Comprehensive view of lightweighting technologies to feature at Hannover Messe 2019
January 28, 2019
Hannover Messe 2019 takes place April 1-5 (Courtesy Hannover Messe)
This year’s Hannover Messe, taking place in Hannover, Germany, from April 1–5, 2019, will include a comprehensive look at what lightweighting has to offer industrial manufacturing and other disciplines, and what makes it a key technology for the future. According to the organisers, the show will feature a high-level conference, present concrete applications of lightweight solutions and explore strategies to raise awareness of this important multidisciplinary technology.
Lightweight construction reduces product weight, saves on materials and reduces production costs, as well as having the potential to make products and components better by enhancing durability, improving efficiency and paving the way to better design. What’s more, lightweight design makes for more efficient use of resources and materials and reduces energy consumption and thus emissions – all of which can increase competitiveness while helping to combat climate change.
“Lightweight construction will be a very important topic at Hannover Messe 2019,” commented Olaf Daebler, Deutsche Messe’s Global Director Industrial Supply for Hannover Messe. “Users from all industries will find experts who will show them how they can use lightweight construction to enhance their products.”
During the show, technology users will be able to gain what the organisers describe as a quick yet comprehensive overview of the many lightweight material groups, and the applications available to them. This includes both general and tailored information, made available through the following Hannover Messe events and group presentations:
Lightweighting Summit
The German Economics Ministry is organising Hannover Messe’s first-ever summit on lightweight construction. This summit for political, industry and R&D leaders will be held on April 2, and look at lightweight design and construction as a competitive factor while exploring strategies for fostering it as a key enabling technology. Peter Altmaier, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, will give the opening address.
Integrated Lightweight Plaza and forum
Located in Hall 5, the Integrated Lightweight Plaza will serve as Hannover Messe’s central information hub and marketplace for lightweight solutions across all materials, processes and industries. For companies, business networks, industry associations and research institutions, the plaza will serve as a chance to demonstrate that developing effective lightweight solutions requires interdisciplinary cooperation on materials, design and production technologies.
The Integrated Lightweight Plaza will comprise an exhibition, a speaker’s corner, a ‘Lightweight Café’ and a demonstration area, and will be run with support from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). The federation’s Working Group on Hybrid Lightweight Technologies, which is tasked with facilitating dialogue between users, suppliers and R&D, is organising a special showcase at the plaza themed “Lightweight as an Enabler of Tomorrow’s Mobility” which will feature lightweight demonstration displays. The working group is also organising a companion lightweight-themed programme to run on April 2, 2019, at the Industrial Supply Forum.
The show will include a comprehensive view of lightweight technologies (Courtesy Hannover Messe)
“Lightweighting in Baden-Württemberg” pavilion
At the “Lightweighting in Baden-Württemberg” group pavilion, companies from the German state of Baden-Württemberg will showcase their knowledge and solutions in a range of areas, including innovative combinations of hand forging and metal Additive Manufacturing, lightweight core materials for sandwich-construction components, and precision cogwheels and gear components made of plastics. The participating companies belong to a local lightweight network, Leichtbau BW.
Highlights of the pavilion will include a special exhibition of the ILO 1 lightweight concept car. The companies in the network jointly developed the vehicle from start to finish in the space of just four months, a feat made possible by a web-based PLM system that enabled them to efficiently allocate and coordinate all the various production, development and engineering design tasks involved.
Group pavilion by Landshut Cluster for Lightweight Design
The Cluster for Lightweight Design, a network of SMEs, service providers and research institutions spearheaded by Landshut University of Applied Sciences, will for the ninth year run its group pavilion at Hannover Messe. Marc Bicker, Commercial and Organisational Director of the Landshut Cluster for Lightweight Design, stated, “Within Hannover Messe, the Lightweight Construction display area gives visitors access to an unparalleled concentration of expertise for their lightweight technology projects. At the group pavilion, representatives of companies and universities will present and discuss the latest developments in the highly innovative and interdisciplinary field of lightweight design.”
In 2019, the organisers of Hannover Messe will also release a Lightweight Construction Guide – a publication to help visitors find each of many organiaations throughout the venue that offer solutions for or relating to lightweight construction. There will also be a daily Guided Tour of Hannover Messe themed “Lightweight Technologies in Industrial Applications.”
