Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfram Volk and Dr.-Ing. Steffen Klan opened the 2025 Barbara Conference of the VDG Bavarian Regional Group at Fraunhofer IGCV in Garching with warm words. Right at the start, Volk reminded the audience that the foundry industry had seen easier times. Increasing international competition, changing conditions and global upheavals were putting pressure on the industry. This made it all the…

The automotive industry has undergone fundamental changes in recent decades. While steel rims were the standard for a long time, lighter, corrosion-resistant aluminum became the norm in the 1990s. However, the material does not only offer advantages – its energy-intensive production and high CO₂ emissions in particular raise questions about its sustainability. Compared to raw steel, primary aluminum…

Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV, demonstrations were held on the campus in Garching to show how interdisciplinary cooperation can contribute to strengthening Germany as a manufacturing location. The utg chair combines two central pillars of manufacturing technology: primary forming and forming technology. This interlocking of different…

Traditionally, sand cores are used to create complex internal geometries in cast parts, such as those found in the automotive industry. These are often produced using the additive manufacturing process known as binder jetting. “The challenge,” Erhard explains, “is that we frequently encounter technical limitations when designing hollow structures in cast components. The trade-off between mechanical strength…

Coordinated by the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts , the project brings together research and industry expertise from the Fraunhofer IGCV , Borbet GmbH , TRIMET Aluminium SE , and Jordan Spritzgusstechnik GmbH . Running from January 2023 through December 2025, the initiative is backed by approximately two million euros in funding. SUPA-Wheel takes a holistic approach to research across the…

Hosts Prof. Dr. Wolfram Volk (TUM) and Dr. Steffen Klan (Fraunhofer IGCV) consciously chose not to dwell on the challenges facing the German foundry industry. Instead, Prof. Dr. Volk urged the many guests gathered in the foundry hall, “Let us recognize the opportunities that arise from these challenges!” The foundry hall at the Fraunhofer Institute in Garching is now excellently equipped. Among the latest…

The annual Barbara Conference of the VDG Bavarian regional group in cooperation with GTM - Foundry Technology Munich (Fraunhofer IGCV + TUM utg) under the direction of Dr. Steffen Klan and Prof. Dr. Wolfram Volk has become a much appreciated fixture. Industry participants from all over Bavaria, but also from other parts of Germany and Austria, enjoy making the pilgrimage to Garching near Munich. This is…

Ceremony for the opening of the new Foundry Technology Center with greetings from research and teaching, politics and industry Exactly two years after the foundation stone was laid, the new Foundry Technology Center of the Fraunhofer IGCV in Garching was inaugurated on October 13, 2021. "A place for research and cooperation", "Strengthening Germany as a production location" - much praise and recognition was…

A more sustainable future is built with lightness. In September 2019, the international course “ LightWeight Professional ” has provided the opportunity to take an in-depth look at the characteristics and benefits of innovative materials which make it possible to obtain lighter components, thus limiting CO2 emissions and with the added advantage of adopting a competitive approach to the market. The…