The use of additive manufacturing for industrial component production is increasing rapidly for a wide range of branches and applications. Researchers at Fraunhofer IWU work in tight cooperation with industry partners on new technologies and materials for 3D printing to increase efficiency, part quality and reduce production times and costs. The presentation gives an overview of current research trends in the field of additive manufacturing and shows selected examples of tool-free manufacturing of industrial applications.
Sebastian Scholz holds a diploma degree as Mechanical Engineer for Lightweight Structures from the Technical University of Dresden. In 2012 he completed his PhD in the field of functional coatings for high loaded fiber plastic composites at the Technical University of Chemnitz. He later worked at RCS GmbH Rail Components and Systems in Königsbrück as Head of R&D department, working with structural and interior composite parts for railway vehicles.
Since August 2015 he is Professor in the field of Function-integrating Plastics Technologies at the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görliz and director of the Fraunhofer Center for Plastics Technologies in Zittau as a department of the Fraunhofer IWU. His research interests are efficient and sustainable lightweight technologies for fiber-reinforced plastics and hybrid structures with integrated functionalities as well as for new additive manufacturing techniques. Many research activities are connected to innovative SME’s in Saxonia as well as in Czech Republic and Poland. As a board member of Polysax e.V. and the Lightweight Alliance Saxony, Scholz is committed to the regional plastics and lightweight design industry and research.