Blog: Training at Fraunhofer IFAM

Adhesives can do more - an essay

Automotive: A future with people who can do bonding / A blog by Erik Meiß, Head of Workforce Qualification and Technology Transfer, Fraunhofer IFAM Bremen

Adhesive Bonding in Automotive Engineering: What Happens If We Miss the Opportunities / A blog by Holger Fricke, Head of the Adhesive Bonding Technology Department, Fraunhofer IFAM Bremen

A success story celebrates its anniversary: How the adhesive bonding engineer course has developed since its inception in 2001 to the present day, with over 1,200 graduates.

The publication of DIN 35255 marks the first independent standard for the quality-oriented development of fibre composite components. It closes an important gap in quality management and places new demands on companies that develop, design and manufacture composite structures. To provide targeted support for the transfer into operational practice, Fraunhofer IFAM is offering a two-day workshop in March 2026. In this interview, Stefan Simon explains the objectives of the standard, how companies can benefit from its application – and what participants can expect from the workshop.

New developments thrive on research and development, i.e. on the generation of new knowledge. New knowledge is not an end in itself. New knowledge must find its way into application in order to be economically viable. To do this, it must be transferred from research and development to the manufacturing companies in industry and handicrafts. With its further training offers, the Fraunhofer IFAM is working to simplify this process. Successful and long-term technology transfer is only possible through the qualification of company personnel and the structuring of the organization of company production processes.

Fibre-reinforced plastics usually have high specific stiffness and strength. This makes them suitable materials for lightweight construction. They are used in aviation, marine, wind energy, rail vehicle construction and many other industries. However, in their application they are exposed to enormous environmental influences which can have a detrimental effect on their service life: Temperature fluctuations, humidity, UV radiation, mechanical stress, salts or other chemical compounds. The consequential damage is often not visible and is not noticed, but this can have fatal consequences. Therefore, comprehensive knowledge of the properties of fibre-reinforced plastics is necessary as well as the possibility of professional repair.

The third Bremen Bonding Days will take place from 29 to 30 October 2025 at the Fraunhofer IFAM in Bremen, Germany. Dr Holger Fricke, Head of the Department of Adhesive Bonding Technology at Fraunhofer IFAM, explains to us in an interview what the Bremen Bonding Days are and how they differ from the German-language »Bremer Klebtage«.

A misunderstanding is a communicative disturbance resulting from the difference between what is meant by a sender and what is understood by the recipient. It often occurs due to a lack of knowledge. We want to counteract this with this blog article, which deals with the misunderstood role of adhesive bonding technology in discussions about the circular economy.

The Product Safety Act (PSG) requires a "state of the art" for safe products. For demanding processes such as bonding and fiber composite technology, which cannot be tested non-destructively, ISO 9001 requires a quality management system. In order to meet the legal standard, specific quality assurance standards are introduced that are aimed at technologically specific requirements and cover the entire product life cycle.