Research in the network
Darmstadt is home to numerous renowned research institutes. They are closely linked to the TU Darmstadt and thus offer students comprehensive opportunities to work on interdisciplinary research projects and gain experience during their studies.
Interested parties and cooperation partners from industry are offered a networked scientific landscape in Darmstadt that is second to none. In this way, numerous questions can be answered in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive manner.
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Additve Manufacturing Center
Continuing Education – "Professional Partners" - Programme – Prototyping and Contract Manufacturing
Since 2023, the Additive Manufacturing Center (AMC) at TU Darmstadt has been the central point of contact for all questions relating to the realisation of innovative product and process ideas. In direct cooperation with the researchers involved in AMC, all steps from initial design to quality assurance can be tested on a pilot plant scale.
The AMC's subject area covers a wide spectrum in terms of material classes (plastics, metals, mineral materials) as well as processes (SLM, SLS, lithography, FDM, …) and also includes analysis and testing facilities for materials and component testing, such as μ-CT and nano-hardness measurement, which are usually only available in special research laboratories. In addition, the AMC will serve as a driver for unleashing the full potential of additive manufacturing by transferring the latest research results on the digital transformation of product creation to industrial applications. An important component of this transfer will be further education and training. In training courses for employees, teachers and trainees from industry, the results from university research will be passed on for application in order to prepare the “AF engineers” or “AF technicians” of tomorrow for their tasks.
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ETA | Energy Technologies and Applications in Production
Energy efficiency, flexibility and resource efficiency for climate-neutral production
The energy turnaround with rising energy prices, volatile energy markets and growing environmental responsibility pose new challenges for companies in the manufacturing sector. Above all, energy & resource efficiency in production is becoming increasingly important in order to meet normative requirements and remain competitive. At the same time, production companies can reduce costs and support the power grid through flexible energy use.
In an interdisciplinary team of more than 20 employees, the research group “ETA | Energy Technologies and Applications in Production” strives for the vision of making tomorrow's industrial production energy-efficient, energy-flexible and resource-efficient, thus making a significant contribution to climate-neutral production.
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Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Core competences of Fraunhofer LBF are the analysis of durability, system reliabilty and adaptronics.
With a high-profile team we develop, analyse and implement customised solutions for all safety-relevant components – from materials to complete systems, from the initial idea right up to the finished product.
Durability, system reliability, adaptronics and polymer technology are the core competencies of Fraunhofer LBF.
We currently operate the largest research and development facility in Germany in the area of the key technology adaptronics.
Our experience and tradition in the area of durability evaluation dates back more than 80 years.
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Glass Competence Center
Combined competences of the Institute of Statics and Design (ISM+D) and the Materials Testing Institute Darmstadt (MPA-IfW) in the field of structural glass engineering and façade construction
At the Glass Competence Center (GCC), the competences of the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design (ISM+D) and State Materials Testing Institute Darmstadt (MPA-IfW) are combined in the field of structural glass engineering and façade constructions. In the new created research building, all essential stepes of flat glass processing (cutting, grinding, drilling, washing, lamination, …) can be realized. In addition to the glass processing machines, the GCC houses an adhesive lab, a melting lab and an optical lab for the analysis of glass products. Another equipment highlights are the self-developed glass 3D printer for printing on flat glass and a facade test rig (dimensions 12 m x 3.6 m). This equipment in combination with the outstanding research facilities enables us to combine theory and experiment in research, to develop innovations together with our national and international partners, as well as to provide an ideal learning environment for our students in teaching and research.
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Graduate School Computational Engineering
The Graduate School enables PhD students to develop their scientific skills in a focused way, and to cooperate under optimal conditions in a highly stimulating interdisciplinary environment.
Engineering applications are becoming more and more complex. Consequently, the theory required to analyse corresponding systems becomes increasingly complicated as well. Experimental investigations are often too complex, too risky, or too costly. Computational Engineering (CE), including computer based modeling, analysis, simulation, and optimization, is a cost effective and efficient alternative to investigate engineering applications and to engineer new technical solutions. It enables the creation of scalable digital models to support research, development, design, construction, evaluation, production, and operation of engineering applications. It allows optimal strategies to be found, which address key issues in future technical developments for the economy and society, in the areas such as energy, health, safety, and mobility.
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Information processing in mechanical engineering
With the approximately 160 pool room computers, the IiM in the Gerhard Pahl Centre provides students with access authorisation a working environment that supports them during their studies. Students receive access authorisation when taking a course that uses the working environment of the IiM under the responsibility of a professor.
The PC workstations in the IiM are distributed across four pool rooms of varying capacity. This means that rooms are available for courses of different sizes.
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Center für industrielle Produktion
Die Prozesslernfabrik CiP bietet Ausbildung in den Methoden der schlanken Produktion, speziell für kleine und mittelgroße Unternehmen
Kurze Reaktions- und Lieferzeiten, gleich bleibend hohe Qualität bei individuellen Produkten sowie der Wettbewerb mit neuen Anbietern aus Niedriglohnländern: Das sind einige der Herausforderungen, denen sich produzierende Unternehmen in Hessen heute stellen müssen. Einen Weg, diesen Anforderungen der Kunden zu begegnen, stellen die Methoden der schlanken Produktion dar.
Ein erfolgreicher Einsatz der Methoden lässt sich durch theoretisches und insbesondere praktisches Training erzielen. Diese Möglichkeiten bietet die Prozesslernfabrik CiP und ihr reales Produktionsumfeld. Das in Form von Trainingsworkshops durch das Institut und seine Forschungspartner aus der Industrie aufbereitete Methodenwissen wird mit Förderung des Landes Hessen seit Oktober 2008 insbesondere auch kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen zur Verfügung gestellt. Durch diesen Wissenstransfer wird der Produktionsstandort Hessen nachhaltig gestärkt.
Die Prozesslernfabrik CiP dient dem Arbeitskreis als Schulungsplattform zur theoretischen Vermittlung und praktischen Anwendung der Methoden im Produktionsumfeld.
Im Rahmen des ersten Workshops am 07. Oktober 2008 wurde die Methode Wertstromanalyse trainiert.
Die Wertstromanalyse ist ein Verfahren, bei dem Material- und Informationsfluss der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette, ausgehend vom Endkunden über die Produktion bis zu den Lieferanten abgebildet werden. Nach Vermittlung der Grundlagen zur Aufnahme eines Wertstroms wurden die 7 Schritte in der Prozesslernfabrik durchgeführt und die notwendigen Daten erhoben.
Kernergebnis der Wertstromanalyse ist die Relation zwischen der Gesamtdurchlaufzeit und der reinen Bearbeitungszeit. Anhand des aufgezeichneten Wertstroms wurden die notwendigen Maßnahmen zur Verkürzung der Durchlaufzeit und zur Stabilisierung des Wertstroms.
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The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre at TU Darmstadt was founded to investigate the aerodynamic and thermal interaction between combustion chamber and turbine.
The Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) was established in 2006, and has since achieved valuable results in the field of the environmental performance of aero-engines. The UTC thus serves one of the core objectives of the aviation industry, which is striving to achieve stringent environmental targets by 2050 (Flightpath 2050) as part of the industry-wide research alliance ACARE (Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe).
This is the development environment in which the research center at the TU Darmstadt operates, where researchers are investigating new combustion technologies and their modeling on the one hand, and their effects on the turbine on the other.
The UTC is directed by Prof. Heinz-Peter Schiffer (Institute of Gas Turbines and Aerospace Propulsion, GLR (opens in new tab)). Additionally, the heads of institute Prof. Christian Hasse (Institute of Simulation of reactive Thermo-Fluid Systems, STFS (opens in new tab)) and Prof. Andreas Dreizler (Institute of Reactive Flows and Diagnostics, RSM (opens in new tab)) and their teams contribute to the success of the cooperation.
Together, the institutes provide significant knowledge in the areas of experimental measurements and investigations of combustion processes (RSM) and the compressor and turbine stage (GLR), as well as numerical counterparts for combustion modeling (STFS) and fluid flow simulations of compressor and turbine (GLR).
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Center for Structural Materials – State Materials Testing Institute Darmstadt (MPA), Department and Institute of Materials Science (IfW)
Research – Teaching – Development – Testing – Consulting
The Center for Engineering Materials consisting of the State Materials Testing Institute Darmstadt (MPA) and the Department and Institute of Materials Science (IfW) forms a powerful technical-scientific unit in research, teaching, development, testing and consulting at the Technical University of Darmstadt. It’s an independent competence center for the field of materials engineering of mechanical engineering, plant engineering as well as traffic engineering, medical technology and construction industry.
The staff members are involved in seven areas of competence with the main activities of research, development and teaching, in particular in the fields of:
- Development and investigation of materials, components and products, also at high temperatures
- Qualification of materials and products
- Materials analysis,
- Surface and coating technology,
- Testing methods,
- Life cycle analysis,
- Failure analysis
- Calibration technology and
- Product certification.
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