wear-resistant thin-film sensors, parameters such as force, temperature or wear can be recorded in the vicinity of highly stressed forming zones. As a result, the manufacturing process for high-quality cold-forged parts can be monitored and…
Whether drilling, turning or milling: In machining – as well as in primary forming and re-forming, die casting and many other applications – tools are of pivotal importance for industrial production. Their performance significantly influences both the quality and the cost of the manufactured product and, consequently, the economic and ecological sustainability of the production process. One objective of the work at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST in Braunschweig is the development of resilient and…
Hannover Messe 2023: From deposition welding to 3D printing on the moon: The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) presents laser system technology even for extraordinary challenges at the Hannover Messe 2023. The LZH develops complete laser system technology with the associated optimized processes. No challenge is too extraordinary – such as Additive Manufacturing in space. At the Hannover Messe from April 17 to 21, the LZH will present its laser systems technology at the joint stand of the State of…
The SpaceX Cargo Dragon space shuttle departed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the International Space Station (ISS) at 2:30 a.m. CET on March 15, 2023. Among others, the shuttle carried an experimental setup that a team of students in the small satellite group KSat e.V. of the University of Stuttgart will use to conduct three experiments. The students were supported by a team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen, who designed and manufactured…
Electrification is seen as having an important role to play in the fossil-free aviation of tomorrow. But electric aviation is battling a trade-off dilemma: the more energy-efficient an electric aircraft is, the noisier it gets. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a propeller design optimisation method that paves the way for quiet, efficient electric aviation. In recent years, electrification has been described as having an important role in reducing emissions from future aviation. Due to the…
“DIVE imaging systems” Spins off from Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden. Precise two-dimensional analysis of high-tech layers in microelectronics, battery factories or even in the automotive sector approaches within reach. A measuring system developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS facilitates this by integrating hyperspectral sensor technology, artificial intelligence and special illumination techniques into a high-performance, highly flexible inspection system. A team of researchers from Fraunhofer IWS establishes “DIVE imaging systems GmbH”, a BMWK-funded spin-off company, to…
As part of the “SimPerm” project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have developed an innovative measuring technique for reliably determining the permeation rate of films. For the first time, the permeation rate of water vapor and oxygen can be detected simultaneously. Manufacturers, users and developers of barrier films can now determine the gas permeability of barrier films for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic solar cells, tablets, food and other air-sensitive goods more…
MANN+HUMMEL and VERT present AeroSolfd project and three retrofit solutions to reduce traffic-related emissions. AeroSolfd will be present at FILTECH, the largest filtration show worldwide, which will take place in Cologne from 14 to 16 February 2023. Air pollution is a complex problem to be tackled. The co-funded EU-Project AeroSolfd aims to reduce traffic-related emissions through the deployment of three retrofit (filtration) solutions for tailpipes, brakes and (semi-) closed environments. AeroSolfd will be present at FILTECH, the largest filtration show…
… to enable future technology. Researchers create compliant mechanism-enabled, reconfigurable antenna. Reconfigurable antennas — those that can tune properties like frequency or radiation beams in real time, from afar — are integral to future communication network systems, like 6G. But many current reconfigurable antenna designs can fall short: they dysfunction in high or low temperatures, have power limitations or require regular servicing. To address these limitations, electrical engineers in the Penn State College of Engineering combined electromagnets with a compliant…
University of Bayreuth researches aircraft parts from the 3D printer. The University of Bayreuth is contributing its expertise in additive manufacturing to a major European project: The EU is funding the Hybrid ElectriC regional Aircraft distribution Technologies (Hecate) project with more than 34 million euros, which aims to make aviation more environmentally friendly. The Chair of Environmental Production Technology at the University of Bayreuth is responsible for sustainable components in the project. Air transport must meet the ambitious targets of…
Researchers develop a numerical processing analysis system that automatically determines optimum forming conditions. Mechanical parts in industrial machinery and structures that develop thinning or cracks need to be replaced with new ones. In recent years, attempts to repair them have been considered, in order to improve industrial sustainability. So, repair technology for machines has been a hot topic of research and development. Conventional metal 3D-printed fabrication uses the surface of a mechanically laid powder bed that is irradiated with a…
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