About us

   

The Institute for Materials Applications in Mechanical Engineering of the RWTH Aachen was founded in 2006. It arose from a fusion of the former Institute of material science, IWK, the Institute of ceramic components, IKKM, and the field of education and research in material science, LWK.

Here you can find more concerning the History of the IWM.

The IWM arranges the basic education in material science for the Bachelor program of mechanical engineering and industrial engineering with specialization in mechanical engineering. Courses like, ‘Powder Metallurgy’, ‘High Temperature Application Ceramics and Metals’, ‘Failure Analysis’, ‘Materials Science and Processing’, ‘Structural Materials’, ‘Material Compounds Ceramic-Metals’ and ‘Advanced Ceramics’ are offered for various master programs.

Scientific research at the IWM deals with a wide field of application of metals, ceramics and composites materials. It includes modern powder based production routes of materials and parts, heat treatment of metallic components and design of materials and components concerning complex mechanical loads. Both, experimental testing and numerical simulation are used as solution approach. The IWM exhibits a significant experience in handling of various materials, like tool steels, high alloy stainless steels, cast iron, PM-steels, hard metals, intermetallic materials and oxide ceramics.

The Institute offers services of material testing, damage analysis and FEM calculations.