SGL Group Endowed Chair - Institute for Carbon Composites Celebrates 5th Anniversary

At a glance:

  • Ceremony in the Deutsches Museum
  • International Symposium on September 11/12

The Institute for Carbon Composites (LCC) endowed by SGL Group at Technische Universität München (TUM) is celebrating its 5th anniversary with an International Symposium at the Garching Research Campus. A ceremony to mark the occasion at the special exhibition on carbon in the Deutsches Museum on the eve of the Symposium was attended by more than 120 distinguished guests from industry, science, and politics.

The Institute for Carbon Composites (LCC) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering takes a comprehensive approach to research into carbon fiber-based materials – from materials science fundamentals to production processes and design and calculation methods. Founded in 2009 with an endowment from SGL Group, LCC is today one of TUM‘s most high-performing institutes with 75 staff and state-of-the-art laboratories and pilot-scale facilities covering an area of more than 600 m2.

“Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) offer great potential for lightweight construction in aerospace, automotive, and mechanical engineering. They are lightweight, exceptionally strong, and can be tailored to suit different requirements like virtually no other material. But complex CFRP technology is still at an early stage in the development cycle, especially when it comes to component manufacture. It is this technological development that we want to foster with the SGL Group-sponsored institute. Under the direction of the renowned scientist and expert in applied and component production technologies, Prof Klaus Drechsler, LCC has developed extremely dynamically into a leading research partner and platform for projects with industry,” said Dr Wingefeld, Chief Technology Officer of SGL Group, in his speech.

Prof Klaus Drechsler, Head of LCC: “Development projects with leading industrial companies based on sound scientific knowledge have characterized the work of LCC from the beginning and proved the key to success. We are a founding member of the “MAI Carbon” Leading-Edge Cluster. In collaboration with partners from industry and research and funded by the Federal German Government, we aim to develop processes that reduce production costs by 90% and CFRP material costs by 50%. Our first generation of young scientists leave the institute not only with comprehensive theoretical knowledge but also with project and application experience, trained in the use of state-of-the-art technology.

In the Symposium starting today, “A Comprehensive Approach to Carbon Composites Technology”, scientists from LCC and international experts will discuss current knowledge and trends in the field of CFRP technology. Divided into ten sessions such as Processes and Production Systems, Hybrid Materials and Structures or Tailored Textiles, the Symposium will provide a comprehensive overview of CFRP technologies and properties.

Facts about LCC

  • Founded in 2009 with an endowment from SGL Group
  • Director: Prof. Klaus Drechsler
  • Staff in 2014: 75 (2009: 4)
  • Laboratories and pilot-scale facilities in Garching and Ottobrunn covering 600 m², state-of-the-art machinery for CFRP production such as braiding machines and automated tape laying systems


Education

  • Fiber composites technology module
  • 4 specialized courses, 4 practical courses, 2 supplementary courses
  • Guest lecturers: SGL Group (Dr Öttinger); Airbus Group (Dr Weimer)
  • More than 60 degree theses are supervised each year


Research

  • Research groups: Process Technology for Fibers and Textiles / Simulation / Process Technology for Matrix Systems / Material Behavior and Testing
  • Close cooperation with Fraunhofer Project Group for Functional Lightweight Design (FIL) Augsburg
  • Spin-off: Munich Composites start up www.munich-composites.de
  • Awards: JEC award, several awards for best degree theses
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