Press Releases

Which maintenance measure will provide the greatest benefit for my equipment? Is it worth carrying out the repair now, or would it be better to wait? How many additional operating hours can be gained as a result? Our experts will answer questions like these at the »maintenance« trade fair for industrial maintenance on October 14 and 15, 2026, in Munich.

Why does a traffic jam suddenly form on a highway even though there is neither an accident nor roadwork? Prof. Dr. Benjamin Seibold from Temple University in Philadelphia is exploring this question here at Fraunhofer ITWM. As a visiting researcher, he is working with a team from the division »Mathematics for Vehicles, Systems and Production« on studies using the RODOS^® driving simulator. The focus is on how driver assistance systems and automated vehicles – as well as human drivers – can stabilize traffic flow and prevent so-called phantom traffic jams.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM presents solutions for the simulation of maritime processes and the non-destructive testing of modern ship components at SMM (Shipbuilding, Machinery, and Marine Technology) 2026. As part of the Fraunhofer joint booth in Hall B6, Booth 230, the institute, together with four other Fraunhofer institutions, showcases innovative technologies for maritime transformation. Digital twins and modern measurement technology help shipyards and manufacturers shorten development times, ensure quality, and reduce costs.

How can errors and critical conditions in chemical plants be detected early on – even when only limited data is available? This is the question being addressed by the research group »KI-FOR: Deep Learning on Sparse Chemical Process Data«, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Following successful results in the first funding phase, the DFG has now approved an additional five years of funding for a second phase. The research group has already developed new deep learning methods for anomaly detection and, for the first time, made extensive open datasets for chemical process data available. In addition to the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), the Technical Universities of Munich and Dortmund, as well as our institute, are participating in the project.

Dr. Franziska Hekele demonstrates how diversity improves results and reduces misunderstandings. The interview was conducted by Mandy Bartel, originally for the Fraunhofer employee journal »Quersumme«. As a research associate at Fraunhofer ITWM, she develops avatars for pedestrian simulations in road traffic and for communication on construction sites. She is also currently the Equal Opportunity Officer at Fraunhofer ITWM. In this interview, the psychologist explains why different perspectives improve research, how her coming out at Fraunhofer went – and what helped her.

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense worldwide. Fires often become infernos due to heat, drought and wind, especially in the summer. The problem is compounded by the climate crisis. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM and the startup CAURUS Technologies GmbH are responding to this growing global threat. They are collaborating to develop a machine learning system for more precise aerial firefighting that determines the fire situation in real time and calculates the optimum aerial drop time.

The battery factory of the future is increasingly digitalized. Simulations play a central role in developing new cells while intelligent sensor systems monitor production in real time. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM are developing methods that enable production processes to be mapped virtually and key parameters to be measured during production. The experts will be presenting their solutions for more stable production processes and higher-performance batteries at the Battery Show Europe 2026.

The Washington Institute for STEM, Entrepreneurship and Research (WISER) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM have successfully completed a joint research project as part of WISER’s Quantum and AI program, advancing the understanding of Quantum Machine Learning for real-world industrial use cases.

How can textile structures be developed more quickly, characterized precisely, and tailored to demanding applications – such as medicine, sports, mobility, or construction? The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM shows how its software solutions support the textile industry with powerful simulation at Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main starting April 21, 2026. The goal is to shorten development times, optimize material usage, and reliably predict the behavior of textile structures virtually. The focus is on the software tools VISPI and TexMath.

Flexible structures such as cables and hoses are indispensable in modern technology – but their behavior is complex. In the European doctoral network »THREAD – Joint Training on Numerical Modeling of Highly Flexible Structures for Industrial Applications,« 14 young researchers worked on modeling these systems more precisely using mathematics. But the program was more than just research: it connected people, disciplines, and perspectives – and opened up sustainable career paths in science and industry. We present four of the graduates here: