Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin – The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading organization for applied research, and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today the signing of the agreement aimed at advancing quantum computing in Germany. The collaboration gives companies and research institutions access to IBM quantum computers in Germany and the USA under the umbrella of a nationwide Fraunhofer competence network. The aim is to research the technology, application scenarios and algorithms while generating competence development and competitive advantages for the local economy and science.

Ice on an aircraft’s surfaces can be a hazard. It increases drag and fuel consumption, disrupts aerodynamic flows, and decreases lift – which impairs the aircraft’s ability to fly safely. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Airbus and TU Dresden have developed a laser process that fills two needs with one deed. On one hand, accumulated ice falls off by itself and on the other it takes less heat to de-ice surfaces. Direct Laser Interference Patterning permits surfaces to be structured in ways that effectively repel ice.

There are 30,000 wind turbines in operation in Germany, many of which are starting to age. In 2019, 2000 rotor blades had to be discarded; in 2024, this figure will shoot up to 15,000. But where to put these up to 90-meter-long, 15-metric-ton behemoths? Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI have a solution: they used a new recycling technique to recover and process the balsa wood contained in the rotor blades into, for instance, insulation mats for buildings.

Lightweight technology has long been and is sure to remain a mainstay of automotive and aerospace engineering, shipbuilding and a host of other industries. Lighter materials and components could also help cut emissions that drive climate change. But lighter options are pricier, and the relatively steep cost has impeded their adoption. That is about to change thanks to the efforts of a consortium of automakers, suppliers and research institutes. Called ALLIANCE and coordinated by Daimler and the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, this project has some good news for designers: As it turns out, it is entirely possible to build components that are up to 33 percent lighter at an added cost of less than three euros per kilogram-saved.