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Lightweighting – obviously – means less mass. But it means more than that, because many lightweighting products also offer better material characteristics than conventional products. By delivering well-thought-out functional integration, by using designs that are optimised in terms of load-bearing and materials, and by deploying lighter materials, lightweighting combines modern production processes and lower costs with a sparing use of resources and enhanced functionality.
Lightweighting is a key enabling technology, because the principles of lightweighting are driving advances in technology. Weight is saved not only through the use of lighter materials, but also via the integration of functions and the use of designs that are optimised in terms of load-bearing and materials. Since the materials and the design, the bonding techniques and the manufacturing processes are being continuously improved, the technology delivers goods with equivalent or even enhanced characteristics compared with the original product. New forward-looking markets are emerging as lightweighting combines with digitalisation and bionics.
Lightweighting is already in use in many areas today. The innovations are being driven by aerospace and the automotive and transport sectors. Each kilogram saved means an extra kilogram of payload. 100 kilograms less of weight cuts a car’s fuel consumption by around 0.5 litres per 100 kilometres, and for electric vehicles, every kilogram saved increases the range of the vehicle. In an Airbus A 320, 100 kilograms less weight means almost 10,000 litres less kerosene per aircraft and year. But the technology is also taking on an ever more important role in the construction sector, leisure and sports, the maritime industry, and medical engineering.
Producing lightweight products means using less material, and less material can mean lower costs and better properties. Using lightweight components is less energy-intensive, and leads to lower CO2 emissions. New production techniques can save further resources and energy. The various materials and lightweighting technologies can be combined in many different ways.
Lightweighting is a perfect combination of three dimensions of sustainability – economic, environmental and social. State-of-the-art, digital product development and lower-cost manufacturing is an excellent fit with a responsible approach to resources, energy and the climate, as well as with high functionality.
Facts and figures about lightweighting
44.3
per cent of costs in the manufacturing sector are down to materials
10,000
litres
of kerosene are saved by an A 320 in a year if the aircraft weights 100 kg less
1.3
million jobs
in Germany are connected to leightweighting
€124.3
billion of direct value added are generated by leightweighting
The future of lightweighting
New challenges facing lightweighting
Lightweighting involves a whole new level of complexity as the entire value chain needs to be organised and controlled across the whole lifecycle of a product. The fundamental changes associated with this mean that workflows and the way our work is organised are being radically transformed.
Lightweighting is a revolution that starts not with the manufacturing of a product on the shop floor but during the development stages. In general it can be said that all competitive products, irrespective of the sector in which they are being developed, will be based to some extent on lightweight structures, even if they are not explicitly “labelled”. At the same time, the revolution in manufacturing processes is one of the biggest challenges relating to this development.
New materials take time to test and almost always require new manufacturing processes. It is important for these processes to be standardised and mass production to become possible. Car-makers in particular demand high throughput rates in series production. Possible extra costs in product manufacturing must result in significant savings once the product is in use. That is the only way to justify the higher purchase price to the final consumer.
Sustainability via a circular economy
The greater the number of different materials which are joined together to make a product, the more challenging the recovery of the recyclable materials for the manufacturing process. All of the processes from design and manufacture to use and re-use must be thought through at the initial drafting stage or the time when the product is redesigned. The aim has to be a circular economy approach which returns the valuable or even rare materials to the production process. There is a need for more research and development work in this field.
The manufacture, processing and maintenance or repair of products from new materials is challenging and demands sophisticated expertise which can only be acquired via specially designed training courses. For this reason, the teaching and handling of lightweighting methods and materials must become much more integrated into general education, vocational training and degree courses.
Despite these challenges, it is important to make the best possible use of the potential of lightweighting for the German economy. To this end, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has launched a number of measures.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action supports a cross-technology and efficient transfer of expertise between the various lightweighting stakeholders around Germany. The Lightweighting Initiative serves as a central contact point for German businesses. The services are rounded off by targeted funding measures and the Lightweighting Forum.
Lightweighting is of crucial importance for the competitiveness of many sectors and the thorough modernisation of the industrial sector in Germany. For this reason, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is continuing to expand the support available for this forward looking technology. The Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office and the Lightweighting Forum offer expert contacts for businesses and a platform for cross-technology and cross-sectoral networking.
The contact point for businesses: the Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office
The Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office (Organisational Chart (PDF, 372 KB)) is a national and international network hub for German companies, and especially SMEs, supporting the implementation of lightweighting and fostering the cross-sectoral transfer of technology – with activities ranging from backing for initiatives to a more widespread industrial roll-out of lightweighting and its use in mass production.
The Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office is a central contact point for interested stakeholders from business, science and government. It coordinates the approach to digital structural change in industry in terms of lightweighting in Germany. It provides practical recommendations and examples of best practice for companies and policymakers, as well as customised support, thus giving a decisive boost to the sector and activating suitable multipliers to get the message out. Cooperation between experts at national and international level is helping to enhance Germany’s reputation as a lightweighting centre.
Lightweighting Summit
Every year, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action organises the Lightweighting Summit as part of the Hannover Messe trade fair. This event is a political highlight that has an international impact and attracts participants from all around the world. The Lightweighting Summit brings together high-level representatives from government, business and science to discuss key topics of the lightweighting industry. Key points include the role of lightweighting for the economy, its competitiveness at international level and the need for stronger networking in this key technological sector.
The next Lightweighting Summit will take place on 1 April 2025 and promises once again to be an excellent forum for discussion on knowledge and ideas. Interested participants can look forward to many fascinating discussions and presentations that will focus on the current developments and the future challenges of lightweighting.
A platform for transferring expertise: the Lightweighting Forum
The Economic Affairs Ministry regularly hosts a Round Table together with the Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office. This Lightweighting Forum is a platform for a cross-technology and efficient transfer of expertise between the various stakeholders around Germany. The Forum focuses on technology trends, the activities of the Federal Government and the German Länder, and the opportunities and risks associated with foreign markets. The 9th session of the Forum will take place on 29 September 2022.
Strengthening the transition towards sustainability
2023: The Federal Government’s Lightweighting Strategy, under the lead responsibility of the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Ministry, seeks to strengthen lightweighting across ministries
The Federal Government’s Lightweighting Strategy is based on the lightweighting strategy of the then Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy from January 2021, and places this on an even broader base. It was provided for in the coalition agreement and the Climate Action Status Review. Under the lead responsibility of the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Ministry, the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Ministry and seven other ministries (Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building) collaborated on the strategy. Also, the lightweighting community and the public were involved.
Lightweighting, as a cross-cutting technology that embraces different sectors and materials, particularly benefits from an interdisciplinary approach and from an exchange of knowledge among the stakeholders. As the Federal Government has already been providing support for lightweighting very successfully across various areas, there is a sound basis on which to build. The Strategy is to strategically pool ongoing activities by the various ministries, and enhance them in a targeted manner. It also includes new measures, for example for expanding ecological and economic measurability and for user-oriented communication of the benefits of lightweighting.
The Strategy takes a holistic approach that covers different industries and materials and addresses all three dimensions of sustainability, namely ecology, economy and society. The implementation of the Federal Government’s Lightweighting Strategy is intended to make a key contribution towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of primary raw materials. Also, dependencies on imported energy and raw materials are to be reduced. The close link between a sparing use of resources with the circular economy concept leverages further potential. Furthermore, the ongoing development of highly innovative lightweighting technologies has a positive impact on the innovative capacities of the economy. By developing new solutions for reducing weight and materials use and for improving the functioning of components, lightweighting is constantly delivering new innovations. Materials can encourage a great deal of innovation as they are used in so many sectors. Finally, lightweighting improves people’s day-to-day lives, e.g. in terms of housing, mobility, health and leisure. For example, new lightweight design concepts for buildings provide possibilities for infill development by extending existing buildings upwards in densely populated urban areas and thus address the urgent need to create housing.
The implementation of the Lightweighting Strategy is to be discussed with all the relevant ministries once during each legislative term.
2021: The Lightweighting Strategy of the Economic Affairs and Climate Ministry for Germany’s industrial sector
The goal is for Germany to become a lead market and leading provider of lightweight construction technology. Lightweighting is exemplary in bringing together the three dimensions of sustainability – economy, ecology, and social aspects. The Ministry’s Lightweighting Strategy is designed to further strengthen this technology and the framework for it. It was developed in a broad-based bottom-up process involving 350 experts from different industries. The resulting key point paper 'Lightweighting – prospects for Germany' was published by the Ministry in 2021 and sets out specific targets, objectives and measures for Germany’s industrial sector.
Lightweighting Strategy for Germany’s industrial sector
Germany is to become the lead market and lead provider for lightweighting. Lightweighting ideally combines the three dimensions of sustainability: economy, ecology and social aspects. The BMWK's Lightweighting Strategy was developed to further strengthen this technology and set the appropriate policy framework. For this purpose, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action asked 350 experts from different industries to actively contribute their specific expertise in an extensive process and within the framework of 3 workshops from March 2019 to March 2020. Based on the results and the fields of action set out in the Strategy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has developed the goals and measures for the Lightweighting Strategy for Germany as an industrial sector.
The objectives and measures of the Lightweighting Strategy for Germany as an industrial sector are to be adapted to current developments in a 3-year cycle and updated accordingly.
Funding programmes
Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM)
The Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) is the Economic Affairs Ministry’s core programme for the market-based funding of technology for innovative German SMEs. More.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action's Innovation Vouchers (go-inno)
The Innovation Vouchers from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action fund external management and advice from authorised consultants to help with preparing and implementing product and technical process innovations in companies with technological potential. The funding is not restricted in principle to specific technologies, products or sectors. The only precondition is that the company has fewer than 100 employees and an annual turnover of not more than €20 million. More (in German).
Startup funding pays off
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is using the EXIST programme to support the establishment of high-tech startups in science. After a startup is created, the German Accelerator programme provides further support for its internationalisation and market expansion. Celonis SE is a great example for the success of such activities.
International cooperation
Lightweight construction – leveraging international potential together
Climate action is the defining megatrend in society and the political arena. Innovative, resource-efficient lightweighting solutions are vital for reducing carbon emissions and achieving our climate, sustainability and electric mobility goals.
Lightweight construction means increased material and energy efficiency. At the same time, bionic structures serve as natural blueprints for industrial lightweighting applications that are developed and manufactured in digitalised and networked value chains. This is both innovative and sustainable. We are therefore providing targeted support to help leverage the potential of German lightweighting.
When it comes to this crucial cross-sectoral technology, German companies – from startups and SMEs to OEMs – have a lot to offer. In order to be able to unleash the entire lightweighting potential across borders in an excellent and effective manner, it is important for companies to network well on a global scale. This is because cooperation with international players is vital for them to be able to realise joint technological innovation projects that hold major international market opportunities, and to open up new international markets and increase their competitiveness.
Services to support German companies in building international networks
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action seeks to support German companies in strengthening their international cooperation and offers a wide range of support services to help entrepreneurs build solid networks. The assistance provided by the Ministry is mainly geared to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and covers many different areas, such as business initiation, business missions, building business contacts and networking. Below is a selection of the support services available:
Market Entry Programme (MEP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
The Market Entry Programme (MEP) operated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action provides project-related funding assistance to small- and medium-sized companies, especially in traditional sectors and industries (for example, in mechanical and plant engineering, in the vehicle and supplier industry, and in the chemical and electrical industries). The programme also helps the self-employed, relevant specialists from the liberal professions and providers of business-related services.
Fact-finding missions are organised to help companies explore business opportunities in challenging or new markets and market segments, often in emerging and developing economies. Local and German experts are there on the spot to provide information about market access, such as the political and legal environment, specific market opportunities and market developments, import rules, standards and taxes. They also arrange contacts to local multipliers, agencies, public institutions and business partners, as well as visits to sites and projects..
German Chambers of Industry and Commerce Abroad (AHKs)
As competent on-site contact partners abroad, the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce Abroad advise, support and represent German companies worldwide that want to establish or expand their business abroad. These bilateral chambers of industry and commerce are German public institutions that promote foreign trade and investment.
The close partnership of the AHKs with the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHKs) in Germany ensures that the needs of the business community are properly understood. Thanks to the good cooperation between the two sets of chambers at home and abroad, company enquiries can be handled directly by experts on the ground and the right solutions developed that are tailored to the market. Events organised by the Chambers of Industry and Commerce for specific countries and regions are prepared and carried out together with the respective Chambers of Industry and Commerce Abroad. The Chambers of Industry and Commerce are entities that form part of the business community’s self-management. In this role, they represent the interests of all commercial enterprises in their regions vis-à-vis local authorities, state governments, policymakers and the wider public. This creates a direct link between businesses at home and abroad. The umbrella organisation of the IHKs as well as of the AHKs is the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).
Joint stands at trade fairs abroad - The Foreign Trade Fair Programme (AMP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
The Foreign Trade Fair Programme (AMP) promotes trade fairs abroad in which the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action participates in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). The trade fairs abroad supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action serve as an export marketing tool and enable companies to participate in joint stands at favourable conditions.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) set up Foreign Trade Fair Programmes every year. AUMA represents and coordinates the interests of German industry and supports both ministries in implementing their programmes. Small and medium-sized companies in particular benefit from the joint participation when it comes to opening up foreign markets. In addition, AUMA assists its members in promoting their trade fairs abroad through the annual trade fair calendar entitled “German Trade Fair Quality Abroad” and through the AUMA trade fair database.
At www.auma.de apotential exhibitors will find all the information they need to plan their participation in the BMWK’s Foreign Trade Fair Programme: The AUMA trade fair database contains dates, offerings and key figures for over 5,000 trade fairs in Germany and abroad. In addition, it lists the respective German contact persons for booking a particular stand at a trade fair. As an additional feature, the database includes a search function that may be used to search other foreign trade fair programmes of the Federal Government (especially for the energy and food industry) and the federal states online.
AUMA is open to suggestions for trade fairs that do not yet receive any support. Any proposals that are submitted are carefully reviewed and, if suitable, are added to the trade fair database.
For more information about the content of the Foreign Trade Fair Programme, please click here.
Programme to promote the participation of young, innovative companies in leading international trade fairs in Germany (MjiU):
Funding assistance is available for young innovative companies wishing to participate in a joint stand at leading international trade fairs in Germany. The support provided to such startups by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action enables them to market their new product and process developments with a view to opening up international markets.
For further information on the criteria and guidelines, please click here.
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI)
In addition to promoting foreign trade and investment, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) also focuses on recruiting and advising foreign investors. In addition, GTAI works to enhance the image of Germany as a location for business and investment while at the same time seeking to place a focus on regions undergoing structural change and on areas affected by the coal phase-out. Companies looking for assistance in tapping into target markets will find the right support here.
Africa Business Network
The Africa Business Network and a strong network of established stakeholders and programmes to promote foreign trade and investment ensure that German firms can rely on sound advice on their way to doing business in Africa. German companies wishing to engage in Africa can draw on a bundled package of advice and support services from the Africa Business Network.
Organising and participating in international events
For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, participating in international events is an important tool for getting to know international markets, establishing important contacts and exploring possibilities for future cooperation with international partners.
JEC World Trade Fair in Paris
The JEC World is one of the world’s leading international trade fairs in the field of composite materials and their applications. It takes place every year and serves to promote forward-looking solutions and approaches as well as to present manufacturing and business opportunities within a networking platform.
United Nations Global Compact
The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest and most important initiative for corporate governance. Based on 10 universal principles and the Sustainable Development Goals, it pursues a vision of an inclusive and sustainable global economy for the benefit of all people, communities and markets, at present and in the future. By joining this initiative, over 15,000 companies and organisations from civil society, government and academia spanning more than 160 countries have committed themselves to making this vision a reality. In terms of lightweighting, the initiative also wants to encourage companies in the lightweighting sector to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for example at the United Nations Global Compact 2021 Leaders Summit.
To promote these efforts, a side event on “Sustainable Lightweighting – A Game-changing Technology” was held at this year's United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit on 14 June 2021. The event highlighted the contribution that lightweighting can make to implementing the principles of the UN Global Compact. You can find the follow-up report on the event here.
International partners of the lightweighting initiative
To connect with both international and national cooperation partners in the lightweighting sector, the interactive, digital LEICHTBAUATLAS (Lightweighting Atlas) is available in German and English. At www.leichtbauatlas.de you can create your free profile to be visible to other stakeholders and potential partners.
Cooperation between experts at national and international level is helping to enhance Germany’s reputation as a lightweighting centre and to build networks. Selected international partners are presented here in brief.
A2LT – Austrian Advanced Lightweight Technology
The Austrian Advanced Lightweight Technology (A2LT) platform pools the skills and powers of innovation of the partners involved, which include companies and research institutions – all with the shared objective of promoting lightweighting and making it smarter, more sustainable and more affordable. A2LT Whitepaper: Lightweight Construction – Ecological and economic heavyweight
Sampe Germany e.V.
In Europe, Sampe Germany e.V. has activities in more than 25 countries, which are mainly organised through national associations – for example in France, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia, Benelux, Scandinavia and Germany.
Contact: Prof. Dr Frank Henning
Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT
E-Mail: frank.henning@ict.fraunhofer.de
Phone: +49 721 4640 420
Joseph-von-Fraunhofer Str. 7
76327 Pfinztal
Pôle de compétitivité EMC2
This is a European cluster for manufacturing technologies. It provides technical knowledge and expertise and brings together a community of experts to ensure lasting success for manufacturing plants.
Contact: Ms Olivia Cahn
E-Mail: olivia.cahn@pole-emc2.fr
Phone: +22 8 44 36 98
Chemin du Chaffault,
44340 Bouguenais, France
European lightweighting networks and organisations
Across Europe, there are lightweighting associations and networks seeking to promote the transfer of knowledge transfer between science and industry and to develop and manufacture lightweighting solutions for a whole range of sectors. Some of these European lightweighting associations and network are featured below:
European Lightweighting Network (ELN) The European Lightweighting Network (ELN) is an initiative formed by public administrations from Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Germany during the German Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2020. In its activities, the network focuses on the use of lightweight technologies to support the targets under the Green Deal. Key objectives of the ELN include the drawing up of a European Lightweighting Strategy and the establishment of a Brussels-based point-of-contact for the lightweighting community.
The next meeting is scheduled for 2025 and is likely to be held in Poland.
Contact: Vanessa Groth
Organisation: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Email: vanessa.groth@bmwk.bund.de
European Lightweight Association A network of lightweighting networks
The European Lightweight Association (ELA) has set itself the goal of consolidating the competitive position of its member companies and wants to put Europe’s lightweighting sector in a strong position internationally. Bringing together the strengths of all the different regions gives small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, a chance to successfully compete on the global markets.
The cooperation within the ELA gives all member companies and research institutions from the European regions greater access to customers, technologies and best practice solutions.
The ELA wants to make a meaningful contribution to the European Union’s objectives under the Green Deal and raise policy-makers’ awareness for the potential of lightweighting in this regard.
European Lightweight Cluster Alliance The ELCA (European Lightweight Cluster Alliance) is a joint initiative seeking to accelerate the uptake of lightweight materials in strategic industries. The Alliance’s main focus in on the mobility sector, but other target industries include the energy, healthcare, defence and construction sectors. The Alliance offers a unique and integrative framework for exploring the market potential of lightweighting. It gives the most important stakeholders from established industries and research institutions a chance to cooperate and translate research findings into practical lightweight technology applications.
Swedish research creating sustainable growth – RISE The Swedish public-sector research institute offers new solutions for a sustainable future; it supports adjustments to challenges and helps to find solutions to them, pursues a holistic approach to resolving complex issues, and strengthens competitiveness.
Railway Cluster of Sweden
The Railway Cluster in Västerås is a cluster cooperation between railway technology companies in Västerås and the district of Västmanland.
Germany is well positioned on lightweighting. Just how well can be seen from the interactive lightweighting map (the “LEICHTBAUATLAS”): it networks the individual stakeholders in research, development and applications and thus fosters the transfer of technology – across Germany and on a technology-neutral and cross-sectoral basis.
The LEICHTBAUATLAS uses an interactive website to make Germany visible as a lightweighting centre and offers businesses and scientists the possibility to network. A catalogue comprising around 250 criteria has been elaborated in close cooperation with all the key stakeholders helping people to find the right supplier or partner. A text search function and a geographical locator are also available.
The interactive website, which can be used free of charge, makes it easy to find lightweighting expertise in Germany and is open to organisations which have focused their processes and activities on lightweighting and which wish to present them to a wide audience. The LEICHTBAUATLAS takes a cross-material, cross-technology and cross-sectoral approach, and a comprehensive criteria filter permits targeted searches for suppliers or partners. Registered organisations can set up and publish their own profiles.
The digital atlas provides a good overview of the skills of organisations that focus their activities and processes on lightweighting and want to present these with a large reach to specific target groups. Once registered, organisations such as companies, institutes or associations can publish and update their own profile free of charge. Registration is also free of charge and does not take long – for a brief guide, please click here.
At present, more than 1,300 organisations from business, science and the political sphere have registered.
The LIGHTWEIGHTING ATLAS is becoming increasingly international, which is evident from the rising number of profiles from Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Automatic translation into or from English has been implemented to allow for frictionless profile searches. Please make use of the possibility to create a bilingual profile.
Apart from a direct search for relevant lightweighting profiles, the best practice examples also offer more complex research and information services across lightweighting.
Practical examples illustrate how mass, material use and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced and additional functionalities implemented. There are descriptions not only of the challenges in implementation, but also of specific solutions that have proved helpful. Innovative and sustainable approaches from the field of monomaterials and multimaterials and lightweighting processes are being showcased and available capacities and competences and the wide range of materials highlighted.
Potential further examples can be suggested to the Lightweighting Initiative Coordination Office at any time. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Best-practice examples
Skills maps of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
The interactive skills maps let you research stakeholders from industry, research, training and technology transfer by region, field of application and field of technology, and to view them on easy-to-understand maps. Zooming lets you see individual Länder (federal states). Each institution is represented by a separate entry containing contact details and brief profiles of the research and work being done.
Materials map: research and innovation
Who is doing research into materials in Germany? Find an overview of research institutes and companies with their contacts
Materials map: training
Where can I find courses and internships for materials technologies in Germany? Information and contacts can be found
Best-practice examples
03/01/2024 - PDF -
Publication:Best practice example Infralight concrete
Skills maps of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
The interactive skills maps let you research stakeholders from industry, research, training and technology transfer by region, field of application and field of technology, and to view them on easy-to-understand maps. Zooming lets you see individual Länder (federal states). Each institution is represented by a separate entry containing contact details and brief profiles of the research and work being done.
Materials map: research and innovation
Who is doing research into materials in Germany? Find an overview of research institutes and companies with their contacts here (in German).
Materials map: training
Where can I find courses and internships for materials technologies in Germany? Information and contacts can be found here (in German).
Lightweighting technologies
An overview of lightweighting
Various lightweighting technologies exist, and many can be combined with one another. By integrating different functions, by permitting designs which offer the right loads and materials, and by using lighter materials, lightweight construction can offer low-cost and flexible alternatives in many different fields.
Producing lightweight structures means using less material, and less material can mean lower costs and better properties. Lightweight materials, lightweight forms and function-integrating lightweighting complement one another to ensure that optimal use is made of raw materials, costs and energy.
Lightweight materials
Here, heavy, dense materials are replaced by lighter materials, e.g. lightweight metals (aluminium, titanium, magnesium) or composites (carbon-fibre composites (CFCs), fibreglass reinforced plastics (FRPs)). Lightweight materials are particularly efficient when, depending on the load and the function, different materials are combined. This is called hybrid or multimaterial lightweighting.
Lightweight forms
Lightweight forms are complex structures which are achieved by optimising the spatial structure (topology) of reinforcements or struts. In many cases, these are based on principles of design taken from nature and called “bionic”. Examples include the hexagonal honeycomb shape or the load-optimised structure of bones. It is often very difficult to reproduce such shapes using traditional methods like casting or milling. Modern, additive manufacturing processes like 3D printing offer the potential for entirely new shapes and designs for lighter and more efficient products.
Integrated function lightweighting
Further functions can be built into load-bearing structures. These functions then do not need to be delivered elsewhere. For example, additive processes make it possible to generate refrigerating structures in components rather than adding them onto the outside. Functional integration in lightweighting also occurs when materials that conduct electricity, such as copper or aluminium, are integrated into composites, saving the need for additional wiring. Functional integration reduces spending on materials and assembly.
