Project examples - Technology

Challenges

Integration of additive technologies in the manufacturing of highly stressed producer goods like turbine components.

Focus areas

Identification of the quality-relevant manufacturing conditions

Design for additive manufacturing

Development of strategies for robust production (condition monitoring)

Research of suitable post processing technologies, e.g. shot blasting, flow and slide grinding

Test of manufactured parts in working operation

Objective

Industry-adaptable process chain for the additive manufacturing of highly complex turbine components, e.g. turbine blades and burners made of Inconel 718.

Publication:

E. Uhlmann et al.: Flexible manufacturing with an additive process chain. Design, production and surface finish. In: ASPE 2015 Spring Topical Meeting. Proceedings : April 26-29, 2015,

Link:

http://www.ipk.fraunhofer.de/fileadmin/user_upload/IPK/geschaeftsfelder/ps/fer/LCE_Profex.pdf

Contact:

Fraunhofer IPK, Tobias Neuwald, tobias.neuwald@ipk.fraunhofer.de, +49 30 39006 308

A high production system that additively manufactures large parts out of a wide range of plastics is being developed in the ongoing project HP3D funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funding code: 02P14A025)

The system additively manufactures large parts with dimensions of up to 2000 x 2000 x 1000 mm

Build rates of up to 5 kg/h makes additive manufacturing of models and molds productive and cost effective, especially in model, tool and die making

A buoyant kayak and a sailboat helm wheel were the first demonstrators designed and manufactured

Publication:

Klaeger, U., Felsch, T.: Robotergestütztes Fertigungsverfahren zur additiven Herstellung geometrischer Großbauteile. Rapid.Tech Erfurt 2016

Link:

http:/plastverarbeiter.de/58956/mannshoch-3d-gedruckt/

Contact:

Dr. Uwe Klaeger, uwe.klaeger@iff.fraunhofer.de +49 391 4090 809

The manufacturing of components containing lattice structures by laser-beam melting combines a weight reduction of the component with time- and cost savings during the production.

The characteristic values required for the prediction of their mechanical behavior by simulation are determined experimentally.

The automation and integration of the mechanical design process into the CAD environment simplifies the use of lattice structures for the user.

In the DFG project »Design and manufacturing of geometrically complex structures using laser beam melting GIHSL (289647464)«, the mechanical design of lattice structures is simplified for the user by automating and integrating the process chain into the CAD environment.

The use of lattice structures is particularly suitable for the manufacturing by means of laser beam melting to reduce the weight of components and for cost saving.

The mechanical design of components with lattice structures is hitherto not adequately possible, they are up to now only used for illustrative purposes.

The characteristic mechanical values ​​of lattice structures required for the design by simulation are determined in tensile tests according to E DIN 50099.

The exposure strategy for production is optimized.

A software tool integrated into the CAD environment simplifies the use of lattice structures on the basis of the determined characteristic values, from the topology selection over the design up to the generation of the data for manufacturing.

The project is carried out in cooperation with TUD / KTC.

Projects:

Design and manufacturing of geometrically complex structures using laser beam melting GIHSL (DFG, 289647464)

Publication:

MS&T 2017, KT 2017 (Abstracts accepted)

Contact:

Dipl.-Ing. Hannes Korn, hannes.korn@iwu.fraunhofer.de

The manufacturing of stamping tools contains currently complex and environmentally harmful etching processes.

The removed volume predominates over the remaining structure.

Laser wire cladding with fine wire is a alternative manufacturing process for the buildup of precise embossed structure on tools.

This procedure offers technical, economic and ecologic enhancements compared to the previous procedure.

User benefits results in an effective utilization of the material  (100%), high productivity and clean process condition.

Project: 

FOLD

Publication:

COAXwire: Processing optic for laser wire cladding; Presentation held at 9. Internationales Lasersymposium und Internationalen Fügetechnischen Symposium "Tailored Joining" 2016, Dresden, 22.-24.2.2016

Contact:

Franz Marquardt, franz.marquardt@iws.fraunhofer.de
Robin Willner, robin.willner@iws.fraunhofer.de

Adaptability of the additive manufacturing process for the production of optimized tools and mold inserts

Examples include tool molds and tool inserts in multi-material constructions with long-term coating to increase the endurance

A basic body is build with injection moulding from 1.2709 tooling steel. CCZ(Copper) is added at two different component areas to increase the heat dissipation. With these inset cooling structures made with high thermal conductivity materials, it is possible to improve the heat balance and thus decrease the cycle time

Project:

ForNextGen

Publiction:

Anstaett, Christine; Seidel, Christian (2016): Multi-Material Processing. Next step in laser-based powder bed fusion. In: Laser Technik Journal (4), zuletzt geprüft am 16.11.2016

Contact:

Christine Anstätt, christine.anstaett@igcv.fraunhofer.de, +49 821 90678-150

Metals and technical ceramics have different material properties.  Typically ceramics possess a high hardness and a low conductivity. Thus they are used as isolators or as wear protection. Metals on the other hand are ductile and conductors.

Therefore a combination of both materials is advantageous in different areas (power electronics, sensors, energy technology).

Using an additive manufacturing process and the developed methods and system components from the Fraunhofer IGCV, it is possible to handle different materials in a single process.

In the CerAMics project it was shown that it is possible to process the material combination metal-ceramic.

Innovative powder applying procedures, devised by the Fraunhofer IGCV, were used.

Project:

CerAMics

Publication:

Anstaett, Christine; Seidel, Christian (2016): Multi-Material Processing. Next step in laser-based powder bed fusion. In: Laser Technik Journal (4), zuletzt geprüft am 16.11.2016

Contact:

Christine Anstätt, christine.anstaett@igcv.fraunhofer.de, +49 821 90678-150

Metallic components of max. dimensions of up to 400 mm³ or batch productions of medium sized components, respectively, are manufactured on a commercial SLM system of the newest generation (EOS M400).

An increase of component dimensions and the parallel manufacture of numerous components lead to new questions regarding process control and quality assessment.

The exposure strategy dependent resource consumption was considered in regards to process time, material-, and energy demand.

Findings from distortion analyses allow the suitable manufacturing of components under the consideration of process limitations regarding large-volume components.

The surface qualities and material homogeneity were assessed with the help of laserscanning microscopes and µCT measurements and were analyzed under the influence of thermal treatment.

Models of optimal process control in regards to conflict interactions during the process of batch productions were developed.

The newly developed approach enables a component-specific manufacture parameter choice for optimized results and adapted material performance.

Furthermore, economic analyses of production costs and usage of resources in the manufacture are carried out.

Contact:

Aron Pfaff, aron.pfaff@emi.fraunhofer.de, +49 761 2714 522