Lightweight Design Solutions for Multi-Material Structures and Hybrid Concepts

The Lightweight Design Group at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK), TU Dresden offers strong expertise for project cooperation in sustainable and innovative lightweight solutions, with a particular focus on aerospace and future mobility concepts.

We address key challenges of climate-friendly aviation through:

• Research Aircraft as Experimental Platform: With our newly acquired Diamond DA62 MPP research aircraft (available from Q4 2025), we provide a fully instrumented flying testbed to evaluate zero-emission propulsion systems such as hydrogen storage, fuel cells, or hybrid-electric powertrains under real flight conditions. The aircraft also serves as a sensor and technology demonstrator for industrial and research partners.

• Material Efficiency and Modularity: Within the HoRa project (“High-Performance Radial Impellers in Modular Metal-Fiber Composite Design”), we developed innovative impellers using glass and carbon fiber composites, enabling higher rotational speeds and efficiencies. The project successfully demonstrated modular lightweight construction, optimized joining technologies, and validated prototypes.

• Digital Product Development & Simulation: We apply digital methods across the entire product development process – from conceptual design and simulation to material characterization, manufacturing, and validation. This accelerates development cycles, reduces resource consumption, and improves safety and quality.

What we offer in project cooperation:

• Development and integration of novel propulsion systems (electric, hydrogen-based, hybrid) for aviation and new mobility

• Collaboration on modular multi-material structures, lightweight materials, and advanced fiber composites

• Validation of concepts under real flight conditions with our research aircraft

• Application of digital engineering methods: simulation, digital twins, data-driven design, and process optimization

Benefits for partners:

• Early evaluation of technologies under flight conditions – reducing development and certification times

• Reduction of material and energy demand through optimized lightweight structures and modular concepts

• Contribution to climate-neutral aviation and sustainable mobility solutions

• Access to TU Dresden’s unique infrastructure and interdisciplinary expertise in lightweight design and engineering