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Automated bin picking is a major challenge in companies that manufacture a wide variety of products in small lot sizes. Despite their steadily growing automation, many bin picking scenarios still require manual action, be that when handling packaging materials, when parts catch or are reflective or when a bin has to be emptied completely. Cost-effective automation of these processes is growing more important in these times of demographic change and growing skilled labor shortage. Fraunhofer IFF’s research project Adaptive Robotics for Robust Bin Picking and Precise Machine Tending ADAPT comes into play exactly here. The objective is the development of AI-assisted bin picking solutions that can detect, pick and place parts reliably and precisely—even under challenging conditions.

Land mines and unexploded ordnance still pose a lethal danger long after a war’s end and hinder or even prevent the use of entire regions. One third of Ukraine’s territory, for instance, is affected at present and there is urgent need for action to reclaim this land. Together with research and industry partners, Fraunhofer IFF has developed an innovative drone solution that detects unexploded ordnance safely, rapidly and efficiently. The technology combines high-resolution sensor data with autonomous aircraft.

Workers in the hot-dip galvanization industry are exposed to high safety and health risks during the galvanizing process, especially when they are removing zinc ash manually. The use of automation in the galvanizing process to minimize such risks was studied and tested on a real-world galvanizing furnace in industrial use in a joint research project of the Berufsgenossenschaft Holz und Metall (BGHM, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Woodworking and Metalworking Industries), Fraunhofer IFF and IEHK Steel Institute at RWTH Aachen University.

The Expert Meeting on AI and TVET, held at Fraunhofer IFF’s Elbfabrik on 18th till 19th of February 2025,under the umbrella of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Magdeburg, a cooperation of Fraunhofer IFF, Otto-von-Guericke University, and GIZ TVET-Academy, brought together over 90 international experts, educators, and industry leaders to discuss how AI is shaping the future of vocational education. With industries rapidly evolving, the demand for AI-skilled workers is increasing, making the integration of AI into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) a global priority.

Experiential knowledge is the key to effective problem-solving and lasting success in industry. Yet demographic change and the skilled labor shortage are making it difficult to share such valuable knowledge. A new research project with industry and research partners is examining how AI solutions can revolutionize the retention and sharing of experiential knowledge.

Factory design is highly complex—yet artificial intelligence can deliver key benefits here. In the GenAI4FFD research project, Fraunhofer IFF is developing an AI assistance system together with a consortium, which will help designers with key activities, from requirements specification to factory design to modeling and evaluation. The technology facilitates faster, more efficient decisions and reduces errors. In the long run, the system is also intended to be used in building design—a major benefit for small and midsize architectural and engineering firms. this will make it possible to implement cutting-edge technologies faster.

Millions of tons of electronic waste are produced worldwide every year. Only a fraction of this is recycled or refurbished. A research project, iDEAR, with the objective of automating electronic waste disassembly started at Fraunhofer IFF in February 2023. This is intended to make it easier to recycle resources and to close material cycles. Automation makes disassembly processes more scalable in times of skilled labor shortages. We now have the first promising results.

The energy transition necessitates flexible adjustment of energy generation and consumption to maximize the integration of renewable energies. Residential, commercial and industrial buildings account for a significant 35 percent of end-use energy consumption. This makes the flexible use of volatile energies, such as wind and solar energy, in this sector instrumental to the energy transition. The European research project FlexBIT is developing digital solutions to harness the hidden flexibility capabilities in energy systems and to increase energy efficiency in various sectors sustainably.

Intelligent Algorithms and Power Electronics for Grid-Quality and Energy-Efficient Battery Energy Storage System Operation ALene is a research project in which algorithms and power electronic systems that optimize battery energy storage systems will be developed and tested and their efficiency and functionality will be improved, consequently enabling better integration in the grid control system.

In a joint research project with the company voraus robotik GmbH, Fraunhofer IFF research scientists are developing a software that will assist with the risk assessment of robot applications. This software will be integrated into the robot programming, minimizing time-consuming risk assessments. The Integration of Risk Assessment into Robot Programming IRPro research project, which was conceived as part of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s DATIpilot funding guidelines, started on September 1, 2024 and will run for eighteen months.