Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF

LBF and moreCustomer Magazine

ResearchDevelopment Adaptive Helmholtz resonators PAGE 12

in close partnership with its customers, Fraunhofer LBF handles R&D projects in the areas of polymer technology, light-weight structures, vibration technology and reliability. In this issue of our customer magazine, we present some of the challenges our research scientists are overcoming on a day-to-day basis – from the development of technologies for plastic processing up to the implementation of light-weight structures in the automotive sector, the development of adaptive Helmholtz resonators for noise control, and the assessment of the reliability of electrical vehicles.

A further highlight over the last few months has been the successful evaluation of the AdRIA project. We will continue to push ahead intensive cooperation with our strategic partners, Technische Universität Darmstadt and Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. Our work currently focusses on technological consultation and the transfer of technology into commercial applications.

In line with the Fraunhofer motto „We invent the future“, we will continue to develop solutions ranging from individual components through products right up to complete systems, and provide consultation in all areas of reliable, light-weight structures. We are looking forward to facing the challenges you may present to us in close partnership with you!

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias MelzDirector (acting)

Dear friends of Fraunhofer LBF,

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LOEWE Center AdRIA – top-notch research into smart structures 4

ResearchDevelopment

Design of interfaces: Development of tailor-made adhesion promoters and compatibilizers

Pushing the limits – Injection-molding of compounds with functional additives and high filler content

Durable and functionally integrated light-weight design of chassis components in automotive engineering

Allowing for strain-hardening in fatigue assessment

Adaptive Helmholtz resonators

High-frequency test facility for NVH investigations in the automotive sector

Fatigue analysis of structural adhesive bonds in vehicle body construction

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EDITORIAL INFORMATION: Published by: Fraunhofer-Institut für Betriebsfestigkeit und Systemzuverlässigkeit LBF, Bartningstraße 47, 64289 Darmstadt, Phone +49 6151 705-0, Fax +49 6151 705-214, info@lbf.fraunhofer.de, www.lbf.fraunhofer.de Director (acting): Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Melz · Strategic Management: Dr. Ursula Eul, Katja Schroll © Fraunhofer-Institut für Betriebsfestigkeit und Systemzuverlässigkeit LBF, Darmstadt, November 2014 Overall production: G+R Agentur für Kommunikation GmbH, 64319 Pfungstadt, www.gr-kommunikation.comPictures: LBF-Archiv, Katrin Binner, Claus Borgenheimer, Ursula Raapke, Hessen-schafft-Wissen All rights reserved, including, but not limited to the right of reproduction, circulation and translation.

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LOEWE Center AdRIA – top-notch research into smart structures

The LOEWE Center Adaptron-ics – Research, Innovation, Application (AdRIA) is one of ten LOEWE Centers funded within the framework of the Hessen State Government Program for the Promotion of Scientific and Economic Excel-lence „LOEWE“. The Center was supported with funds in the middle double-digit mil-lion Euro range over a period of six years, extending to mid-2014. The LOEWE Center AdRIA started out in mid-2008 with the explicit objec-tive of creating an internation-ally leading research center for smart structures in Darm-stadt, an established location for scientific facilities. Over the last few years, Darmstadt has become one of the top addresses for research on smart structures in Germany and throughout Europe, and has established itself as an in-ternational leader. As part of the program, a research center for smart structures was established at Technische Universität Darm stadt, along with a Chair for Structural Health Monitoring. At the same time, a complementary

research and training center for „Functionally Integrated Light-Weight Design“ was established at the Darm stadt University of Applied Sciences. Beyond the expiry of the Hes-sen State funding program, the three partners will contin-ue their cooperation under the roof of the LOEWE Center AdRIA, in order to promote research in the area of smart structures.

In March 2014 the LOEWE Center AdRIA was successfully evaluated by a committee of high-ranking experts. The ex-perts were impressed with the results achieved as well as with the demonstration systems that had been implemented and specifically praised the efficient cooperation of the partners. Based on the recom-mendations of the committee of experts, the Hessen State Government has granted an extension of funding until mid-2016 in the amount of a further € 2.6 million. The purpose of this funding exten-sion is the transfer of the Fraunhofer side of the center into a division for smart struc-tures at the Fraunhofer LBF.

Development and adapta-tion of new functional materials Research activities in the area of material development cur-rently revolves around the de-velopment of elastomer actu-ators and sensors, materials for the design of transparent sensors, high-temperature pi-ezo ceramics, functional thin-films and lead-free piezo ce-ramics. Specifically in the area of lead-free piezo ceramics, significant progress was achieved within the frame-work of the research work conducted at the AdRIA center, which focused on the temperature-related proper-

ties of barium titanate based lead-free systems. Tempera-ture stability up to 60°C was demonstrated for both small and large signals. Likewise, significant progress was achieved in the area of dielec-tric elastomers for use in dy-namic applications. A unique electrode design enables the performance of such stacked actuators to be systematically adjusted. These actuators fea-ture through excellent force coupling with the surrounding structures.

Apart from investigations relating to the use of these actuators as adaptive absorb-ers for vibration control, the

The AdRIA team following the interim review in 2011

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long-term stability of dielectric elastomer stacked actuators was demonstrated in durabili-ty tests. Fraunhofer LBF has a clean-room workplace for the production of stacked actua-tors from thin elastomer films.

Development of manufac-turing technologies for the production of functionally integrated structures and components Designated target of these manufacturing processes are enhancing economic efficien-cy in the production of active structures, enabling these structures to be offered in the market for a lower price. An innovative process was devel-oped at the LOEWE Center AdRIA, in which piezo electric actuators are monolithically integrated into structural components by means of

selective laser melting. Apart from effectively protecting the actuator from harsh environ-ments, the method developed also enables application tai-lored adaption of stiffness, actuator pre-loading and cou-pling to the adjacent passive structure. Research work fur-ther concentrated on the de-velopment of printed resistive strain gauges. Manufacturing processes were developed using the flexographic and the screen printing methods, which enabled strain gauges

and thermal sensors to be printed successfully. A further sensor production method was determined by combining the foil stamping printing process with laser technology. By this even finer sensor, structures with higher quality and stabili-ty over time can be produced. In addition, deep- drawing pro-cesses were developed, which enable functionally printed metal sheets or sheets pro-vided with metal conductor traces to be formed with de-formations up to 20 percent.

Adaptive vibration and noise control Vibration technology is a key element of the research activi-ties, whereby the development of networked systems and components for adaptive or active vibration control repre-

sents a particular research focus. Over the last few years, prototypes of sensors, actua-tors as well as adaptive and active absorbers of various shapes and sizes have been built for a variety of applica-tions in vibration control: For EAP stacked actuators for dynamic applications

Piezo actuator models produced in an additive production process

Active engine mount in a test vehicle

example in automobiles (e.g. convertibles), mechanical en-gineering, wind turbines, air-crafts, rail vehicles or medical devices. In addition, dedicated methods and simulation tool-boxes were set up for the de-sign, development and evalu-ation of components, enabling the modelling and simulation of such active systems.

In addition to a number of other practical test facilities, two test vehicles were con-structed within the framework

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Contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thilo Bein+49 6151 705-463thilo.bein@lbf.fraunhofer.dewww.loewe-adria.de

of the lead project „Adaptive Car“, in which the individual solutions for vibration and noise control were tested un-der in-vehicle conditions and refined for use in volume pro-duction. A milestone in the development process was the design of an active engine mount. Its design, comprising a piezo actuator, silicone springs, control system and power electronics, isolates the engine from the body causing fewer vibrations to be trans-mitted and thus significantly reducing the noise level in the vehicle.

Furthermore, scientists at the LOEWE Center AdRIA were engaged in the develop-ment of solutions for reducing

sound transmission through double-glazed windows, based, e.g. on elastomer actu-ators (see above), and the de-sign of methods for sound masking.

Structural and condition monitoring Research in this sector revolves around the development and combination of various meth-ods and systems for monitor-ing of damage attributes on structures, e.g. by load meas-urement and analysis vibration analysis, or ultrasound investi-gations. Scientists are concen-trating on smart sensor net-works for monitoring, for ex-ample the condition of bridges, wind generators, rotating sys-tems or critical vehicle compo-nents. For the latter applica-tion, a system was developed

within the framework of the EU Maintenance on Demand (MoDe) project, which re-ceived the renowned DHL In-novation Award 2013. Beyond the development of appropri-ate sensors, along with simu-lation, modelling and control technology for global and local structure monitoring, the Darmstadt scientists also cre-ated a unique sensor node, characterized by highly effi-cient operation and hence ultra low energy consumption. Another objective is develop-ment of energy autonomous sensor systems. A prototype of such a system has already been built and is currently further improved within the framework of the project „Energy Autonomous Mobility – Reliable, Energy Autonomous Systems for Mobile People“ (ESZüG) of the German Feder-al Minstry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Adaptronics Center in Darmstadt with impact on the whole of Europe On 7 May 2014, within the framework of the annual Eu-rope Week, the Hessen State

HaLOEWEN energy efficient sensor node (current prototype shown in the foreground)

Minister of Higher Education, Research and the Arts, Mr. Boris Rhein, was able to ob-tain a first-hand impression of the innovative capacity and relevance of the Darmstadt adaptronics research facility and its importance for Europe.

From the left: Acting Institute Director Prof. Tobias Melz, Prof. Thilo Bein, Head of LOEWE Center AdRIA, and Boris Rhein, Hessen State Minister of Higher Education, Research and the Arts to-gether at Fraunhofer LBF

LOEWE-Center AdRIA celebrates its 6th anniversary.

Follow the link to view the video. http://bit.ly/1pR1x88

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Design of interfaces: Development of tailor-made adhesion promoters and compatibilizers

To accurately tailor the prop-erties of plastic materials to the requirements of a specific application, polymers are fre-quently combined with each other or with other substances into new materials. However, most plastic materials are in-sufficiently compatible with one another and with other materials. Hence, the nature of the interface between the components has a significant influence on the property profile of the resulting multi- phase polymer systems. For this reason, polymer-based adhesion promoters and com-patibilizers are developed in

the Division Plastics to opti-mize proven or create new materials. Unlike currently available systems, these offer the capability of being tailored specifically to the combination of materials being used.

Adhesion promoters and compatibilizers are typically functionalized polymers, which can be produced with specific polymerization methods, which is what the group for the de-sign of interfaces specializes in. The substances can be added to a plastic material as an additive or applied to the surface as a primer. For initial testing, the products are syn-

Contact Dr. Roland Klein+49 6151 705-8611roland.klein@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Synthesis of adhesion promoters and compatibilizers on a laboratory scale

thesized on a laboratory scale. To be able to assess their ef-fectiveness under close-to-real conditions, LBF’s kilogram lab-oratory provides the capability of upscaling the synthesis pro-cedure. In this way, adhesion promoters and compatibilizers can be produced on a kilogram scale and made available to the customer, for example for conducting their own tests.

Various projects have demonstrated that the adhe-sion promoters and compati-bilizers developed were able, for example, to improve the mechanical properties of poly-mer blends, improve the fiber/matrix bond in fiber-reinforced

Upscaling of synthesis in the kilogram laboratory

plastics, or increase the adhe-sion between incompatible substances in hybrid materials.

Schematic presentation of the improvement of adhesion bet-ween incompatible materials

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Design of interfaces: Development of tailor-made adhesion promoters and compatibilizers

Fig. 1: Validation of a material model for ultra high-filled graphite compound, shown here for a bipolar plate for fuel cell applica-tions. The simulation of the weld front can be seen on the right, the experimental result on the left

Pushing the limits – Injection-molding of compounds with functional additives and high filler content

Beyond standard applications, additives and fillers for plastic compounds enable property profiles to be achieved, which go far beyond the properties typically expected from plas-tics. The systematic develop-ment of highly filled plastic compounds allows e.g. the functional properties of pow-der solids, such as carbon in the form of soot (carbon black) or graphite, metal pow-ders or ceramics, to be com-bined with the outstanding processing properties of plas-tic materials.

A key challenge for this class of materials lies in ensur-ing the processibility of the

materials for the concerned specific component. With this in mind, the Division Plastics at Fraunhofer LBF, along with the development of the mate-rial, also creates the essential models for simulating process-ing properties of a material before the material is actually processed.

Injection molding simula-tion is a widely established method for investigating pro-cessing properties. The relia-bility of such a simulation is essentially dependent on the quality of the respective mate-rial models. Ultra high-filled plastic compounds require ap-propriate measuring and eval-

uation methods for determin-ing the essential material property models used in the simulation.

Fraunhofer LBF has the ex-pertise to determine all neces-sary material data and materi-al models for molding simula-tion for such rheologically complicated materials, pre-pare this information for use in the simulation, and conduct an experimental validation, if desired. Deliberately avoiding reverse engineering, we use only directly measured materi-al data. By way of example, Figure 1 shows premature freezing of the melt front of an ultra high-filled molding compound during filling of a geometrically complex cavity in the simulation. The photo-

Contact Dr. Christian Beinert+49 6151 705-8735Christian.Beinert@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Fig. 2: Design of an injection molded USB contact made of a con-ductive plastic compound developed at Fraunhofer LBF

graph on the left shows the actual molded part manufac-tured under identical injection molding conditions.

Figure 2 shows injection- molded USB connectors. Again, the filling of the mol-ded part with cross sections below 1 mm² can be simula-ted with high prediction accuracy, even for an ultra high-filled material.

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Durable and functionally integrated light-weight design of chassis components in automotive engineering

Durable and functionally inte-grated light-weight design is a key technology when it comes to reducing the energy con-sumption of vehicles without limiting the increasing mobili-ty in the population. There is a significant weight reduction potential, not only relating to the vehicle interior and exteri-or, but also in the area of structural engine and chassis components. Specifically where the chassis is concerned, light-weight materials such as car-bon or glass fiber reinforced plastics may substantially re-duce the overall weight of the system. In addition, optimizing the choice of material and stiffness will also contribute towards a noticeable improve-ment in ride comfort.

The potential for durable, functionally integrated light-weight design is particularly high in the area of chassis components, where numerous individual components provide a variety of options for com-bining multiple individual components into a single, mul-ti-functional component. Fur-ther potential for light-weight design can be derived from the

Control arm made from carbon fiber

material used – conventional steel or aluminum parts can be replaced with parts made from carbon or glass fiber re-inforced plastic. Functional in-tegration in this context is to be understood not only as the integration of several compo-nents or functional elements into a single component, but also includes the integration of sensors into a structure, enabling the structure to be monitored in service. This can be achieved through so-called structural health monitoring

Contact Dominik SpanckenPaul Töws+49 6151 705-412dominik.spancken@lbf.fraunhofer.depaul.toews@lbf.fraunhofer.de

systems (SHM systems).The Lightweight Structures

department at Fraunhofer LBF has recently developed a sus-pension control arm made from carbon fiber for a middle- class car, to replace a conven-tional steel control arm. The main focus of attention was the fiber-compatible design, in particular with a view to suitability for a high-volume production process. The use of carbon fibers and a fiber- compatible design enabled a total weight reduction of

35 percent to be achieved. The next step in the design of the light-weight suspension arm will be the integration of a structural health monitoring system, enabling monitoring of areas of the control arm exposed to particularly high loads. This will permit the de-tection and display, e.g., of damage caused by abuse (such as an accident) or mate-rial fatigue – with a view to improving the safety of the components and, above all, enhancing traffic safety.

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Allowing for strain-hardening in fatigue assessment

Cold-forming processes are highly cost efficient, and cold-formed components are there-fore widely used in the me-chanical engineering and au-tomotive sectors. This process causes the material strength to increase locally as a result of strain-hardening. Taking this effect into account in the durability assessment of cold-formed components allows additional weight and cost savings.

On behalf of Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG, Fraunhofer LBF has investigat-ed the effect of cold-forming, using as example the housing of a spur-wheel differential. To this end, samples of two ini-tial materials were analyzed at different stages of the forming process. The tests showed that strain-hardening results in a doubling of the yield strength and an increase in ultimate tensile strength of more than 50 percent.

So as not to have to de-pend on an experimental analysis of samples in differ-ent forming states throughout the assessment process for each individual material,

FE model of the cold-formed housing

Fraunhofer LBF has developed the ANSLC program, enabling cyclic material parameters of materials in various cold-form-ing states to be estimated cost-efficiently on the basis of a tensile test conduc ted on the initial material state and the total equivalent plastic strain.

Based on the parameters determined experimentally and with the help of the ANSLC-program, a numerical service life assessment of the gearbox housing sample component was conducted, whereby the inhomogeneous distribution of cyclic material properties in the component resulting from the cold-form-ing process was taken into account in the FE model. The numerical fatigue assessment conducted on the housing suggests an increase in the admissible component load-ing of up to 50 percent. This would allow a reduction of the component weight or the use of a less costly material.

Contact Dr. Volker LandersheimAlessio Tomasella+49 6151 705-475volker.landersheim@lbf.fraunhofer.de

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The increasing traffic volume both on the road and in the air has brought about the need to reduce noise expo-sure in residential and com-mercial buildings. Adaptronics provides a variety of measures by which this can be achieved. The LOEWE Center AdRIA in-vestigates the use of Helm-holtz resonators to reduce in-door sound fields and miti-gate sound transmission through double-glazed win-dows.

Helmholtz resonators are devices for passive reduction of sound fields in rooms and sound transmission through double-walled structures such as double-glazed windows. In the past, Helmholtz resona-tors have been used to reduce narrow-band noise sources. Being passive systems, they benefit from lower energy consumption compared to ac-tive measures. Given that the majority of noise sources have a time-variable frequency characteristic, a novel concept was developed, which enables resonators to be controlled adaptively in line with the prevailing signal. Energy is

needed only to adapt the semi-passive system to the signal present.

Helmholtz resonators are basically similar to mechanical mass-damper. Their tuning frequency is modified by vary-ing the geometrical properties. Helmholtz resonators are a bottle-like structure compris-ing a neck and a round base, acting as mass, stiffness and damper of a mechanical sys-tem. Based on this knowledge, the resonator can be tuned to the desired absorption fre-quency by varying the geome-try of the neck and the base.

To investigate the noise reduction effect for indoor sound fields, an acoustic de- monstrator and an office con-tainer were used. The acoustic demonstrator took the form of a hollow rectangular cuboid block, having inside dimen-sions of 870x620x750 mm³, with a non-absorbent wall structure. With this setup, a reduction of cavity resonance up to 19 dB was achieved. The inside volume of the of-fice container was around 15 m³. Here, a reduction up to 21 dB was achieved.

Contact Tim Bastian Klaus+49 6151 705-8368tim.bastian.klaus@lbf.fraunhofer.de

To analyze the effectiveness of the system with regard to the reduction of sound transmission across symme tri-cal and non-symmetrical double glazed windows, test carriers having dimensions of 650x900x16 mm³ and 650x900x26 mm³ were fitted with Helmholtz resonators acting on the hollow space between the two panes.

„Acoustic aquarium“ with two Helmholtz resonators reducing sound transmission from a loudspeaker

through a double- glazed window and

the indoor sound field

For the symmetrical double- glazing, tests with a Helmholtz resonator showed a reduction of vibrations by up to 5 dB. The asymmetrical structure was assessed by simulation, whereby a reduction of the vibrations up to 19 dB and a reduction of the emitted sound power was achieved with up to four resonators.

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High-frequency test facility for NVH investigations in the automotive sector

The test and characterization of vibration isolation mounts with a view to minimize noise emission in the vehicle (both structure-borne and air-borne sound) constitute an essential element of the NVH (noise, vi-bration, harshness) develop-ment process. This aspect ap-plies equally to conventional power trains with inter-nal-combustion engine, elec-trical power trains and hybrid vehicles. Reducing noise emission pre-supposes the reliable, experi-mental determination of char-acteristic parameters, which will enable an evaluation of the vibration isolation mounts and ensure a design in rela-tion to the desired NVH sys-tem characteristics. In this context, the dynamic transfer stiffness is one of the impor-tant parameters. The parame-ter characterizes the vibro- acoustic transfer behavior in complex quantities and de-fines the inertia, spring and damping characteristics at various frequencies.The new test facility to char-acterize passive and active isolation mounts will be taken

into service at Fraunhofer LBF during the first quarter of 2015. In terms of actuator technology, the new test fa-cility comprises an electrome-chanical spindle drive and an electro-dynamic vibration ex-citer to realize a broadband frequency excitation. The maximum force amplitude of the vibration exciter, which is capable of providing arbitrary dynamic signals, amounts to 8 kN. The dynamic force am-plitude can be combined with a static preload of max. 5 kN. Depending on the test speci-men, the test facility is devel-oped to investigate isolation mounts up to 2000 Hz and a dynamic vibration displace-ment of max. 50 mm.

The test facility will provide new development possibilities with the aim to minimize structure-borne and air-borne noise emission in the automo-tive industry, machinery and plant engineering, energy and consumer goods. Fraunhofer LBF customers will benefit from the new test capabilities for passive and active isolation mounts within service and re-search intentions.

Fig. 1: Fraunhofer LBF research vehicle for NVH investigations

Contact Matthias Schmidt+49 6151 705-452matthias.schmidt@lbf.fraunhofer.de

The following options will be available: - Investigation and develop-

ment of new isolation com-ponents (passive and active engine mounts, materials, and variance of elastomers)

- High-frequency characteri-zation of plastic compo-nents as well as of passive and active mounts at fre-quencies up to 2 kHz

- Parameter selection and val-idation of numerical simula-tion models (e.g. by means of the dynamic stiffness, cf. Fig. 2)

- Transfer path analysis (on the basis of the stiffness method) within the frame-work of NVH tests

- Time domain replication of field measurements in the test facility to develop con-trol systems for active mounts (cf. Fig. 1)

Fig. 2: Validation of FEM simu-lation models of elastomers by measurement data

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t Fatigue analysis of structural adhesive bonds in vehicle body construction

Requirements with regard to the reliable joining of light-weight structures have been becoming more and more de-manding, not least due to the use of a variety of dissimilar materials. Adhesive bonding offers a number of benefits as a joining technology: On the one hand, this joining tech-nology enables materials to be joined, which are either unsuitable for welding, or dif-ficult to weld, such as fiber- reinforced plastics. Secondly, enhancements in terms of crash behavior or NVH proper-ties can be achieved. For new-ly developed products, calcu-lation and simulation proce-dures have to carry out within the framework of the design of such structures. During this

Component-like specimen (specimen shown on the left, CAD model with clamping adaptor on the right)

process, potential for light-weight design is often ne-glected, which would result from fatigue design consider-ing variable amplitude loading.

To take into account the specific requirements for structural adhesive bonds within the framework of ex-perimental fatigue analysis, a novel, component-like speci-men was developed at Fraun-hofer LBF. Results of investiga-tions carried out under vari-ous cyclic loading show that the allowable load amplitude is approximately 75 percent higher in the case of fatigue assessment considering varia-ble-amplitude loading, com-pared to a conservative assessment for constant- amplitude loading with the

Contact Dr. Jens Eufinger +49 6151 705-276jens.eufinger@lbf.fraunhofer.de

Comparison of the fatigue strength of the bonded, component-like specimen under constant and variable amplitude loading

maximum occurring load range. This means that there is a weight-reduction potential.

Numerical fatigue life as-sessments can be performed on the basis of the stress aver-aging and the critical distance approach. With regard to line-ar damage accumulation, it must be noted that the dam-age sums observed are de-pendent on stress distribution, failure criterion and load spec-trum. Over many years of research Fraunhofer LBF has been able to develop signifi-cant expertise in the area of fatigue assessment of struc-

tural adhesive bonds, and will gladly support you in the as-sessment of your bonded joints.

Events

March 26, 2015Opening of the «Center for System Reliability/ Electromobility ZSZ-e»Office building, laboratory and battery testing center Including greeting, keynote address, presentation of test facility for battery systems and Fraunhofer LBF concept vehicle «GEV | one»

March 27, 2015«Traction-E» Technical ConferenceWith contributions by experts from industry and research re -garding battery and driveline traction systems. Presentation of new developments, electro-mobility driving experience.

Contact Dr. Chalid el Dsoki+49 6151 705-8490chalid.el.dsoki@lbf.fraunhofer.de

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Center for System Reliability/ Electromobility ZSZ-e

The new Fraunhofer LBF Center for System Reliability / Electro-mobility ZSZ-e will be opened in March 2015 at our Kranich-stein campus, comprising new offices, various seminar and meeting rooms, as well as ded-icated project rooms designed for close cooperation between LBF research scientists and customers. In addition, the center is equipped with leading- edge test facilities, accommo-dated in a fully equipped test building, as well as a high- performance test facility for battery systems, housed in a separate building. In total, the ZSZ-e provides 4,000 m² of floor area, which includes 650 m² laboratory surface.

Technical focus of the ZSZ-e research work:• Development and implemen-

tation of suitable test proce-dures for battery systems

• Definition of simplified test-ing procedures and testing guidelines

• System analysis and assess-ment (module, complete battery, cooling system, BMS)

• Analysis and assessment of load data

• Research fleet (EMOBILBF) for recording load data un-der actual driving conditions

High-performance test facility:• Battery tester with 250 kW

electrical power • Environmental chamber

with 16 m² surface area, 3,5 m high, providing a temperature range from -40 to 80°C

• Multi-axial simulation table (MAST) for introducing mechanical loads (vibration, shaking) into specimens with a mass of up to 1,000 kg, at frequencies up to 200 Hz, up to 13 g

The test facility offers the unique opportunity of simul-taneously introducing mecha-nical, thermal and electrical loads into traction battery systems, including a full set of sensors for detailed monitor-ing and evaluation of the test procedure, providing a high-value offering for suppli-ers, developers and manufac-turers of traction battery sys-tems in the area of cars, vans and commercial vehicles.

LBF research fleetThe LBF research fleet comprises:• Tesla Model S• Smart Electric Drive• Smart Micro Hybrid Drive• Nissan Leaf• BMW i3 Range Extender• BMW i3• Artega GT• GEV | one

Objectives of research work conducted with the fleet:• Recording of load data un-

der real-life driving condi-tions

• Analysis of user behavior • Assessment of influences on

traction battery and driving behavior resulting from the time of day/season, traffic volume and road condition

• Identification of weak points and definition of op-timization potential for elec-tric vehicles

For further information, please visit: www.lbf.fraunhofer.de/veranstaltungen

Upcoming events

We would be pleased to welcome you at one of the following events:

Testing methods for durability testing in vehicle construction, German Association for Materials Research and Testing DVM

January 28 – 29, 2015 Zwickau, Germany

4th Conference on Light-Weight Design 2015 of the Fraunhofer Lightweight Design Alliance

February 11 – 12, 2015 Oberhausen, Germany

International Polyolefins Conference February 22 – 25, 2015 Houston, USA

Reliability of mechatronic and adaptronic systems, German Association for Materials Research and Testing DVM

February 25 – 26, 2015 Dresden, Germany

Practical applications of polymer analysis March 20, 2015 Darmstadt, Germany Fraunhofer LBF

Elastomer components, German Association for Materials Research and Testing DVM

March 24 – 25, 2015 Hannover, Germany

Opening of the „Center for System Reliability / Electromobility ZSZ-e“

March 26, 2015 Darmstadt, Germany Fraunhofer LBF

„Traction-E“ Technical conference March 27, 2015 Darmstadt, Germany Fraunhofer LBF

Hannover Fair April 13 – 17, 2015 Hannover, Germany, Adaptronics joint booth

Conference on Technical Reliability of the Association of German Engineers VDI

May 20 – 21, 2015 Leonberg, Germany

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