Metallic Materials: Research
The research and development work carried out at the Institute of Materials Engineering - Metallic Materials can be summarized under the umbrella topic of process-microstructure-properties-damage. There are five closely networked working groups focusing on the following research areas:
Additive manufacturing
The additive manufacturing of metals comprises layer-by-layer manufacturing processes with which complex components can be produced efficiently. >>more
Fatigue and surface layer optimization
This field of research is concerned with the fatigue behavior of materials under cyclic loading and with methods for the targeted improvement of surface layer properties. >>more
Shape memory alloys
Shape memory alloys are materials that can return to their original shape after deformation. They enable a wide range of applications, e.g. in actuators, sensors and medical technology. >>more
Corrosion and corrosion protection
Corrosion describes the interaction of materials with their environment, which can lead to material-damaging changes. >>more
Radiographic fine structure analysis
X-ray fine structure analysis enables high-resolution characterization of crystalline materials by making atomic structures and lattice defects precisely visible. >>more
In all fields, fundamental and application-oriented aspects are focused in a balanced manner. In particular, technical issues as well as the evaluation of damage and failure cases are addressed in close cooperation with industrial partners. A wide range of modern testing equipment is available to the working groups for the investigations. For example, several computer-controlled X-ray diffractometers are available for stress, phase and texture analysis. In addition, all arc welding processes can be used in the welding laboratory for fabrication of well-defined weld seams. In turn, additive manufacturing, so-called "metal 3D printing", is feasible via electron beam melting and selective laser melting technique. Furthermore, by means of modern hardware and software equipment including mechanical and servo-hydraulic testing machines the working group is able to perform complex fatigue and crack propagation investigations.