Trade fairs and events

Industry 4.0, digitization, simulation and modeling of materials, processes, product and production systems and even entire factories are topics, which become more and more important for the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films. As a result, the institute again attends the Fraunhofer booth „Digital Solutions & New Materials“ (Hall 6, Stand A30) at this year‘s Hannover Fair from April 1-5, 2019.

With its work on process simulation in the area of thin-film technology the Fraunhofer IST demonstrates to what extent digital solutions can facilitate and accelerate the development of innovative materials and surfaces. 

Process simulation

The process simulation facilitates the development of precise and efficient processes in thin film technology. At the Hannover Messe the Fraunhofer IST presents a simulation environment for the description of plasma coating processes as well as a simulation of dust particles, which enables a prediction of dust contamination in plasma coating systems. Furthermore, a multi-scale simulation of process chains using the example of a battery production line will pe presented. 

Sensory thin-film systems for measuring parameters in high-load areas of production plants

In the age of Industry 4.0 the production of the future should be able to meet ever increasing demands: processes should be flexible, intelligently networked and sustainable, the production facilities must work safely, intuitively and at the same time resource efficiently. Thin-film sensors developed at the Fraunhofer IST provide solutions that generate measurement data where measuring systems are difficult to integrate, e.g. in main load zones in direct contact between the workpiece and tool.

The Fraunhofer IST is also represented at the main Fraunhofer booth in Hall 2 (booth C22) and presents examples of application possibilities of the thin-film sensor technology.

Cold plasma spraying

The Application Center for Plasma and Photonics of the Fraunhofer IST presents the innovative technology of cold plasma spraying and a model of the newly developed sliding discharge plasma jet which enables the treatment of flat and at the same time partially complex geometries. 

In cold plasma spraying, nano and micro particles are thermalized in a plasmajet and are directed to a substrate with the gas flow. Specific in this procedure is the possibility to homogeneously coat heat sensitive surfaces with materials such as copper and aluminum as well as with high-strength stainless steel or titanium. It is possible to generate electric conductive layers, blanks and patterns on substrates such as plastics, thin glass, foil and paper, as well as on three dimensional objects.

Wear resistant antifouling and antiadhesion coatings

The Fraunhofer IST has developed coatings for a number of application areas that reduce the effects of fouling considerably. The coatings reduce adhesion and, in addition, offer a high degree of wear and corrosion resistance.

Friction reduction and wear protection for motor components, mechanical parts and tools

DLC coatings can increase service life and load capacity and reduce friction losses. Such coatings are relevant whenever components move against each other. The Fraunhofer IST was significantly involved in developing the DLC coatings and keeps working intensively on the customization of various DLC modifications. The focus is particularly on combinations of different coatings and coating technologies.The Center for Tribological Coatings of the Fraunhofer IST is focusing on antifouling this year. Various wear resistant antifouling and antiadhesive coatings will be presented. Further topics are thin-film sensor technology as well as friction reduction and wear protection for engine parts, machine components and tools.

Optical funcional films

A further focus area is optical functional films. The Fraunhofer IST presents one expample with a dielectric beamsplitter at the booth area of the Fraunhofer Group Light & Surfaces:

The EOSS^® (Enhanced Optical Sputtering System) innovative sputtering system developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, enables to produce not only low-defect coatings, but also highly complicated layer designs with extreme precision and uniformity of the coating and with a high process reliability. High throughput is achieved by coating up to ten substrates with a diameter of 200 mm. The EOSS^® is commercially available and offered industrially by cooperating partners.