The fifth assembly of the general body of TRR 402 takes place on February 23rd and 24th at TU Chemnitz.
ReadGraded structures for next-generation lightweight structures
001 Transregio 402 – DediGrad
DediGrad - Intelligent Production Technologies for Lightweight Polymer Structures with Load-Dedicated 3D Grading of the Reinforcement Architecture
Engineering meets intuition
We develop methods to design and simulate materials that learn from stress, respond to change, and use resources intelligently
Our interdisciplinary teams across Chemnitz, Dresden, and Aachen merge materials science, mechanics, and digital modeling into one adaptive ecosystem
From model to movement.
Each DediGrad subproject focuses on a different scale — from microstructure to full component behavior. Together, they form a chain of knowledge for lighter, more resilient engineering.
A01 Multi-criteria optimisation of in-situ reorientation processes for defined graded profile structures
Targeted fibre reorientation for load-adapted lightweight structures
A02 High-volume production of individualised, graded and variant-rich laminates for combined manufacturing chains
Scalable manufacturing of graded high-performance laminates
A03 Injection moulding embedding of locally functionalised fibre-reinforced plastic inlays
Functionalised inlays for locally tailored mechanical properties
A04 Press processing of functionalised flat and tape substructures with a flanged section
Process-integrated design of graded transition zones
B01 Adaptive production of components with locally definable adjustment of the fibre architecture
Adaptive manufacturing stragies for defined fibre architectures
B02 Influencing fibre orientation by means of process-integrated actuators
Active control of local structure properties through intelligent actuation
B03 Electromagnetic alignment of reinforcement elements
Electromagnetic alignment of reinforcement elements during processing
B04 Dedicated edge zone characteristics for pultruded fibre-reinforced polymer and ceramic profiles
Functional edge-zones for performance-optimised composite profiles
C01 Simultaneous optimisation of geometry and graded fibre orientation distributions
Optimisation of structural behaviour and fibre distribution in lightweight deign
C02 Integrative numerical design methods for component and process
AI-based simulation and optimisation of complex manufacturing processes
C03 Model reduction and formalisation for increased efficiency of integrative simulation chains
Rapid prediction of local material properties using data-driven models
C04 Methodical derivation of process-structure-property relations based on hybrid data spaces
Linking experimental and simulation data spaces for hybrid process models
Collaboration is our material
We work with industrial partners, guest scientists, and emerging researchers who share a vision of smarter, sustainable engineering.
PARTNER WITH US
Research with support.
Driven by collaboration and trust.
The DFG funds top-level research and is Germany's largest research funding organisation.
TRR 402 is funded by the DFG under project number 525069572.
News & Events
Latest research results, workshops, presentations, and events – stay informed about our recent activities.
General Assembly of TRR 402 DediGrad in Dresden
The 3rd assembly of the general body took place at Fraunhofer IWU with a workshop for the PhD researchers and the meeting of the industrial advisory board.
Verbund 2026 – Symposium for Composite Materials and Material Systems in Chemnitz
Dr. Kristina Roder and Nisha Poonia presented their results at Verbund 2026 – Symposium on Composite Materials and Material Systems in Chemnitz.
TRR 402 DediGrad presented in Thailand
Prof. Dr Lothar Kroll presented TRR 402 DediGrad at the international RAM’26 conference in Bangkok, strengthening the international visibility of the research consortium.
TRR 402 DediGrad presented at Carbon Korea 2025
Prof. Dr Lothar Kroll presented TRR 402 DediGrad at Carbon Korea 2025 in Seoul, highlighting research on intelligent production technologies for sustainable lightweight structures on an international stage.
Explore publications and materials from the TRR 402
Learn more through scientific publications, posters, presentations, and open-access papers and gain insights into current research results and developments within the collaborative research center.
Get in Touch for Collaboration
Do you have questions about the TRR 402 or are you interested in collaboration? Feel free to contact us – we are happy to hear from you and will gladly respond to your inquiry.