Page 8 - Research Report 2021 - Institut für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik

The 24 International Dresden Lightweight Engineering Sym-
th
posium: A mega success despite the pandemic!

Since a long time, lightweight engineering in general and
the Dresden Lightweight Engineering Symposium in par-
ticular are playing a key role for the ideas and innovations
of a resource-efficient and at the same time competi-
tive as well as socially balanced economy.The event pro-
vided solutions for a proactive contribution to reconciling
growth and progress on the one hand with environmen-
tal protection and resource conservation on the other
hand. In this sense, examples of successful "cradle-to-cra-
dle" solutions were presented at the recent Lightweight
Engineering Symposium and solutions for their sensible
recycling were discussed. Furthermore, current develop-
ments in the life cycle assessment and its embedding in
a continuous CAD-CAM workflow were introduced and
visualised in the context of concrete product develop-
ments. “Adding value by saving resources” was the basic
of all the technical as well as overview presentations to
ILK board member Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Maik Gude in the light- innovative ideas and specific approaches to neutral light-
weight engineering lounge. weight engineering.

On the 17/18 June 2021 one of the largest conferences The highlight of the first conference day was the inten-
of the year took place in Dresden under the motto “RE- sive panel discussion on neutral lightweight engineering.
SOURCE NEUTRAL LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN – ADDING “With its partners, the ILK is working on the approach of
VALUE BY SAVING RESOURCES”. After the symposium, neutral lightweight consistently – 2019 seen as a purely
Prof. Maik Gude comments: “Unfortunately, due to the ideal concept,” explains Prof. Gude: “The Symposium as
pandemic we were able to welcome our more than 1,000 an established discussion platform for the transfer of
participants only digitally. However, as we have seen, knowledge and experience between science, industry
large digital events and interactive networking go well and politics was therefore particularly suitable for pre-
hand in hand together!” Even in the adapted format, the senting this work to the critical eye of experts and the
24th International Dresden Lightweight Engineering Sym- general public.” In order to do digital justice to the net-
posium, with more than its 82 top-class lectures in seven working idea, that has accompanied the Dresden Light-
different sections, probed the guard rails of an entire fu- weight Engineering Symposium from the very beginning,
ture industry and gave it new trend-setting impulses. In an interactive virtual trade fair was set up. Various exhibi-
addition to the topics “hydrogen”, “battery-electric drives” tors from industry and science presented their know-how
and “intelligent materials”, numerous experts discussed and products at their exhibition stands. In addition, the
above all the recycling of products and materials as well well-attended Light Engineering Lounge offered another
as energy-autonomous processes this year. The entire entertaining programme with short presentations on cur-
atmosphere clearly showed that the chosen topic “RE- rent projects. With this additional offer the first digital
SOURCE NEUTRAL LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN” is excellent symposium of the ILK was well completed and could ex-
suitable for our present time. Under the special aspects cellently keep up with past presence events.
in the sense of neutral lightweight engineering, the digital
symposium served as a forum for the cross-material and
cross-product trend-setting brainstorming.

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