Advanced Materials

Creating Tomorrow’s Materials Today

Since its establishment in 2008, the Advanced Materials Group has been at the forefront of material development and technology innovation. Initially founded to support European companies within the Furukawa Group, our reach has now expanded globally, collaborating with Furukawa Electric and its subsidiaries worldwide.

Our mission remains steadfast: to enhance everyday life by developing sustainable technologies through collaborative partnerships.

Our Expertise and Capabilities

Our team of experts, specializing in chemistry, chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering, brings a diverse range of skills to every project. This multidisciplinary approach allows us to tackle challenges from various perspectives, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, innovative solutions. Our core competencies include:

Material Developments: From material selection to tailor-made materials, we specialize in developing advanced and functional materials to meet specific needs in the fields of polymers, rubbers, and electrochemically active materials.

Technology Development: Our focus areas include developing new processing techniques, product development and technology support.

Engineering Support: Supplemented by FETI’s simulation experiences we provide process optimization, testing and evaluation, and prototyping to support the development of new products and technologies.

Advanced Production Techniques: Our capabilities extend to laser welding of plastics, thermoforming, electrospinning, electroplating, and many more.

Surface Engineering: We excel in surface modification, creating superhydrophobic surfaces and light reflective materials.

Recycling and Sustainability: We are committed to sustainable practices, including the development of recycling technologies and low-carbon footprint materials.

Our Process and Focus

Our work primarily takes place in laboratory environment, where we conduct research and development before handing over projects to our partners for further advancement. We also support these efforts with simulation and computational tools available within other Furukawa Electric Technology Institute (FETI) groups, ensuring that our partners receive projects at a higher readiness level for joint continuation.

Our main focus is on Furukawa’s core technologies, particularly in areas such as polymers and related technologies. We specialize in the development of plastic and rubber foams, composites, light reflective materials, and surfaces with special wettability properties. Additionally, we are pioneering advancements in energy storage systems like lead-acid batteries and other electrochemical processes such as electroplating.

Laser welding projects

In our laser welding projects, we aim for more than just joining two polymer parts. Our approach begins with problem-solving by developing creative solutions tailored to our clients' needs. Once a solution is selected, we initiate a comprehensive development project encompassing software development, process optimization, and the design and construction of custom machinery.

Here's a quick overview of where we can assist:

Redesigning product shapes to align with laser welding technology requirements

Analyzing spectral transmissivity and absorbance of materials to select the optimal laser wavelength

Conducting experiments to determine the right range of absorber contents for the target materials

Experimental testing to identify optimal laser welding parameters, including spot size, laser intensity, welding speed, and compression force

Designing and manufacturing production machine components such as specialized laser optics, manipulators, and robots/cobots

Over the past years, we have gained extensive experience in the field of Laser Transmission Welding. Our development projects have not only enriched our practical knowledge but also allowed us to compare various joining methods. The advantages of laser welding are clear: it offers faster, more cost-effective, and higher quality solutions for connecting polymer parts.
With our well-equipped laboratory and decades of expertise, we are ready to embrace the next challenges that come our way.
In the image, you can see a welding experiment taking place in FETI's newly developed robotic cell.

Driving Innovation with Advanced Technologies

The Advanced Materials Group is committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation. Through our expertise in production development, assembling, customized machine development, and a wide array of advanced techniques, we are paving the way for new technological breakthroughs. Our dedication to process optimization and material development positions us as leaders in the industry, helping to shape a more sustainable and technologically advanced future.