Material and Process Applications for Road and Rail Vehicles

Based on a comprehensive understanding of road and rail vehicles, the research field “Material and Process Applications for Road and Rail Vehicles” (German abbreviation WVG for ‘Werkstoff- und Verfahrensanwendungen Gesamtfahrzeug’) is specialized in transferring new and complex material and process solutions to innovative applications at the component level. The research objectives are the development and simulation of innovative materials for future vehicle applications under consideration of manufacturing processes.

The research topics are divided into the competences “Material and Process Solutions”, “Joining Technologies, “Innovative Sandwich Technologies”, “Modeling and Simulation Methods”, “Digitalization and Industry 4.0” as well as “Material and Corrosion Testing”, which all interact with each other.

Recognizing “Material and Process Solutions” and using them the best way possible for all subsystems of road and rail vehicles are essential tasks of the research field WVG. Based on the understanding of the requirements of the overall system, new material and process solutions are identified, properties are researched, simulation methods are developed and potentials of generic components are shown.

Potentials of new manufacturing processes are also incorporated into new construction methods. The research topic "Joining Technologies" focuses on the development and improvement of innovative joining processes for sandwich and multi-material designs.

Fundamental investigations on the properties and potentials of new material combinations are carried out in the research topic "Innovative Sandwich Technologies". Two main focuses are, among others, the application of renewable raw materials in structural components as well as the development of formable sandwich structures.

Methods for numerical computation are developed in the research topic "Modeling and Simulation Methods" with the aim of  being able to assess the structures based on novel material or process solutions as well as the innovative joining methods in the simulation.

In experiments, the potential of new materials and processes is derived in the research topic ​​"Material and Corrosion Testing". If required, new test methods are developed for investigated new materials and processes.

The research topic "Digitalization and Industry 4.0" develops concepts and procedures to exploit the potentials of a networked/digitized process chain for the combination of material, joining method, corrosion protection, suitable modeling and simulation method as well as test method. By digitizing the cross-linkage of different joining methods, test methods and sub-steps of the material characterization, innovative approaches for the exploitation of synergies in material testing are developed with the aim of achieving improved analysis and forecasting capability with a reduced test program. This increases efficiency and flexibility for design, development and manufacturing.