Werkstofftechnik

Werkstofftechnik, or materials engineering, is an engineering discipline that studies the development, processing, characterization, and application of materials such as metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites. It emphasizes the relationships between structure, properties, processing, and performance—often summarized as the four pillars of structure–property–processing–performance.

It covers metal physics and metallurgy, polymer science, ceramic engineering, inorganic and organic materials, and composites; includes processing techniques such as casting, forming, heat treatment, welding, joining, coatings, and additive manufacturing; and materials characterization methods like microscopy, spectroscopy, mechanical testing, and non-destructive evaluation.

Applications span transportation, energy systems, electronics, construction, and manufacturing. The aim is to select materials and optimize processes to meet safety, functionality, efficiency, and sustainability requirements, while considering cost and lifecycle impacts.

Education and research: taught at universities, technical universities; graduates work in product development, manufacturing, failure analysis, and quality assurance. The field increasingly integrates computational materials science, materials informatics, and digital twins, enabling accelerated materials discovery and design.