Additive Manufacturing using Metal Pilot Line (MANUELA)
Research Project, 2018
– 2022
Metal additive manufacturing (AM) allows, by enabling use of advanced design, production of high added value components, at levels that cannot be reached with conventional manufacturing technique.
Still, the AM-based manufacturing sequence implies large amounts of critical steps – design for AM, AM fabrication, post processing, etc. – compared to conventional production sequences. Presently, the key competencies related to these steps are either not fully implemented at industrial level (process quality monitoring) or dispersed geographically with poor connection between different steps.
Relying on two major AM technologies (LPBF: Laser Powder Bed Fusion and EBM Electron Beam Melting), MANUELA aims at deploying an open-access pilot line facility, covering the whole production sequence, to show full potential of metal AM for industrial AM production.
At first, careful instrumentation and adaptation of LPBF & EBM machines will allow increased process reliability and speed. Secondly, the pilot line – including the adapted processes – will be deployed. The hardware layer will integrate novel process quality control monitoring and automated post-AM handling and processing. The line will be fed by design/optimization and AM process simulation workshops. Those workshops will collect continuous feedback from the physical parts of the pilot lines, to increase process reliability and robustness.
MANUELA relies on a consortium composed of industrial end user’s, suppliers, (material/powder, AM hardware, quality monitoring system, software, automation and post-AM treatment) as well as top research institutes in powder-bed metal-AM, covering full range of AM technology chain for pilot line deployment.
The deployed pilot line will be validated for use cases, covering wide span of applications including automotive, aerospace, energy and medical. To insure sustainability of the deployed line and its open access at project end, a dedicated exploitation plan will be established.
Participants
Lars Nyborg (contact)
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science
Terpsithea Ketegeni
Chalmers, Research support
Fiona Schulz
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Materials and manufacture
Abdul Shaafi Shaikh
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Materials and manufacture
Claudia de Andrade Schwerz
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Materials and manufacture
Collaborations
ABB
Zurich, Switzerland
Amires s.r.o.
Praha, Czech Republic
Biomedical Engineering s.r.o.
Kosice, Slovakia
Cardiff University
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Centre suisse d'électronique et de microtechnique (CSEM)
Muttenz, Switzerland
Chalmers
Gothenburg, Sweden
Electro Optical Systems OY
Åbo, Finland
Enel
Rome, Italy
Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS)
Berne-Wabern, Switzerland
Höganäs
Höganäs, Sweden
MSC Software Corporation
Munich, Germany
OEB S.r.l.
Camposanto, Italy
OSAI Automation Systems S.p.A.
Torino, Italy
Polytechnic University of Turin
Torino, Italy
Qioptic Ltd.
St Asaph, United Kingdom
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
Göteborg, Sweden
Ruag Slip Rings AS
Nyon, Switzerland
Siemens Energy
Finspång, Sweden
Stiftelsen Chalmers Industriteknik
Gothenburg, Sweden
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
Erlangen, Germany
Funding
European Commission (EC)
Project ID: EC/H2020/820774
Funding Chalmers participation during 2018–2022
Related Areas of Advance and Infrastructure
Sustainable development
Driving Forces
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Driving Forces
Materials Science
Areas of Advance