The major bottleneck for the current 3D printing to enter the industrialization field is efficiency and cost. Up to 70% of the current 3D printing product prices come from equipment costs, and materials also account for 30% of the cost. In the traditional manufacturing process, the material cost does not exceed 3% of the product cost. In terms of efficiency improvement, the market demand is calling for a breakthrough in the leaping nature of processing efficiency. The future of additive manufacturing in Fraunhofer, Germany-the futureAM project is advancing 3D printing in a comprehensive way to become a more stable, more economical and feasible process Technology, driven by technology giant Fraunhofer, the disruption of 3D printing is ongoing!
futureAM is coming
Under the leadership of the ILT Fraunhofer Laser Technology Institute ILT, "futureAM-a new generation of additive manufacturing" was launched in November 2017 and aims to accelerate the additive manufacturing of metal components by at least 10 times.
LPBF of 10 times speed (metal melting 3D printing technology based on powder bed)
At present, Aachen Fraunhofer ILT has developed a new processing solution for LPBF (Powder Bed-based Metal Melting 3D Printing Technology), which can also produce large metal parts that are processed ten times faster than traditional LPBF systems. The LPBF system provides a very large, effectively usable build volume (1000 mm x 800 mm x 500 mm).
10 times faster speed, effective usable build volume (1000 mm x 800 mm x 500 mm)
Not only has it achieved breakthroughs in LPBF (Powder Bed-based Metal Melting 3D Printing Technology), the futureAM project of Aachen Fraunhofer includes other additive manufacturing technologies, online process control technology development, process robustness development, and digital-based The development of twin networked process chains, etc.
EHLA Ultra High Speed Laser Material Deposition Technology
"Powder feeding" additive manufacturing technology is commonly known as surfacing in China. As the name suggests, this technology achieves a rough surface like the commonly seen welding. Is it possible to make the surface quality achieved by direct energy deposition technology higher, or even achieve the effect of coating? In response to this pain point, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) have developed an additive manufacturing method for coating and repairing metal parts-EHLA ultra-high-speed laser material deposition technology. Ultra-high-speed laser material deposition technology (EHLA) has the potential to replace current corrosion and wear protection methods such as hard chrome plating and thermal spraying.
Fraunhofer EHLA ultra-high speed laser material deposition technology
The EHLA ultra-high-speed laser material deposition technology developed by Aachen Fraunhofer ILT is an award-winning technology that can be used to coat, repair or add parts in a particularly economical and environmentally friendly manner. This technology has proved its value by applying a thin protective layer at high speed on offshore steel cylinders, for example, meters long. So far, EHLA has only been used for rotationally symmetrical parts. The next step is to create a more conformable ability to complete freeform machining. To this end, Aachen has developed an EHLA prototype machine with free-form surface processing capability. In this machine, the workpiece moves in a highly dynamic manner, and the surface of the EHLA powder is accelerated by five times the speed of gravity under the nozzle.
More production-oriented additive manufacturing technologies
Fraunhofer machines with multi-diode laser systems, multi-beam source systems are used to increase productivity.
Online error detection
Scientists in Aachen are studying new methods of monitoring metal 3D printing to improve the robustness of the process. When using structural sensors in the build platform, critical errors will be detected in the future, such as the time when the support structure tears.
Online error monitoring developed by Fraunhofer
In addition, ultrasonic sensors can be used to analyze the sound in air propagation to determine the quality of components. Research on laser-based ultrasonic measurement will go further in the future: pulsed lasers will induce structurally propagating noise in components and then be detected by laser vibrometers. This allows tiny pores to be discovered during the construction process so that immediate intervention can be performed. The in-situ measurement process can rework the problem area through another exposure sequence.
Realize process robustness and extremely high stacking rate
By integrating quality assurance tools into (hybrid) production systems, the robustness of the process can be improved. In addition to online measurement and quality assurance, for various industrial fields, it is essential to determine reliable process windows for various materials, machines, beam sources, etc.
Fraunhofer is aimed at improving process robustness
In addition to the efforts of the Fraunhofer Institute in Aachen, futureAM also integrates the joint efforts of the six institutes of Fraunhofer. The purpose of the Fraunhofer IAPT in Hamburg is to promote additive in the entire process chain with the help of Industry 4.0 technology. Digitalization of manufacturing.
The main objectives of additive manufacturing digitization are:
AutoPartIO: digital preprocessing
• Regarding the identification of automatic component selection functions with potential for additive manufacturing • Automatic digital optimization of component optimization through scalable software
• Based on process monitoring data to anticipate the service life of components and evaluate the quality of components • Develop life prediction tools based on component-specific defects and demand knowledge based on digital twin networked process chain
• Digital replication of the physical process chain with the help of a special data model • Complete traceability and transparency in the digital process chain AutoPartIO: digital preprocessing
The goal is to develop an extensible software portfolio toolbox for simulating and optimizing additive manufacturing components. First of all, topology optimization is fundamentally achieved mathematically. In addition to the classic objective of optimizing the stiffness of lightweight structures, the issues of bionic mechanical elements, heat transfer and fluid mechanics are also considered.
Bionic mechanics and function realization
Compared with classical topology optimization, bionic mechanics can have other positive effects. In order for bionic mechanics to gain wider application, various functions must be identified and parameterized. It is advantageous to replace the design of the same stress type with suitable bionic features.
The parameterization of the biological model lays the foundation for this design optimization. In this way, the potential of lightweight bionic mechanical design can be fully utilized.
Break through the limitations of topology optimization
In the established topology optimization, the process, materials and other specific characteristics and limitations of additive manufacturing have not yet been fully considered. Fraunhofer has developed a new multi-functional function target that ensures direct 3D printing.
Computer Aided Function Module
In order to enable users to take advantage of 3D printing without extensive understanding of additive manufacturing, "computer-aided function (CAF)" is necessary. When faced with specified tasks and determine the functions to be implemented. For example, active and passive radiators, heat exchangers and other parts. For these parts, the parametric bionic mechanics optimization and topology optimization performed by the system will take into account process- and material-specific constraints.
Aachen Fraunhofer is the cradle of laser metal melting 3D printing technology based on metal powder bed. Many international metal 3D printing equipment brands we are familiar with are all derived from this original technology developed by Fraunhofer. With the development of applications, Fraunhofer has continuously strengthened its commanding heights in the technical field, becoming an important engine for the development of the industry in the field of additive manufacturing.
The world center for additive manufacturing originated in Aachen. Just in early 2020, Fraunhofer IPT Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and Swedish mobile network supplier Ericsson jointly developed the concept of "European 5G Industrial Park", which is actually It is the first comprehensive 5G research network to test the application of new mobile network technology in production control and logistics in the Aachen campus.
The European 5G industrial park launched a 5G network on May 12, 2020. With an area of nearly 1 square kilometer, 19 5G antennas and a bandwidth of 10 Gbits per second, Aachen began to operate the largest 5G research network in Europe. It can be said that the European 5G industrial park is creating a unique ecosystem around the world to research and develop 5G-adaptive Industry 4.0 technology.
Overall, the European 5G Industrial Park in Aachen is the only place in Germany and Europe where 5G is fully understood in the production environment. In the Aachen European 5G Industrial Park, project partners focus on different application scenarios in seven sub-projects-including 5G sensors for monitoring and controlling highly complex manufacturing processes, mobile robots, logistics and multi-site production chains, distributed manufacturing control, and district Blockchain, edge cloud, etc.