New building at the Ilmenau site

Already in 2020, the institute building of Fraunhofer IOSB-AST and Fraunhofer IIS in Ilmenau was finally completed. After two years of anticipation, this highlight was duly celebrated in Ilmenau on September 1, 2022. More than 80 guests from politics, science and industry accepted the invitation to get to know the new building and its research laboratories. In addition, about 40 interested spectators followed the event including laboratory tours digitally.

The event was officially opened by Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. This was followed by welcoming speeches by Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee (Thuringian Minister for Economy, Science and Digital Society), Beate Misch (Mayor of the City of Ilmenau) and Prof. Jens Müller (Vice President for International Relations and Transfer at TU Ilmenau). The greetings illustrated the positive development of the two Fraunhofer facilities in Ilmenau and beyond. The important networking with the Ilmenau University of Technology, business and industry as well as the achievements of the employees were also mentioned.

In the subsequent ceremonial addresses by the directors of Fraunhofer IIS (Prof. Heuberger) and IOSB (Prof. Beyerer), the successful development of the two institutes at the research location Ilmenau was outlined. The development of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Ilmenau began as early as the mid-1990s with the founding of what was then the Application Center for Systems Engineering. Its founding father, Prof. Jürgen Wernstedt, was honored with a special distinction: The large meeting room of the new building will in future bear the name "Jürgen Wernstedt Hall". A final insight into the research focus of both institutes was given by Prof. Thomas Rauschenbach, Prof. Peter Bretschneider (Directorate IOSB-AST) and Prof. Giovanni Del Galdo as well as Dr. Markus Landmann (Fraunhofer IIS, Department EMS) during a joint presentation entitled " IOSB-AST and IIS: Cutting-edge technologies united under one roof ".

Udo Lemke (Lemke Fukerider Architekten GmbH) as well as Hans Hemmert (Künstlergruppe Inges Idee GbR) reported on the conception and progress of the construction project and the sculpture " Auf Empfang " in front of the building.

Afterwards, all guests were able to inform themselves about the research work, demonstrator platforms and project work in tours and laboratory tours and to end the day together.

The event was also captured in pictures by a graphic recording, so that the impressions will be remembered for a long time.