The cross-material and cross-technology properties of lightweight design have the potential to contribute significantly to solutions to the challenges of climate protection and energy scarcity. “Lightweight design has great potential to make a significant contribution to solutions for the important challenges of climate protection and energy and resource efficiency. The materials used in lightweight design are often combinations, since in addition to the properties to be fulfilled, the economic efficiency and sustainability of all processes involved must also be given. LightCon follows exactly this multi-material approach and offers a stage to present innovative solutions,” says Dr. Gunnar Merz, Chief Executive Officer of founding partner Composites United. Composites United is the world’s largest network for fiber-based multi-material lightweight design.
Additive manufacturing is also an important component of lightweight design. Industrial 3D printing enables construction with significantly less material and is therefore enormously resource-efficient. “We are currently experiencing big price jumps in manufacturing materials,” says Stefanie Brickwede, managing director of Mobility goes Additive. “All industries are currently facing the same challenges and will have to put a big focus on material efficiency in the future. LightCon provides precisely the impetus needed to make companies and products fit for the future,” she continues.
As visitors, LightCon primarily wants to reach developers, constructors, designers, buyers, and the management of all industries for which the topic is relevant. In particular, the event offers innovative impulses for experts from the fields of mobility, aerospace, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, construction, wind energy and the sports and leisure industry.
Lightweight design has already been a topic at HANNOVER MESSE in previous years and will continue to be so. “However, lightweight design technology is so forward-looking that we have decided to provide the industry with an exclusive platform. The current global challenges have long affected industrial manufacturing. The opportunity for industry and business to exchange ideas within the entire process chain creates the prerequisite for new alliances and solutions,” says Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe. “With the second LightCon, we as Deutsche Messe are once again significantly expanding our expertise and activities in the future topic of lightweight design.”