Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (LUH) - Prof. Roland Lachmayer

What Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (LUH) - Prof. Roland Lachmayer does

Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (IPeG) is an academic research institute within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (Fakultät für Maschinenbau) at Leibniz Universität Hannover, led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Lachmayer. The institute conducts research in four overlapping areas: development methodology, systems engineering, additive manufacturing, and optomechatronics. It is operationally structured into five research departments — Data Driven Design (D³), Printed Effects, Optical Systems, Design Automation and Artificial Intelligence (DAAI), and Integrated Product Creation — and operates specialized laboratory infrastructure covering plastic laser sintering, multi-material metal laser sintering (including CuCrZr-316L and AlSi10Mg-1.2709 combinations), large-scale additive manufacturing up to 2.5m build volume, optical component fabrication via PolyJet, near- and far-field goniophotometry, Ulbricht spheres from 20cm to 2m, and quality assurance using Bruker micro-CT scanning at 4–50 µm resolution.

IPeG's activity portfolio is anchored in Germany's publicly funded research infrastructure: it participates in the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence (photonics, digitalization, quantum), two Collaborative Research Centres — SFB 1153 (tailored manufacturing for large lightweight structures) and SFB 1368 (additive manufacturing technologies) — the NFDi national research data initiative, and the EU-funded projects GROTESK and Smart Hybrid. Industrial collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Baker Hughes, Navicos GmbH, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Laser Zentrum Hannover, and Pennsylvania State University is conducted through joint research projects, student theses, doctoral programs, and the annual IPDAM and NaWerSys workshops. The institute also runs the structured PhD Program "Tailored Light" and interdisciplinary student projects including novaIMPULS and the Penn State–LUH joint course.

The institute has no commercial product or service sales; its operating model is funded by public research grants from DFG, federal/state ministries, and the European Union, supplemented by industrial research cooperation. Outputs are measured in publications (over 50 per year), trained doctoral and master's researchers, conference workshops (IPDAM with Springer Vieweg proceedings), and occasional patents such as DE102018217651A1 for a motor vehicle lighting module. Distribution of findings occurs through academic channels — publications, conferences, direct collaboration — and through digital channels including the institute's website (www.ipeg.uni-hannover.de), LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Name

Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (LUH) - Prof. Roland Lachmayer

Legal name

Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (IPeG)

Website

https://ipeg.uni-hannover.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (IPeG) is an academic research institute at Leibniz Universität Hannover that conducts publicly and industry-funded research in additive manufacturing, optomechatronics, systems engineering, and design automation, serving the mechanical engineering research community and industrial partners including Mercedes-Benz.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Engineering Research Institute

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAC

Institutes of Technology (IoT / Technical Universities)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

Keywords

• Additive manufacturing research
• Product development engineering
• Optomechatronics research
• Systems engineering research
• Mechanical engineering research

Headquarters

HQ city

Garbsen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: Funded through German Excellence Cluster PhoenixD, Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) 1153 and 1368, National Research Data Initiative (NFDi), and European projects GROTESK and Smart Hybrid.
2. Industrial Partnerships: Collaborative research and development projects with industrial partners including Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Baker Hughes, and regional companies for product development from idea to prototype.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IPeG is a university research institute that conducts applied research and provides education in product development methodology, systems engineering, additive manufacturing, and optomechatronics. It operates five research departments and maintains laboratory infrastructure for integrated product development from idea to prototype, including multi-material metal laser sintering, large-scale 3D printing, optical component manufacturing, and quality assurance. The institute also delivers structured educational programs including a PhD program, international joint courses with Penn State, and interdisciplinary student project programs.

Product overview

Institut für Produktentwicklung und Gerätebau (IPeG) is a university research institute at Leibniz Universität Hannover conducting research in development methodology, systems engineering, additive manufacturing, and optomechatronics. The institute operates five research departments (Data Driven Design D³, Design Automation and Artificial Intelligence DAAI, Printed Effects, Design of Optical Systems, Integrated Product Creation) and maintains specialized laboratory infrastructure for additive manufacturing, optical technology, and quality assurance. In education, IPeG offers a doctoral program (PhD Programm Tailored Light), practical student projects including the International Sustainable Product Development Project with Penn State and the novaIMPULS interdisciplinary program, while organizing annual workshops such as IPDAM (Innovative Product Development by Additive Manufacturing) and NaWerSys (Nachhaltige Wertschöpfungssysteme).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PhD Programm Tailored Light Structured doctoral program focused on tailored light research, joint project work, and international publications for doctoral researchers.
• International Sustainable Product Development Project Joint course with Pennsylvania State University for international sustainable product development with virtual and in-person phases, funded by the Erasmus program.
• novaIMPULS Interdisciplinary student project program focused on sustainable product development in cooperation with regional companies, including projects like Green Rise Lab and EcoMed Solutions.
• Innovative Product Development by Additive Manufacturing (IPDAM) Workshop Annual workshop series organized with Laser Zentrum Hannover on additive manufacturing product development, published through Springer Vieweg.
• Nachhaltige Wertschöpfungssysteme (NaWerSys) Workshop Annual workshop series on sustainable value creation systems as part of the INFORMATIK conference, addressing digital platforms, circular economy, and adaptive products.
• Additive Manufacturing Laboratory Services Laboratory facilities for additive manufacturing including plastic laser sintering, multi-material metal laser sintering, large-scale additive manufacturing (up to 2.5m), and post-processing capabilities, available for industrial collaboration.
• Optical Technology Laboratory Services Laboratory facilities for optical technology including optics manufacturing (PolyJet, stereolithography), light measurement equipment (Ulbricht spheres, spectrometers, goniophotometers), and a light test vehicle for headlamp validation.
• Quality Assurance Laboratory Services Quality assurance facilities including micro-computed tomography (Bruker SkyScan 1275, 4-50 µm resolution), surface measurement by stripe projection, multi-physics test rigs, and multi-axis dynamic load testing equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full product development cycle from idea to prototype verification

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• PhoenixD Cluster of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration in the Excellence Cluster focused on photonics, digitalization, and quantum technology. PhoenixD brings together researchers from multiple disciplines at Leibniz Universität Hannover.
• Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 1153coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Research Centre focusing on tailored manufacturing and assembly systems for large-scale lightweight structures.
• Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 1368coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Research Centre addressing research questions in the field of additive manufacturing technologies.
• NFDi (Nationale Forschungsdateninitiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research data initiative for systematic handling of research data in Germany.
• GROTESKmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean-funded research project in the field of additive manufacturing.
• Smart HybridmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean-funded research project focusing on hybrid manufacturing systems.
• Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-organization of the IPDAM workshop (Innovative Product Development by Additive Manufacturing). LZH is a renowned laser technology research institute.
• Pennsylvania State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange program for sustainable product development projects. Includes virtual and in-person phases in both Pennsylvania and Hannover. Funded by Erasmus program.
• Mercedes-Benz Group AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on PhD research with new doctoral researchers at IPeG.
• Baker HughesminorOthersIndustrial partner for student excursion visits.
• Modum Shoes GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional industrial partner listed in the institute's network connections.
• Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Produktentwicklung (WiGeP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional society for product development that the institute collaborates with.
• Navicos GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany providing real challenges from customized medical technology for student projects. Produces patient-specific surgical instruments using 3D printing technology, delivering customized tools within 72 hours.
• Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading university hospital collaborating on medical technology student projects, particularly in trauma surgery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer IFAM (Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials): Germany's flagship applied research institute for additive manufacturing, surface technology, and materials science. Operates a comparable industry-funded research model with multi-material metal AM and works closely with automotive and aerospace partners.
• Fraunhofer ILT (Institute for Laser Technology): Major German applied research institute for laser technology with overlapping photonics and laser-based additive manufacturing programs. Comparable industry-funded research operating model.
• Pennsylvania State University — Additive Manufacturing Research: Active IPeG partner institution with significant additive manufacturing research programs. Comparable academic research scope with established industry partnerships.
• WZL — Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (RWTH Aachen): Mechanical engineering research institute at RWTH Aachen focused on production engineering, machine tools, and additive manufacturing. Comparable in being a German technical-university research unit serving large industry partners.
• Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology (IWF), TU Braunschweig: Mechanical engineering research institute at another German technical university with comparable additive manufacturing and production technology research programs.
• Fraunhofer IAPT (International Center for Additive Manufacturing): Fraunhofer center focused exclusively on additive manufacturing technology and industrialization. Closely comparable to IPeG's Printed Effects and large-scale AM capabilities, with an explicit industry-partner-funded research model.
• Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH): Leading German applied research institute for laser technology, already an active IPeG partner (co-organizer of the IPDAM workshop). Overlapping focus on laser-based additive manufacturing and photonic processing makes it the closest structural peer.
• inspire AG (ETH Zurich): Swiss research institute affiliated with ETH Zurich focused on production technology, additive manufacturing, and industrial research with comparable academic-industry partnership model.

Others

• National Research Council of Italy (CNR): Italian national research organization with institutes covering manufacturing and photonic technologies. Comparable as a publicly funded national research ecosystem participant rather than as a direct competitor for industry partners.

Broad incumbents

• NIST Engineering Laboratory (U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology): U.S. federal research laboratory covering manufacturing, materials, and measurement standards including additive manufacturing. Broader in scope than IPeG but overlapping in measurement science, optical metrology, and AM standardization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-f%C3%BCr-produktentwicklung-und-ger%C3%A4tebau-leibniz-universit%C3%A4t-hannover
• Instagraminstagram.com/ipeg.produktentwicklung.luh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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