Professional exchange at the composites industry meeting at the RWTH
The 29ᵗʰ SAMPE Germany Symposium took place at RWTH Aachen University on 2 and 3 April 2025. Around 80 experts from science and industry came together in the university’s main building to discuss current developments in the field of composite materials. The event was organised by RWTH Aachen University in cooperation with the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Germany.
The title of this year’s symposium was Clean energy and mobility: Shaping a sustainable future with composite materials. Accordingly, the focus was on advances in composite processing with a view to sustainable energy generation, future mobility solutions and innovative lightweight construction concepts. The event was opened with words of welcome from the Vice-Rector for Transfer at RWTH Aachen University, Prof. Dr. Matthias Wessling, and the SAMPE Executive Board. Christian Hopmann, Head of IKV, emphasised the importance of RWTH Aachen University as a location for innovation in the field of composite materials in his introductory speech.
© IKV
© IKV
© IKV
© IKV
© IKVSeven themed sessions with contributions from science and industry
The two-day program was divided into seven thematically focused sessions. Key topics included the development of recyclable materials, new duplication techniques for high-performance fibers and the industrial implementation of vitrimer-based matrix systems. Innovative solutions for hydrogen storage with composite pressure vessels and the use of digitalised production systems for fibre composite components were also part of the programme, as were application-oriented contributions on aviation.
The keynote speech by Marc Fette (CTC GmbH) and the contributions in the session “Future developments and potentials in aviation”, moderated by Helena Heuser (SLA), showed how composite materials contribute to structural weight savings. The focus was on the potential of lightweight structural engineering to increase the efficiency of future aircraft – especially with regard to new, more sustainable fuels such as hydrogen or synthetic fuels, which place new demands on design and material selection. The importance of composites for urban mobility and wind energy was also discussed – including contributions on rotor blade designs.
In addition to academic institutions such as IKV, ITA, AZL and SLA, numerous companies – including Hexagon Purus, Mitsui Chemicals, Envalior and the Polytec Group – contributed to a wide-ranging, practice-oriented program with their developments and case studies.
Campus tour and innovation awards as special program items
A highlight of the supporting program was the guided tour of the Melaten Campus, during which the participants were given an insight into the technical infrastructure and current projects of the Aachen Composites Cluster. Among other things, they visited test facilities for preforming and infusion technology as well as laboratories for material characterisation.
The festive conference dinner at the Erholungsgesellschaft Aachen in the evening also provided an excellent opportunity for personal networking and in-depth professional exchange in an informal atmosphere.
Innovation awards for graduates from Stuttgart and Dresden
As part of the symposium, Dr. Christian Keun once again presented the coveted innovation awards on behalf of SAMPE Germany this year: Marcel Littig was honoured for his master’s thesis “Investigation of non-destructive testing methods for the characterisation of particle-filled fibre composites”, which he carried out at WIWeB in Erding and which was scientifically supervised at IFB Stuttgart. The jury headed by Christian Keun also awarded Dr. Hung Le Xuan for his dissertation on “Gradient 3D reinforcement structures with integrated in-situ sensor technology”, which he wrote at the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Materials Technology (ITM) at TU Dresden. In just ten minutes, both candidates were able to present their extensive findings and research results in a clear and understandable way, convincing the expert jury.
Platform for knowledge transfer and international networking
The SAMPE Symposium 2025 in Aachen once again confirmed its role as a central exchange platform for current topics in materials and process engineering. The hosts and participants were very positive about the event and emphasised the intensive dialogue between science and industry that has characterised the symposium for years.