The CZS Center for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency through Additive Manufacturing Technologies (KRAFt) was officially opened on May 15, 2025. The interdisciplinary research center is a cooperation between the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld of Trier University of Applied Sciences, Aalen University of Applied Sciences and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding the project with 12 million euros until 2031.
The aim of the center is to increase resource efficiency in additive manufacturing and to develop new material cycles for plastics and metals. Ten interdisciplinary working groups are working along the entire process chain – from material characterization and energy and material flow analyses to the development of resource-efficient components.
Particularly noteworthy is the close cooperation with 24 external partners, mainly from industry, including companies from Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. These collaborations ensure the direct transfer of research results into practice and strengthen the regional economy.
The CZS Center KRAFt offers a valuable platform for companies in Rhineland-Palatinate to work together on sustainable production methods and benefit from the latest research findings. The close networking between science and industry makes it possible to integrate innovative solutions directly into operational processes and thus increase competitiveness.
You can find more information on the center’s official website: center-kraft.de
Image source: Jannik Scheer, Trier University of Applied Sciences, Environmental Campus Birkenfeld