"Smart Materials" – Production of functionally integrated elastomeric components using additive manufacturing in the direct-ink-writing-process

• Applicants: Dr.-Ing. Lennart Hinz; Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Klie
• Subject Area: Plastics Engineering ; Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 577143567

The enormous potential of additive manufacturing in rubber processing is especially due to the ‎geometric flexibility in the layer-by-layer construction of a printed part and the possibility of specific ‎integration of functions and material properties at the local level.‎ Since the rubber-based additive printing process is very formula-specific, the potential of the ‎process for manufacturing complex, functionally integrated, and application-oriented elastic ‎molded parts cannot yet be fully exploited. Passive functional integrations include locally adapted ‎mechanical structural properties, while the process also offers potential for active functionalization ‎through sensor and actuator technology.‎ This project addresses fundamental research questions relating to the implementation of “multi-‎material” printing for the simultaneous additive processing of two rubber-based compounds within ‎a single processing step. This includes research into methods for targeted passive and active ‎functionalization through graded structures and integrated sensor technology. Furthermore, novel ‎calibration methods are being researched in order to predict stress states and material ‎configurations based on the acquired sensor data and to validate the findings on a demonstrator ‎‎(gripper).‎

• DFG Programme: Research Grants