Exactly two years after the foundation stone was laid, the new Casting Technology Laboratory of Fraunhofer IGCV in Garching, Germany was inaugurated on 13 October 2021. Referred to as place for research and cooperation and thus strengthening Germany as a production location, much praise and recognition were expressed during the numerous greetings and celebratory speeches. The new building will in the future will provide a home for research at every step of the casting process, from mould production to the finishing process.
The scientific field of casting technology is one of the core competencies of the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV. The researchers work with great enthusiasm on individual solutions for the industry to transfer knowledge and innovative developments directly into industrial applications.
Inside the new building the scientists research every step of the casting process and drive further developments forward, a purpose that the structure’s outside reflects as well. From the interior design to the exterior facade, the materials are derived from the basic structures of the raw materials and the casting materials. Moulded sand, core sand and metallic surfaces characterise the appearance of the new building.
The 1 500m² main floor space will house various functional areas in the future. At the centre of this is the casting hall supplemented by workshops, laboratory areas, meeting rooms, seminar rooms, office areas for scientists, administration, and shared communication zones.
The new Casting Technology Laboratory is located within the 36 500m² area of the future Fraunhofer research campus. In addition to Fraunhofer IGCV, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC has already moved into a building. The future location of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS is currently being planned as well.
Situated in the immediate neighbourhood of the Garching campus of the Technical University of Munich, the new Fraunhofer research can better utilise and expand on existing strategic and synergy effects with the neighbouring science and engineering faculties.
For further details visit www.igcv.fraunhofer.de/en/