Fraunhofer IFAM

What Fraunhofer IFAM does

Fraunhofer IFAM (Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung) is a German non-profit applied research institute and legally non-independent member of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Bremen with branch locations in Dresden, Stade, Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Helgoland and Cuxhaven. Founded in 1968 and operating with roughly 700 employees, the institute concentrates on manufacturing technology and advanced materials across seven competency areas: metallic materials, polymeric materials, surface technology, adhesive bonding technology, shaping and component manufacturing, energy storage and converters, and automation and robotics. Its named technology portfolio includes the Machine Tool Robot (developed with Siemens AG and autonox Robotics), CooLTank and HYTANK for cryogenic hydrogen tanks, Powerpaste magnesium-hydride hydrogen storage, PLASLON/UltraPLAS PFAS-free plasma coatings, solid-state batteries, MeGaBat battery recycling, and the SAMSON/KERMIT smart-agriculture systems. Business operations are organized around three revenue mechanics: institutional public funding channeled through Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, bilateral and consortium contract research with industrial clients (Airbus, Mercedes-Benz among named partners), and fee-based professional qualification programs in adhesive bonding, composites, electromobility, and related disciplines. Customers are concentrated in the mobility/automotive, aviation/aerospace, and energy/wind verticals, with additional activity in medical technology, maritime technologies, and industrial manufacturing. Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven (Hannover Messe, ILA, formnext, Paris Air Show, Hydrogen Technology Expo), with distribution executed primarily through direct enterprise engagement rather than product sales.

Name

Fraunhofer IFAM

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung IFAM

Website

https://ifam.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Fraunhofer IFAM is a German non-profit applied research institute, part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, specializing in manufacturing technology and advanced materials across adhesive bonding, surface technology, additive manufacturing, hydrogen, batteries, and automation/robotics, serving automotive, aerospace, energy, medical, maritime, and industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Manufacturing and Materials Research Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Reliability, Safety & Risk Engineering (RAMS/PSM) Consulting (BPAHAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Test, Measurement & Calibration Equipment Manufacturing Services (ATE, DAQ, metrology electronics) (IMAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Contract research services
• Adhesive bonding technology
• Additive manufacturing research
• Surface technology solutions
• Applied materials science

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: As part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, IFAM receives institutional funding from public sources for basic and applied research.
2. Industry Contract Research: Collaborative R&D projects with commercial partners where companies commission research and development work. Revenue generated through project contracts with automotive, aerospace, energy and other industrial clients.
3. Training and Education: Professional qualification programs, seminars, and workforce training in adhesive bonding, composites, electromobility and other specialized topics. Part of knowledge transfer mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fraunhofer IFAM is a leading European applied research institute that conducts contract research, technology development, and technology transfer across manufacturing technology and advanced materials. Its core offerings span adhesive bonding technology, surface technology, additive manufacturing/3D printing, shaping and component manufacturing, energy storage and converters (batteries, hydrogen, fuel cells), and automation and robotics. Deliverables to industrial partners include collaborative R&D projects, prototype and pilot production, qualification and testing, and professional training programs in specialized topics.

Product overview

Fraunhofer IFAM is a leading European research institute specializing in manufacturing technology and advanced materials, not a product company in the traditional sense. Its portfolio encompasses multiple technology domains organized as competencies and developed solutions: Additive Manufacturing (including 3D printing and powder metallurgy), Adhesive Bonding Technology (adhesive development, characterization, and industrial processes), Surface Technology (plasma, laser, and coating technologies), Shaping and Component Manufacturing (forming, casting, and metal processing), Energy Storage and Conversion (batteries including solid-state, hydrogen technologies, and fuel cells), Automation and Robotics (including humanoid robotics and the Machine Tool Robot developed with Siemens), and specialized solutions for aviation, maritime, medical, and energy industries. Key named technologies include CooLTank for hydrogen tank production, HYTANK surface technologies, Powerpaste hydrogen storage, MeGaBat battery recycling, PFAS-free coatings (PLASLON/UltraPLAS), and smart agriculture systems (SAMSON, KERMIT). The institute also provides extensive training, qualification programs, and technology transfer services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE: A dedicated business unit within Fraunhofer IFAM focused on aerospace research and development.
• CooLTank
• Powerpaste

Products and services

• Machine Tool Robot (MTR)

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute conducting applied R&D in materials science, manufacturing, energy, and maritime technology with similar non-profit contract research model.
• CSEM (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology): Swiss applied research center specializing in microelectronics, surface engineering, and manufacturing technologies with comparable contract research and technology transfer business model.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch applied research organization with comparable mix of public funding and industry contract research, focused on similar domains including advanced materials, energy transition, and industrial innovation.
• Forschungszentrum Jülich: Large German research center with comparable non-profit government-funded model conducting research in materials science, energy, and information technologies with significant infrastructure footprint.
• CEA (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission): French government-funded research organization with comparable scale (~20,000 employees) operating across materials, energy storage, hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing technologies with mixed public/industry funding model.
• Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC): UK-based applied research organization specializing in additive manufacturing, automation, and digital manufacturing with similar industry-led contract research approach and recognized expertise in production technology.
• WZL of RWTH Aachen University: German production engineering research institute at RWTH Aachen with deep overlap in manufacturing technology, automation, quality assurance, and similar German industrial customer base.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's national applied research organization conducting contract R&D across manufacturing, materials, energy, and mobility with similar institute-level structure and industry contract research model.

Emerging players

• SLM Solutions Group AG: Commercial additive manufacturing equipment manufacturer focused on metal 3D printing, representing a commercial counterpart that competes for industrial contract research and licensing in a domain where IFAM has significant expertise.

Broad incumbents

• TRUMPF SE + Co. KG: Large German industrial equipment manufacturer with adjacent capabilities in laser-based manufacturing, additive manufacturing systems, and automation, providing both partnership and competitive context for IFAM's manufacturing technology activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fraunhoferifam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-ifam
• Xx.com/fraunhoferifam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fraunhofer IFAM