Fraunhofer IEM

The Fraunhofer task-force “design methods mechatronics” is an expert for intelligent mechatronics in context of Industry 4.0. Scientists of the domains mechanical-, software- and electrical engineering work together interdisciplinary at the location Paderborn. With “Advanced Systems Engineering“ as the direction of impact the Fraunhofer IEM does research on the development of intelligent products, production systems and services. The core competence is the intelligence of mechatronic systems, systems engineering and virtual prototyping.

Currently the Fraunhofer IEM has 96 employees and is managed by a three-faced board of directors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ansgar Trächtler (head of institute), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roman Dumitrescu und Prof. Dr. Eric Bodden.

In 2011 the Fraunhofer IEM started as a project group of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen. By means of the federal state NRW the scientists developed a research profile which is oriented to the market and based on a strong cooperation with the local industry.

Five years after the start of the project group, in 2016, the Fraunhofer IEM was accepted as an independent facility into the federal-state-funding of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Since January 1st 2017 it bears the official title of the institution.

The Fraunhofer IEM works closely with the on basic research orientated Heinz Nixdorf Institute of the University Paderborn. It contributes to the technology transfer with numerous projects in the top cluster it’s OWL. The Fraunhofer IEM participates in many activities of the Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) in the research landscape of Germany. It is active in various joint projects.