Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NEMARCO (NEW MANUFACTURING ROUTES (FOR NiCrSiFeB ALLOYS) TO REPLACE COBALT IN AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS) Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-01-01 do 2022-02-28 Podsumowanie kontekstu i ogólnych celów projektu The aim of NEMARCO Project, which belongs to the Clean Sky 2 programme, is to “study new nickel self-fluxing alloys and their manufacturing routes for the bleed valves butterfly in replacement of Cobalt alloy”. This project will help to overcome health potential issues regarding wear particles of Cobalt alloys in cabin air, but also the need of higher wear resistant sealing rings, leakage-free valve in new hotter, and more pressurized bleed air for the future engines and the future less bleed Environmental Control Systems (ECS). Two potential manufacturing routes can be alternatives for obtaining new sealing rings of new nickel self-fluxing alloys, as stated in the topic description, Casting, including Centrifugal Casting (CC) (current manufacturing route) and gravity casting, and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) processes.The main objectives of the project are aligned with obtaining enhanced solutions to replace Cobalt in future aero components used in the aircraft industry, thanks to: knowledge of the limits for new manufacturing processes, key design-process parameters, high temperature (HT) mechanical behaviour, lower environmental impact and the new production routes defined for nickel self-fluxing alloys. The project pursues the improvement of EU Competitiveness by means of reduction of use of Cobalt (being a critical raw material actually) in industrial components, empowering centrifugal casting and additive manufacturing companies/suppliers with a new portfolio of NiCrSiFeB alloys for the manufacturing of components oriented to different sectors. Prace wykonane od początku projektu do końca okresu sprawozdawczego oraz najważniejsze dotychczasowe rezultaty During RP1 (M01-M14), the main progress was done on the selection of the 3 most promising composition grades for self-fluxing nickel alloys. The most promising NiCrSiFeB alloys according to technical evaluation were commercial alloys A, B and C. These 3 selected alloys were used for the 1st optimization loop of the manufacturing process development in WP2. Other major progress was the definition and agreement of a robust Test plan. Test conditions, samples quantities and final test plan were agreed between partners involved and the topic manager. Maximum temperature for the tests has been set at 650 C, and also the methodology definition and guidelines for Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis were agreed.The manufacturing processes study (WP2) progressed with the process parameters' optimization and trials in the 1st optimization loop with the 3 preselected composition grades and different process manufacturing sets. After research and tuning of the process parameters set using a design of experiments, cylindrical LMD samples were produced by LORTEK with adequate density and lower quantity of defects. Discs were extracted from the cylinders for hot hardness measurement and advanced microstructural characterizations in WP3. Based on these measurements, microstructure analysis and data analytics results, the two most promising solutions for LMD process were selected to progress with the 2nd optimization loop.In the case of casting processes, horizontal centrifugal casting (CC) process was studied, but due to limitations in the rotational speed of the centrifugal casting equipment in AZTERLAN, limited quantity of samples were produced. The study was completed with gravity casting (GC) samples in order to progress the 1st optimization loop with the 3 preselected composition grades and different process manufacturing sets.In WP3, the main progress was the measurements of hot hardness (at 650 C) in all samples produced in WP2 and also in the reference materials (Stellite 6 and Inconel718 coated bars) provided by the topic manager. The tribology study was started by ECL-LTDS with the adjustments, trials and initial tests at room temperature and at high temperature to evaluate wear volumes and wear kinetics of the pair Stellite 6 – Inconel718. Wear volume, CoF and TGL were obtained for the reference materials. The advanced microstructural characterizations were completed by CIDETEC over those LMD and Casting samples.In WP4, it was created the first LCI datasets using recorded, registered and calculated data of energy consumptions and material/gas efficiency from each manufacturing process parameters sets in the first optimization loop samples manufacturing. Mean values and metrics were calculated for the functional unit with info coming from different replicas manufactured in tasks 2.1 and 2.2 of WP2. For LMD process, 9 LCI datasets were created by CTME and for Casting processes (CC and GC) 12 LCI datasets were created. CTME also was able to a simplified LCI dataset for the current manufacturing routes with data of sealing rings manufactured using Stellite 6 and centrifugal casting process as reference for the comparative LCA. Innowacyjność oraz oczekiwany potencjalny wpływ (w tym dotychczasowe znaczenie społeczno-gospodarcze i szersze implikacje społeczne projektu) New technical data about HT behaviour of LMD and Casting samples using NiCrSiFeB alloys were obtained. Process parameters set were selected for both processes to produce samples for testing. Preliminary LCI datasets were created for the aeronautical sector interested in NEMARCO solutions.A new methodology to characterize the tribological behaviour under high temperatures using a limited number of tests and samples were created by ECL-LTDS.NEMARCO will contribute to wider socio-economic impacts:-Reduction of fuel consumption of about 1.8 kg/h for small-medium range aircraft-To avoid Cobalt oxidized wear particles in the air flow to the cabin in order to increase the cabin air quality. The presence of wear particles of Cobalt alloys in cabin air could represent health issues with carcinogenic risks.-Reduction of CO2 emissions related to the use of the aircraft due to a reduction of fuel consumption, and related to the manufacturing process because low energy consuming processes will be used.-Reduction of the use of scarce elements and resources like Cobalt. LMD process manufacturing of a cylindrical test sample produced by LORTEK Centrifugal Casting Cylinder produced by AZTERLAN (left) and predicted shrinkage porosity (right)
