Professor Werner A. Hufenbach, TU Dresden institute founder, dies

Professor Werner A. Hufenbach, the founder and long-time director of the Institute for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Engineering (ILK) at TU Dresden, passed away on October 4, 2026.

Born in Essen in 1942, Hufenbach studied deformation mechanics at TU Clausthal, where he later served as a senior engineer and head of the Department of Applied Mechanics and Materials Mechanics. In 1993, he was appointed to the professorship for Lightweight Construction and Plastics Engineering at TU Dresden and established the ILK in 1994.

Under his leadership, the ILK became a highly reputable scientific institution. His academic contributions include leading several major research projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), focusing on textile-reinforced lightweight structures, composite construction, and production technologies for light metal and fiber-based components. He was also instrumental in the development of the Saxon Excellence Cluster, the European Centre for Emerging Materials and Processes Dresden (ECEMP), and the construction of the Lightweight Construction Innovation Center (LIZ).