Anniversary Messages for 50 Years of Fraunhofer IPK

Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK!

This milestone represents a half-century of cutting-edge research, applied science, technology transfer, and new industrial production equipment and methods. Over the course of these 50 years, scientists at Fraunhofer IPK have developed, discovered and invented numerous innovative products and processes, including machines, robots, and automated systems. Their contributions to scientific and technological progress have included groundbreaking advances.

Within a few years, what began as a small seed planted in 1976 grew into a major institute and a magnet for scientific talent. Even during the division of Berlin and Germany, the influence of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK extended far beyond West Berlin. In the decades that followed, the institute gained international prominence as well. The international team at Fraunhofer IPK is a testament to this global reach. Today, the institute plays a significant role for Berlin both as a center for science and research and as an attractive business location. Thank you to all the past and present employees of Fraunhofer IPK for this achievement.

The state-of-the-art Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology follows the tradition of Joseph von Fraunhofer, the inspiration for the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Like Fraunhofer himself in the early 19th century, Fraunhofer IPK is known for its application-oriented approach: its scientists pursue research with the needs of industry in mind. And they work with companies to implement their solutions in production processes. This approach will be crucial for the future of our economy.

I wish you all the best, continued innovative strength, and much success.

The major challenges production is facing require people and institutions that can bring together different areas of expertise. The partnership between the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK and the Technische Universität Berlin has demonstrated the strength of this approach for nearly five decades. 

The story of what is now Fraunhofer IPK began in Berlin in 1976. Shortly thereafter, the cooperation agreement between Fraunhofer and TU Berlin laid the foundation for a partnership that extends far beyond joint projects. In 1986, this partnership was given a shared home with the opening of the Production Technology Center (PTZ) Berlin. At the handover of the keys to the new building, Manfred Fricke, then President of TU Berlin, highlighted the joint development of production technology – an idea that continues to shape the partnership to this day. Machine hall, laboratories and seminar rooms are often just a few steps apart. What is developed through research can be tested immediately. This way, research, teaching and technology transfer are seamlessly intertwined.

The strength of this model lies in research: Excellence emerges where different areas of expertise combine and people take on shared responsibility. From automated manufacturing solutions to Industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence, Fraunhofer IPK has helped shape technological developments for decades. Topics such as the circular economy, sustainable value creation, and integrated product-service systems were embraced early on and developed further. The Collaborative Research Centres 281 and 1026, as well as CRS/Transregio 29, exemplify these efforts. This partnership has long extended beyond the PTZ. At the Werner-von-Siemens Centre for Industry and Science, TU Berlin, Fraunhofer IPK and other partners work on solutions for the production of the future. Alongside research, teaching also benefits from this close connection. Joint professorships combine university research with industrial application and provide students with early insights into practical challenges.

Both production and industry are once again undergoing fundamental change – from the circular economy to artificial intelligence. At the PTZ, research findings translate more quickly into new production processes, technologies and industrial applications. I sincerely congratulate Fraunhofer IPK on its 50th anniversary. My thanks go to all employees, students, partners and alumni who have been bringing this partnership to life for decades. I look forward to continuing this journey. After all, we can only solve the major challenges of the future by working together.

The success story of Fraunhofer IPK began half a century ago, in 1976, in the divided city of Berlin – with the vision of rethinking production. And just as the city was eventually reunified, Fraunhofer IPK united two previously separate worlds: production and digital technologies. This made it one of the pioneers of what came to be known as Industry 4.0.

Fraunhofer IPK’s importance to the German economy lies in how it consistently translates research findings into market-ready solutions. For decades, the institute has helped make production processes more efficient, flexible and sustainable, and in doing so has strengthened the competitiveness of many companies. These achievements were made possible by the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among its researchers, as well as by the bold visions of the institute’s two defining directors, Günter Spur and Eckhart Uhlmann. In the 1980s and 1990s, Spur’s goal was to automate the entire production process. Machines were first equipped with computerized controls, which were then networked to automate subprocesses. Beginning in 1997, these ideas evolved under Uhlmann into digitally integrated production, which brings product design, order processing, production logistics and manufacturing together in cohesive systems.

The benefits of digitalization are particularly apparent in digital twins and simulation. Today, many companies use digital twins – virtual representations – to analyze and optimize products and production processes much more efficiently throughout their entire life cycle. Cognitive robotics is another example. Fraunhofer IPK combines sensor technology, AI and robotics to develop automation solutions even for complex and variable production environments, increasing productivity and opening up new fields of application. Working closely with industry, our researchers in Berlin have also helped advance additive manufacturing and other new production technologies. This research continues to support sustainable, circular production.

In short, Fraunhofer IPK’s anniversary marks half a century of applied research supporting industrial innovation and technology transfer – precisely the DNA of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. I would like to extend my special thanks to the entire Fraunhofer IPK staff as well as to our partners in industry, academia and government. Your commitment has made the institute what it is today: a powerful driver of innovation for German industry. I wholeheartedly congratulate you on your 50th anniversary – and I look forward to seeing many more contributions to the future of production.

The capital region’s industry extends its warmest congratulations on this anniversary!

With its applied production research, Fraunhofer IPK has been a key driver of industrial value creation for decades – in Berlin and Brandenburg, in Germany, and far beyond.

The anniversary motto »Reinventing Production« also reflects the transformation of regional industry over the past fifty years: from subsidized manufacturing in the divided city to a highly innovative, globally competitive production landscape.

Fraunhofer IPK stands not only for successful projects with companies but also for major industrial policy initiatives in our region: From the Mechanical Engineering Initiative of the 1990s, through the establishment of the MRO cluster starting in 2010, to today’s Automotive Transfer Networking – Fraunhofer IPK is indispensable to industrial policy in Berlin and Brandenburg as an applied research partner.

Fraunhofer IPK's outstanding performance would be inconceivable without the dedication and passion of its employees. We extend our special thanks to them. At the same time, we would like to honor two leading figures, Professor Günter Spur and Professor Eckart Uhlmann. With strategic foresight, outstanding expertise and great determination, they have significantly shaped Fraunhofer IPK and made its success story possible.

The next, AI-driven transformation of industry is already in full swing. With Fraunhofer IPK at their side, industrial companies in Berlin and Brandenburg will successfully shape this transition as well.

Half a century of Fraunhofer IPK stands for scientific excellence, active technology transfer, and the courage to constantly rethink production. What began with just a few employees has grown into an internationally recognized center for applied production research. This is a remarkable success story – for Berlin, for Fraunhofer, and for production engineering in Germany.

Fraunhofer IPK recognized early on that modern production is more than just mechanics and manufacturing technology. Its particularly strong focus on information technology has made the institute a pioneer of the smart factory – long before the term »Industry 4.0« was coined. With digitally integrated production, Fraunhofer IPK has formulated its own holistic approach: Data, methods, and technologies are integrated in such a way that production becomes more efficient, more resource-efficient, and at the same time consistently human-centered.

This approach is more relevant today than ever. Data-driven networking, digital twins, and the combination of artificial intelligence with deep domain knowledge are among the institute’s particular strengths. Whether in the »Digital Networking« Competence Center, at Gaia-X and Catena-X, with the Digital Product Passport, or in Manufacturing-X and Aerospace-X: Fraunhofer IPK is actively shaping trustworthy data spaces, new forms of industrial collaboration, and a sustainable circular economy.

An excellent example of this is the Fraunhofer flagship project EMOTION, led by Fraunhofer IPK. It explores how resilient production systems can be created in which people, intelligent machines, and products work together synergistically. The vision of empathetic production systems combines technological capability with the ability to learn and adapt, and human expertise. These are precisely the kinds of approaches we need in a time of profound technological, economic, and geopolitical change.

Fraunhofer IPK is also making significant contributions beyond traditional production fields: in the healthcare industry, for example, through ultra- and high-precision technology, additive manufacturing processes, and automated systems for the production of mRNA-based drugs and vaccines. Likewise, the institute’s long-standing collaboration with Brazil exemplifies its international reach and the strength of synergistic partnerships within the Fraunhofer Production Group.

I am particularly pleased about the close collaboration in our sustainability initiative – ranging from joint strategy development to specific industrial projects and service offerings. Fraunhofer IPK takes on responsibility, brings institutes together, and turns scientific expertise into practical impact.

The anniversary motto »50 Years of Reinventing Production« therefore describes more than just the past. It is a mission for the future. Reinventing production today means integrating digitalization and sustainability, building resilience, closing loops, and placing people not on the periphery but at the center of transformation. Fraunhofer IPK is ideally positioned to achieve this: it has excellent employees, strong partners, a vibrant scientific tradition, and the courage to break new ground.

On behalf of the Fraunhofer Group for Production, I would like to thank everyone who has made this success story possible: current and former employees, institute directors, partners from academia and industry, as well as all sponsors and supporters. You have all contributed to turning a bold idea in West Berlin into an institute with international influence.

I wish Fraunhofer IPK continued curiosity, a spirit of innovation, excellent research, and successful collaborations for the next 50 years. May you remain a place where ideas become applications, data becomes knowledge, and collaboration leads to progress.

»Production science is most effective when basic research and applied research are closely integrated. This is exactly what Fraunhofer IPK has been demonstrating for 50 years.« (Video in German)