Innovation Center ● Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler & Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Maik Gude
Lightweight construction and plastics technology

DIRECTOR
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler
Dresden University of Technology
Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Technology
Professorship for Functionally Integrative Lightweight Construction
Holbeinstr. 3
01307 Dresden
Phone +49 351 463 38156
E-mail niels.modler@tu-dresden.de
Short vita
- Head of the professorship "Functionally Integrative Lightweight Construction" at the TU Dresden
- Doctorate at the TU Dresden
- Scientific assistant at the Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Technology at the TU Dresden
- Industrial activity in the medical technology sector
- Studies of electrical engineering/ precision engineering/ biomedical device technology at the TU Dresden
other functions:
- Director of the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology at TU Dresden
- Director of the Centre for Green Circular Economy (CircEcon)
- Managing Director of the DFG Collaborative Research Centre: SFB 639 ‘Textile-reinforced composite components for function-integrating mixed construction methods in complex lightweight construction applications’ (2004-2015)
- Dresden site spokesperson for the DFG Collaborative Research Centre/Transregio: TR 39 ‘Large-scale production technologies for light metal and fibre composite-based components with integrated piezo sensors and actuators’ (2006-2014)
- Chairman of the Academic Club Lightweight Construction at the TU Dresden e.V.

DIRECTOR
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Maik Gude
Dresden University of Technology
Institute of Lightweight Structures and Polymer Technology
Chair of Lightweight Structures and Composite Structures
Holbeinstr. 3
01307 Dresden
Phone +49 351 463 38153
E-mail maik.gude@tu-dresden.de
Short vita
- Head of the Chair of ‘Lightweight Systems and Composite Structures’ at TU Dresden
- Doctorate and habilitation at the TU Dresden
- Scientific assistant at the Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Technology at the TU Dresden
- Innovation Fellow of the State Ministry for Science and Art
- Study of Technomathematics at the Clausthal University of Technology, majoring in Applied Mechanics
other functions:
- Director of the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology at TU Dresden
- Scientific director of the BMBF lighthouse project FOREL
- Director of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre Dresden ‘Lightweight Structures and Materials and Robust Design’
- Chairman of the board of juniorIng. Sachsen e.V.
Research and development
- Material mechanical analyses of textile-reinforced composites
- Research into innovative, material-appropriate design and construction approaches for lightweight construction methods, from methodical concept analyses to prototype components
- Development of holistic lightweight components and systems
- Development and provision of practice-oriented virtual methods for the design of efficient lightweight materials, structures and systems in multi-material design by means of coupled cross-process, cross-material and cross-scale simulation approaches.
- Research into the development of adapted semi-finished products, their preform processing and the manufacture of highly integrative component structures
- Research on characterization, modeling and simulation of reactive processes as well as equipment and process development for innovative preform concepts
- Development and research of novel materials, semi-finished products and the associated processing technologies
- Development of customer-oriented solutions for application-specific problems in the field of fastening technology
- Development of material-adapted or component-specific test methods as well as the realization of complex test rigs
- Investigation of interdisciplinary sustainability-oriented issues in the context of lightweight construction, holistic consideration of product systems, development of sustainable, application-orientated solutions at the interface of engineering, economics, environmental and social sciences
Expertise
- Structural lightweight design, ultra-lightweight design and adaptive lightweight design:
- Material characterizations, structural calculations and strength verifications
- Dimensioning concepts as well as structural design
- Space Frame Structures
- Construction method developments
- Finite element simulations
- Failure and damage analyses
- Prototype development and manufacturing, pilot testing
- Adaptive lightweight structures
- Tribological systems
- Recycling-compatible lightweight structures in mixed construction (strategies - concepts - experimental verification)
- Use of lightweight materials:
- Hochleistungskunststoffe / Elastomere
- Faserverbundwerkstoffe / textilverstärkte Verbundwerkstoffe
- NE-Metalle / Metallmatrix-Composites
- "Smart Materials"
- Stahl-Hybridverbunde
- Ingenieurkeramiken
- Biomaterialien
- Recyclate
- Neutral lightweight construction:
- Sustainability-orientated development processes for lightweight construction Systems
- Recycling of lightweight materials
- Resource-saving production technologies for lightweight construction and plastics technology
- Lightweight construction with materials from renewable resources
- Life cycle analyses of lightweight products and technologies
- Applications of lightweight materials in vehicle construction, electromobility, aerospace, etc.
Reference projects
- Test rig modifications for representative engine conditions
- Process and component technology development for steel-plastic hybrid materials
- Evaluation of the application potential of natural-substance-based carbon fibers
- Optimization of an industry-equivalent carbon fiber process
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