About us

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ingomar Kelbassa

Ingomar Kelbassa sees Fraunhofer as an enabler of value creation in Germany. As the new director of Fraunhofer IAPT, he intends to eradicate problems that plague the industry and, in the long term, wants to ensure that 3D printing is used on a large industrial scale. Kelbassa is not a completely new face in the Fraunhofer world: In 2006, he received his doctorate from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and remained at the institute as a head of department until 2016. At the same time, he served as deputy head of the Chair for Laser Technology LLT at RWTH Aachen University.

Research and development remained the central focus of the award-winning mechanical engineer in the years that followed. At Siemens AG, he led the development of manufacturing technology in the Gas and Power division, among other things, and became head of Company Core Technology Additive Manufacturing. He was also responsible for the Werner-von-Siemens Centre for Industry and Science research campus in Berlin. Most recently, he served as managing director of the Siemens subsidiary Weiss Spindeltechnologie, which is specialized in the development and production of high-precision motor spindle units.

Ingomar Kelbassa is certain: “The exchange between industry and research is at the heart of any form of applied research and development. In my view, without product-driven industry and demand-driven research and development based on that industry, it’s not possible to create value in the medium term. We as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft are thereby contributing to Germany’s GDP and thus to our prosperity.” As the institute director of Fraunhofer IAPT, he wants to further intensify this exchange and further industrialize additive manufacturing (AM) off the beaten path.