Many technical developments in the automotive industry, aeronautical engineering and the electrical and communications sectors would be inconceivable without the specifically tailored application of polymeric materials. Material and process development have to go hand in hand here to achieve the required advances. This gives rise to a constant demand for new or modified processing and simulation technologies, which drives the activities of the Institute for Plastics Processing (Institut fur Kunststoffver-arbeitung or IKV) in Aachen.