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  • Forest protection / 2024

    Automated Pheromone Traps for Forest Pest Moths

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    Männlicher Falter der Gattung Schwammspinner
    © Fraunhofer IFF

    Despite being widely popular, moths, and their larvae in particular, are not always welcome in forests, parks and gardens. Some moth species constitute a real threat to forests when they appear en masse. In the past, they have stripped entire deciduous and coniferous stands bare in many places in Germany. Forest pest monitoring is consequently particularly important to track their reproduction and to protect forests from greater damage. Research scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF are developing a digital, automated pheromone trap together with the Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt in the DiMoTrap project which could significantly reduce the labor of hitherto complex manual monitoring for forest protection.

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  • Airborne extinguishing technology of the future / 2024

    Fighting Forest Fires More Efficiently from the Air

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    © Fraunhofer EMI using Midjourney

    Whether in Canada, California or around the Mediterranean — forest fires are becoming more frequent and, above all, more severe around the world. Especially in summer, heat, drought and wind often turn such fires into raging infernos, and the climate crisis is certainly not helping. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, and start-up CAURUS Technologies GmbH are responding to the increasing global threat. Together, they are developing an innovative extinguishing method that can be used to fight large-scale fires more efficiently from the air.

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  • First battery cell winding system of its kind / 2024

    Digitalized, Sustainable Battery Cell Production

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    Am Fraunhofer IPA hergestellte Jelly Rolls und zylindrische Batteriezelle (21700 Rundzelle im Tabless Continuous Design)
    © Fraunhofer IPA/Rainer Bez

    The further development and evolution of existing storage systems is a key prerequisite for the energy transition. The Center for Digitalized Battery Cell Manufacturing (ZDB) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and acp systems AG have joined forces to commission a winding system for cylindrical battery cells featuring flexible formats and design. It serves as an innovative research and production platform to test new cell formats and components along with tab designs and also enables development of large-format cells for future battery technologies. The winding system is the first of its kind in the world. It is embedded in an automated, digitalized battery cell production infrastructure.

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  • New institute director / 2024

    Prof. Miriam Unterlass Appointed New Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC

    Press Release / October 01, 2024

    Ab 1. Oktober 2024 neue Institutsleiterin des Fraunhofer ISC: Frau Prof. Miriam Unterlass.
    © Karoline Wolf

    On October 1, Prof. Miriam Unterlass is taking over as the director of the re-nowned Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. Having previously taught at the University of Konstanz and TU Wien, the chemist and materials scientist is bringing her expertise in the synthesis of new functional materials to enrich the portfolio of Fraunhofer ISC and the University of Würzburg, where she will hold the Chair for Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis.

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  • Synthesizing fine chemicals / 2024

    Technological Advance in Production of Pharmaceuticals

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    Feinchemikalien werden besonders in der Arzneimittelherstellung eingesetzt. Hier kommt es weniger auf große Mengen, sondern mehr auf Funktionalität und hohen Reinheitsgrad an.
    © Getty Images

    Production of fine chemicals such as those used in pharmaceuticals is typically complex and laborious. An interdisciplinary team of Fraunhofer researchers worked together across different projects to devise a method modeled on a cascade, in which multiple successive stages of synthesis proceed without interruption. This is made possible through the use of novel catalysts in specially adjusted flow-through reactors. The new method makes the process of manufacturing drugs more efficient and conserves energy. In this way, the modular technology platform supports the production of pharmaceuticals in Germany as an industrial location.

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  • Chemical production in Germany / 2024

    Soda Manufacturing with Double Climate Bonus

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    Bei der Herstellung von Soda entstehen bisher große Mengen des Treibhausgases Kohlenstoffdioxid und saline Abwässer. Die Technologie des Projekts Green Soda löst beide Probleme.
    © Getty Images

    Fraunhofer researchers and their partners have developed an innovative and eco-friendly method of producing soda, essential for a wide range of industries, in the Green Soda project. The process is based on bipolar electrodialysis of brine. Ion exchange processes and the addition of carbon dioxide result in green soda. The technology will also help to strengthen manufacturing in Germany as an industrial location.

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  • Enhancing paper surfaces with plant extracts / 2024

    Plasma-coated Paper as a Plastic Alternative for the Packaging Industry

    Research News / October 01, 2024

    Forschende am Fraunhofer IST nutzen Pflanzenöle, um Papier wasserabweisend zu gestalten.
    © Fraunhofer IST using Adobe Firefly

    Plastic waste, harmful to the environment, has been increasing continually in Germany in recent years. Packaging generates particularly high volumes of waste. Plant-based coatings for paper packaging could provide a sustainable alternative in the future. In the BioPlas4Paper project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST and project partners have used a coating process known as plasma polymerization to create water-repellent and plant-based barrier coatings on paper, thereby im-proving the paper’s resistance to the effects of the weather.

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  • Bits & Pretzels / 2024

    From Lab to Launch: How Fraunhofer Promotes Technology Transfer

    Press Release / September 26, 2024

    © Fraunhofer AHEAD

    A unique opportunity for Germany as a business location lies in deep tech and a strong innovation system of science and industry. Fraunhofer will be demonstrating its expertise in entrepreneurial technology transfer at the Bits & Pretzels innovation summit in Munich, which will be held from September 29 to October 1, 2024.

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  • Functionally integrated lightweight design in electric mobility / 2024

    EV Battery Enclosures with Lower Carbon Emissions

    Research News / September 02, 2024

    Aluminiumschaumsandwich-Bodenpanel mit integrierter Kühlstruktur
    © Fraunhofer IWU

    More charging power, higher range, lower environmental impact: In the COOLBat joint research project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU have teamed up with partners to develop next-generation battery enclosures for electric vehicles. The objective is to make the enclosures, a central component in any electric vehicle, lighter and cut the carbon dioxide emitted to manufacture them by 15 percent. The project partners aim to achieve this by combining individual systems, packing more functions into a smaller installation space, and using new heat-conductive materials and bio-based flame retardant coatings.

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  • Artificial intelligence for Clinical Pathology / 2024

    Data-Efficient Foundation Model for Biomarker Detection

    Research News / September 02, 2024

    Das Bildregistrierungsverfahren Histokat-Fusion überträgt Annotationen aus zwei histologischen Färbungen aufeinander
    © Fraunhofer MEVIS

    The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems shows promise in medicine, where they can be used to detect diseases earlier, improve treatments, and ease staff workloads. But their performance depends on how well the AI is trained. A new multi-task approach to training AI makes it possible to train foundation models quicker and more cost-effectively, with less data. Researchers are turning to this approach to compensate for the shortage of data in medical imaging — and ultimately save lives.

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Articles, conference contributions, research reports, studies, patents or utility models: Fraunhofer-Publica documents the publications and patents that result from the research activities of the Fraunhofer institutes.