The institute

The Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI

Fraunhofer EMI was founded in 1959. Its mission is to deliver high precision results and develop outstanding technologies.

The focus of the institute is: Making everything that happens quickly representable and measurable. Fraunhofer EMI researches collisions, impact phenomena and explosions and the associated safety concepts in the business fields of defense, security & resilience, automotive, aerospace and aviation.

The range of services includes R&D services, special solutions for measurement technology and sensor technology as well as user-oriented software products.

Competences and methods

The range of expertise includes:

Materials under load: characterizing and modelling the behaviour of materials, material composites and components under dynamic loads.
Mathematical material models: Developing mathematical models for material modeling in continuum mechanics, mesomechanics and micromechanics.
Sensors and measurement techniques: Development and application of new sensors and measurement techniques in short-term physics (high pressures, high strain rates, short times, fast pulses).
Numerical simulation methods: Develop numerical computational methods in structural dynamics, fluid mechanics and coupling of fluid-structure behavior.
Hypervelocity impact analysis: Experimental investigation and simulation of hypervelocity impact.
Structure and process evaluation: Development of calculation methods and specialized user software for the evaluation and design of structures, processes and systems.
Material physics: Physics of energetic materials.
Safety and system analysis: Physical modelling, simulation, visualization and experimental investigation of multi-technical systems for the analysis of safety and reliability.

Fraunhofer EMI – Research for a safe future

Technological profile

Laboratories with acceleration systems:

From a few grams to several 100 kg, up to 40,000 km/h.

Material testing:

mechanical properties under variable strain rates.

High-speed imaging:

Optical methods and X-ray for extremely fast processes.

Shock wave sensor technology:

Measuring systems for extreme environments.

High-speed electrical engineering:

Precise measurement and control at the highest temporal resolution.

Crash test benches:

Tests for vehicles and components, including with the release of battery contents or hydrogen.

Mainframe computer:

for use in parallel operation of commercial and in-house simulation software.

History of the institute

1959 Foundation of the institute

Fraunhofer EMI emerges from the Institute for Applied Physics at the University of Freiburg, founded in 1956. It was incorporated into the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as the 6th institute.

Cold War: Research for the Bundeswehr and its allies

In the first decades, the focus is on ballistic and fluid mechanics research. To this end, the institute develops world-leading research approaches.

Further locations in Efringen-Kirchen and Kandern

The original quarries in Wintersweiler and Holzen are transformed into independent sites with research infrastructure.

Globally unique infrastructure in the field of high-speed dynamics

Fraunhofer EMI quickly establishes its reputation as one of the world’s leading institutes in the field of high-speed dynamics. Over the years, expertise and technology are continuously developed.

1990s Opening up to civilian research

After the end of the Cold War, the institute realigns itself. It opens up civilian topics such as security, automotive and structural protection: In 1993, EMI is commissioned to reconstruct the first bomb attack on the World Trade Center.

2000s Aerospace as new business field

EMI transfers expertise in highspeed dynamics to the fields of aerospace. For example, EMI conducts an investigation into the impact of meteoroids and space debris on the Columbus module of the ISS space station.

Development of crash tests with X-ray technology

For years, Fraunhofer EMI has been pursuing the goal of X-raying cars during crash tests. Initially, only 8 X-ray images could be produced. Today, the EMI system produces 1000 X-ray images per second.

Research for a safe future

With its business units of defense, security, automotive, space and aviation, the institute has consistently focused on increasing security in the civil and military sectors.

Network

Broad national and international networking as well as numerous cooperations are crucial to our success. Therefore, Fraunhofer EMI is not only linked up with other Fraunhofer Institutes by means of alliances and groups, but we also entertain relations with universities and research facilities and industrial enterprises in Germany, Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Fraunhofer Simulation Alliance

Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance

Fraunhofer Leightweight Design Alliance

Fraunhofer Battery Alliance

Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE

Fraunhofer Additive Manufacturing Alliance

Fraunhofer Group for Materials and Components – MATERIALS

Fraunhofer Segment for Defense and Security VVS

Sustainability Center Freiburg

The Sustainability Center Freiburg is a cooperation between the University of Freiburg, Freiburg’s five Fraunhofer Institutes and the industry. It pools the partner institutes’ competences and connects expertise from different disciplines, advances the transfer of scientific developments into marketable and practice-oriented products and services and integrates the needs of society into the development of sustainable solutions at an early stage.

www.leistungszentrum-nachhaltigkeit.de/en/

Centre for Security and Society

The Centre for Security and Society is a cooperation formed by the members of five faculties of the University of Freiburg, the University IT Services and the Institute for Computer Science and Social Studies as well as the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, the University of Passau and Fraunhofer EMI. It is located at the University of Freiburg.

Cluster Electric Mobility South-West

As member of this leading-edge cluster, Fraunhofer EMI takes part in a project, among others, with the aim to develop innovative diagnosis and repair concepts for electric vehicles.

www.e-mobilbw.de/en/

Technology cluster microTEC Südwest

For the cluster members of microTEC Südwest, Fraunhofer EMI functions as research partner in developing MEMS systems and building-integrated sensor networks.

http://microtec-suedwest.de/en/

University of Oxford

Prof. Dr.Ing. habil. Hiermaier is visiting professor at Oxford University. Scientific collaborations on composite materials under dynamic loading conditions.

www.ox.ac.uk

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Scientific collaborations with the Impact and Crashworthiness Laboratory concerning the dynamic behavior of materials and structures.

web.mit.edu

Cranfield University

Scientific collaborations on composite materials and shock-wave effects in engineering structures.

www.cranfield.ac.uk

Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Prof. Dr. Werner Riedel is visiting associate professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering of NTU and lectures “Protection of Built Infrastructures” and “Dynamic Material Behaviour” in cooperation with the Protective Technology and Research Center of the university.

http://www.cee.ntu.edu.sg/

The advisory board

Hanna Böhme Managing Director Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG, FWTM, Freiburg	Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Gottschild (Chairman) Executive Group Director Strategy and Managing Director, MBDA Deutschland GmbH, Schrobenhausen	Ministerialrätin Sabine ten Hagen-Knauer Head of Division 524: Civil Security Research, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Bonn	Rainer Hoffmann Managing Director carhs.training GmbH, Alzenau
Maik Kammermann Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg), Bonn	Univ.-Prof.in Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. mont. Eva-Maria Kern President of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Neubiberg	Brigadegeneral Michael Meinl Director of the German-French Research Institute Saint-Louis ISL, Binzen	Michael Schätzle Vice President Product Line Cayenne, Porsche AG, Stuttgart
Brigadegeneral Jürgen Schmidt Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, BAAINBw, Head of Department Battle, Koblenz	Dr. Tobias Schmidt Vice President System Development Large Caliber/Head of Program Future Gun Systems (FGS), Business Unit Weapons and Ammunition, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH, Unterluess	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rodolfo Schöneburg Road Safety Counselor, RSC Safety Engineering, Hechingen	Dr. Isabel Thielen Managing Director Thielen Business Coaching GmbH, Munich

Board of Directors

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Stefan Hiermaier

Director
Fraunhofer EMI

Phone +49 761 2714-101

Vita

Dr. Matthias Wickert

Deputy director
Fraunhofer EMI

Phone +49 761 2714-120

E-Mail

Prof. Dr. Frank Schäfer