Target-related, application-oriented results for your company

IKV initiates and steers joint research projects

So that new and innovative technologies can eventually be turned into practical applications, joint research between industry and science is essential. Through joint research projects, companies can be actively involved in developing the technologies of tomorrow.

The complexity of research subjects can be enormous. For most companies they constitute a challenge that is almost impossible to solve on their own, but through close interdisciplinary cooperation between a number of different players, even the most daunting of tasks can be mastered. In industrial joint research projects, companies lay the foundation stone for the necessary progress and further development of their products and processes.

Reifenhäuser Blown Film GmbH benefits directly from the Institute's latest research results through its close connections with the Institute, which are expressed not only in formal meetings but also in direct personal contact with the employees. This applies particularly to subjects of basic research, which would be simply too complex and too time-consuming for one company to tackle on its own. This is one of the particular advantages of the university environment of RWTH Aachen University with its institutes and varied resources. It is in an ideal position to examine the relevant circumstances in more detail.

Dr.-Ing. Christoph Lettowsky, Reifenhäuser Blown Film GmbH

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. R. Dahlmann

Scientific director Circular economy Contact for cooperations in research and development +49 241 80-25928 rainer.dahlmann@ikv.rwth-aachen.de

IKV as an experienced partner in industrial joint research

To carry out research projects successfully with or without public funds, an experienced partner is indispensable. Because of its many years of activity and experience, IKV is the ideal partner to enable and coordinate a cooperation agreement of this kind.

In addition to our research expertise, we work continuously with different partners and are a member of the most important industry and research networks in the plastics segment. Within our widespread industry network, we bring companies and public sponsors together and initiate successful research projects.

Tasks in which we support our research partners

  • Identifying and pooling interests in the form of different interest networks
  • Enhancing visibility and thus promoting acceptance
  • Devising scientific research topics
  • Finding research partners
  • Acquiring public funds
  • Carrying out and coordinating joint research projects
  • Building and expanding specialist expertise
  • Collaborative transfer of know-how and technology

Successful joint research based on the example of the IMKS

Cooperation partners: KraussMaffei and Krallmann Group

In the Integrated Metal/Plastic Injection Moulding Process (IMKS), a conductive track of a low-melting tin-based metal alloy is injected onto a plastic carrier. For this process combination, IKV developed for the first time a metal diecasting device mounted on the mould, which is borrowed from the micro-injection moulding process. Through the combination of plastics injection moulding and metal diecasting, components can be produced with integrated metal conductive circuits on one mould in an injection moulding machine.

Development of the process

Since 2009, IKV has, as part of the Cluster of Excellence "Integrative production technology for high-wage countries", been working on the combination of plastic injection moulding with metal diecasting. With the support of KraussMaffei and the Krallmann Group, the process has been further refined, and is now available as a commercial solution for series production.

Find out more about the IMKS