IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik

What IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik does

IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik is a university research institute within the University of Stuttgart (Faculty 04), founded in 1965, that operates as one of Germany's leading academic centers for plastics technology research, accredited testing, and engineering education. The institute is structured around three research departments — Material Engineering (polymer development, modification, recycling), Processing Technology (extrusion, injection molding, thermoforming, additive manufacturing), and Product Engineering (component testing, non-destructive testing, lifetime prediction) — and runs a DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory under DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. Its service portfolio spans mechanical testing, chemical and physical analysis, thermal analysis, morphology examination (SEM/TEM/AFM), rheology and rheometry, non-destructive testing (X-ray CT, air-coupled ultrasound, VCSEL thermography, shearography, eddy current, acoustic emission), material preparation and processing, and process simulation tied to the HLRS high-performance computing center.

The institute generates revenue through a hybrid academic model: public state funding via the University of Stuttgart, third-party research grants (including federal/state programs and industry-sponsored projects such as MAKSORE and the friction stir welding industrialization initiative with MPA and ENI), and contract-based engineering and testing services delivered to industrial clients in automotive, aerospace, packaging, and general manufacturing. Services are delivered directly through the Engineering and Testing Services department under quote-based project pricing. The institute is led by two co-directors, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Bonten and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Marc Kreutzbruck, and maintains approximately 44 employees across research, technical, and administrative functions. It also delivers undergraduate and graduate teaching in plastics engineering and hosts the biennial Stuttgarter Kunststoffkolloquium (29th edition, spring 2025), a flagship industry-academic conference held since 1968.

Name

IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik

Legal name

Institut für Kunststofftechnik (IKT)

Website

https://ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik is a University of Stuttgart research institute offering DAkkS-accredited plastics testing, polymer and processing research, and engineering education to industrial clients across automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastics Testing and Engineering Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Materials R&D & Characterization (Powder/Resin Development, Testing) (IMAAAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Functional Testing Prototypes (Mechanical/Thermal/Fluidic) (IMAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Plastics testing services
• Polymer material characterization
• Non-destructive testing
• Rheology analysis
• Plastic processing research

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institut für Kunststofftechnik (IKT) runs a DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018) that sells engineering and testing services for plastics and fiber-reinforced composites. Services cover mechanical testing, chemical and physical analysis, thermal analysis, morphology examination via SEM/TEM/AFM, rheology and rheometry, non-destructive testing (X-ray CT, thermography, ultrasonic, shearography, eddy current, terahertz), material preparation and processing, and polymer process simulation. The institute also conducts applied research in material engineering, processing technology, and product engineering and provides academic teaching at the University of Stuttgart.

Product overview

The Institut für Kunststofftechnik (IKT) is a research institute at the University of Stuttgart offering a comprehensive portfolio of engineering and testing services for the plastics industry. The institute provides accredited testing laboratory services (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018) covering mechanical testing, chemical and physical analysis, thermal analysis, morphology examination, rheology and rheometry, non-destructive testing (NDT), material preparation and processing, and process simulation. The institute also conducts research across three main areas: Material Engineering (polymer development, modification, and recycling), Processing Technology (extrusion, injection molding, thermoforming, pultrusion), and Product Engineering (component testing, non-destructive testing, lifetime prediction). Educational services include undergraduate and graduate courses in plastics technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanical Testing Mechanical testing services using universal testing machines, pendulum impact testers, creep rupture testing, and dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) to characterize the mechanical properties of plastic materials. Targeted at industrial clients and researchers needing material property data.
• Chemical and Physical Analysis Chemical analysis services using FT-IR spectroscopy, HPLC, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and thermal desorption analysis to determine composition of plastics and contaminants. For industrial clients and academic researchers requiring chemical characterization.
• Thermal Analysis Thermal analysis of plastics using dynamic-difference calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and thermo-mechanic analysis (TMA) to assess thermal transitions and stability. For industrial R&D and academic customers characterizing polymer thermal behavior.
• Morphology Analysis Morphology examination services using field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and light/heating stage microscopes to image polymer microstructures. Serves industrial and academic clients needing microstructural insights.
• Rheology and Rheometry Rheological testing of polymer melts and solutions using high-pressure capillary rheometers, rotary rheometers, and strain rheometers to characterize flow behavior. For industrial process engineers and researchers optimizing polymer processing.
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Non-destructive testing services for plastics and fiber-reinforced composites using IR thermography, X-ray computed tomography, ultrasonic testing, shearography, eddy current testing, and terahertz testing. For industrial clients requiring in-service inspection and quality assurance of plastic components.
• Preparation and Processing Material preparation and polymer processing services using twin-screw extruders, dosing systems, pelletizing, and granulation equipment to compound and prepare plastic samples. For industrial clients and researchers needing custom-formulated or processed material batches.
• Process Simulation Process simulation services using commercial and in-house polymer processing simulation software, connected to the High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) for high-fidelity industrial process simulation. For industrial clients optimizing plastic processing.
• 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing 3D printing services covering Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) research and development, laser sintering, and real-time X-ray investigation of melt and flow behavior inside 3D printer hot-ends. For industrial clients and researchers developing additive manufacturing of plastic parts.
• Teaching and Education Academic teaching services covering an introductory "Plastics Engineering – Introduction and Fundamentals" module plus in-depth courses on material engineering, processing technology, and product engineering for undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Stuttgart.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Materialprüfungsanstalt (MPA) - University of StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026MPA (Materials Testing Institute) of the University of Stuttgart collaborates with IKT on developing an innovative additive friction stir welding process for joining plastics. The project aims to advance the technology toward industrial deployment.
• Institut für Entrepreneurship und Innovationsforschung (ENI) - University of StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026ENI collaborates with IKT and MPA on the development and validation of an innovative additive manufacturing process based on friction stir welding, with the goal of making the technology industrially applicable.
• INNONET KunststoffminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKT is a member of the INNONET Kunststoff network, a German innovation network focused on plastics technology, connecting research institutions and industry partners in the field.
• Fraunhofer ISE (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in the MAKSORE project on heat stores with high energy density. Fraunhofer ISE contributes expertise in solar energy and thermal storage systems while IKT contributes materials science capabilities for zeolite-based adsorbents.
• Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with IKT in the MAKSORE project focused on heat stores with high energy density, contributing research capabilities in thermal energy storage.
• Technical University of WaldauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the MAKSORE project on heat stores with high energy density.
• ZAE Bayern (Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the MAKSORE project on heat stores with high energy density. ZAE Bayern contributes expertise in energy storage research alongside IKT and other German research institutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Institut für Polymertechnik (IPT) - Hochschule Darmstadt: University of Applied Sciences plastics technology institute offering testing, contract research, and teaching in plastics engineering — a smaller-scale but directly comparable German plastics institute with similar industry service focus.
• Fraunhofer ICT - Institut für Chemische Technologie: Fraunhofer institute specializing in polymer chemistry, energetic materials, and processing technology. Comparable in polymer R&D and contract research, with an industrial testing-and-characterization mandate similar to IKT's.
• Fraunhofer IFAM - Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung: Fraunhofer institute covering adhesive bonding, surface technology, and polymer/composite materials. Closely comparable to IKT in plastics and composites R&D, with NDT and characterization services for industrial clients.
• Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL): Austrian polymer research center affiliated with Montanuniversität Leoben, conducting contract research in polymer processing, characterization, and testing — a closely analogous academic/industry interface model to IKT.
• IKV - Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (RWTH Aachen): Germany's other flagship university institute for plastics processing research at RWTH Aachen. Directly comparable in mission, academic structure, and industry service portfolio (processing technology, testing, contract research) to IKT.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer LBF - Institut für Betriebsfestigkeit und Systemzuverlässigkeit: Fraunhofer institute focused on structural durability and polymer/composite component reliability, with substantial NDT and testing capabilities. Comparable in plastics testing and characterization but operates as a larger applied-research institute with broader industrial scope.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with broad polymer and materials testing services. Comparable to IKT in accredited testing capability, but operating globally and across all material categories.
• TÜV Rheinland: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant with extensive plastics, materials, and product safety testing services under ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. Overlaps IKT in regulated materials testing but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider with polymer, composites, and plastics testing laboratories serving automotive, aerospace, and consumer products. Competes with IKT for accredited plastics testing work but at substantially larger commercial scale.
• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification group with materials and polymer laboratories. Comparable to IKT in accredited plastics and materials testing, but with a much broader industrial and geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClP7x_tLC3AOezVDbnpXcvg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-f%C3%BCr-kunststofftechnik

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IKT - Institut für Kunststofftechnik