Annual Report 2022

Dear Friends and Partners of Fraunhofer FHR, Dear Readers,

the effects of the pandemic and global political developments have also had a strong impact on Fraunhofer FHR in 2022. Price increases, shortage of raw materials and the shortage of skilled workers also present us with unexpected challenges. Nevertheless, we can look back on many successful achievements, which we would like to present to you in this annual report. We have also been able to further strengthen aspects that will be needed even more in the future for innovative research and development: Network, exchange, cooperation.

For example, we are proud to have been involved since 2022 as coordinator of the terahertz.NRW research network in a consortium with the Ruhr University Bochum, the University of Duisburg-Essen, the University of Wuppertal and the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits IMS to further develop the technological potential of THz technology and to lead the foreseeable international wave of innovation with excellent research. You can read more about this on p. 12. As part of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany FMD, a central point of contact for all issues relating to microelectronics and nanoelectronics in Germany and Europe and a pioneer in cross-site and cross-technology collaboration, we are helping to solve current and future challenges in electronics research (report p. 26).  

We reached a milestone in the area of space surveillance with radar with the cooperation agreement for the commercialization of the GESTRA system. Sensor specialist HENSOLDT has agreed to collaborate with Fraunhofer FHR with the goal of transforming the technology demonstrator into a production-ready system called Custodian. To this end, HENSOLDT has acquired the necessary licenses from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and concluded a cooperation agreement (report p. 37).

We also got a lot underway internally: For example, we set the course for the future requirements of cooperation in large-scale projects by filling the two new staff unit of Process and Quality Management and Product Assurance. You can read more about this on p. 8.

Network, exchange and cooperation were also the focus of our 10th Wachtberg Forum, which we held for the first time at the Villip site last summer (report p. 14). It was a highlight of the year to finally be able to present our research work »live and on site« again after a two-year break from Corona. Once again, the great importance of personal contact was demonstrated and we are already looking forward to the Wachtberg Forum 2023 – this year for the first time a two-day event from June 21 to 22. Please save the date!

We wish you an exciting read!
Best wishes from Wachtberg

Peter Knott

Dirk Heberling