Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTSFraunhofer IKTS develops technologies for ballistic protection, electrification, and condition monitoring of civilian and military vehicles. Our portfolio ranges from structural ceramics for armor to predictive maintenance for complex electronic systems—for maximum operational readiness and supply security.
Protection and structure
- Modular protection systems for armored vehicles
- Additive manufacturing protection solutions for mobile platforms
Electrification and energy supply
- Electrification of modern emergency vehicles and mobile systems
- Power electronics
- High-performance energy storage (lithium, sodium, and solid-state batteries)
- Energy supply for drones, unmanned systems, and portable devices
- Battery technologies, supercapacitors, thermoelectrics
- Fuel cell solutions for mobile systems (1 W to 1 MW)
- Robust electronics for high altitudes and extreme climates (cold, humidity, pressure)
- Use of synthetic fuels (power-to-X fuel) to extend range and increase autonomy
Condition monitoring and system integrity
- Health monitoring / predictive maintenance
- Sensors on the vehicle or system for threshold monitoring
- Predictive health management for electronic systems (service life and durability forecasts based on mission profile load data under high thermal and mechanical loads)
- Online recording of previously unknown data (e.g., media quality of coolants, corrosion depth in heat exchangers)
- Online status data for maintenance prediction
- Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
- Integration of sensor technology into CFRP repair patches for mobile aircraft and vehicle systems
- Hot spot monitoring after repairs
- Large area monitoring and localization (e.g., impact detection/real-time bullet detection)
- Detection of damage in composites (during online or maintenance operations