Scale-independent Joining, Additive Manufacturing, and Repair

Research Focus Area 4 investigates high-innovation-potential processes for scale-independent joining, additive manufacturing, and repair. A central approach is Magnetic Bending Pulsed (MBP) arc welding.

This fully automatable process achieves very high manufacturing precision with low energy consumption; preliminary studies have demonstrated substantial scalability potential. Additionally, laser deposition welding is being researched for its suitability in additive manufacturing of large components.

For very large components (>> 1 m), the generative production of complete structures is generally uneconomical.

More efficient is the selective application of additive processes, such as for protective coatings, internal cooling channels, or electrical conduits. Unlike conventional, inflexible approaches, this process is designed to be mobile and scale-independent, utilising autonomous robots amongst other technologies.