Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWSFraunhofer IMWS presents solutions for sustainable lightweight construction
Bio-based and recyclable materials for composites are one of the main topics at JEC World 2025, a trade fair in Paris from March 4 to 6 where international experts will be discussing innovative solutions for composite materials and their applications. The Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS will be presenting its expertise at several booths - including a technology for the efficient production of lightweight sandwich components, which has just won the JEC Composites Innovation Award in the “Automotive & Road Transportation - Process” category.
“We have been a guest at JEC World for many years. The trade fair is an ideal place to get an overview of current composite trends, from the integration of digital technologies into the manufacturing process to high-performance lightweight solutions and strategies for the reusability and recycling of composite materials. At the same time, our presence there offers us a wonderful opportunity to present our expertise in all these areas,” says Prof. Dr. Maik Feldmann, Head of the "Polymer Applications" business unit at the Fraunhofer IMWS.
This year, the institute from Halle (Saale) can be met at the booths of its research partners ENGEL Austria (Booth: 5L106), ElringKlinger (Booth: 6Q108) and ThermHex (Booth: 6P108) and will present its range of services relating to plastics processing and the optimization of polymer materials, for example for thermoplastic-based lightweight construction with fibre composites and sandwich core materials, the use of bio-based plastics in large-scale production or the characterization of material properties from laboratory to pilot plant scale.
A highlight of the trade fair presentation will be the demonstrator that has emerged from the “HyWaSand” project.Together with partners, the Fraunhofer IMWS has produced a storage compartment flap in sandwich lightweight construction for a truck driver's cab. The production process used is suitable for processing thermoplastics in large-scale production and was awarded the JEC Composites Innovation Award 2025 in the “Automotive & Road Transportation - Process” category in January.