Periodic Reporting for period 1 - InShaPe (Green Additive Manufacturing through Innovative Beam Shaping and Process Monitoring)
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2023-11-30
InShaPe - The next innovation leap in metal additive manufacturing
Laser powder bed metal fusion (PBF-LB/M) is a disruptive manufacturing process central to addressing industrial challenges. While it's generally used for complex components, its use outside of niche areas faces challenges. Wider adoption is hindered by high operating costs. 55-60% of production costs are due to process defects and long processing times. In addition to the commercial impact, these process defects pose an environmental burden. These include increased energy consumption and waste streams. Urgent solutions are required to improve the environmental performance of PBF-LB/M processes. This aligns with the growing demand for greener production processes and supply chains in Europe.
The InShaPe project aims to develop a novel powder bed fusion process for metal additive manufacturing. The research focuses on two technical innovations: (1) an AI-based laser beam shaping module and (2) a multi-spectral in-line process monitoring system. The goals are to achieve a 7 times higher build rate, to reduce costs by 50 %, and to use 60 % less energy and 30 % less scrap.
The project’s potential will be demonstrated in use cases in the aerospace, energy, space, and forestry sectors. InShaPe aims to disrupt the manufacturing industry by transforming PBF-LB/M into a green manufacturing technology that outperforms traditional techniques regarding resource efficiency and part precision.
Laser powder bed metal fusion (PBF-LB/M) is a disruptive manufacturing process central to addressing industrial challenges. While it's generally used for complex components, its use outside of niche areas faces challenges. Wider adoption is hindered by high operating costs. 55-60% of production costs are due to process defects and long processing times. In addition to the commercial impact, these process defects pose an environmental burden. These include increased energy consumption and waste streams. Urgent solutions are required to improve the environmental performance of PBF-LB/M processes. This aligns with the growing demand for greener production processes and supply chains in Europe.
The InShaPe project aims to develop a novel powder bed fusion process for metal additive manufacturing. The research focuses on two technical innovations: (1) an AI-based laser beam shaping module and (2) a multi-spectral in-line process monitoring system. The goals are to achieve a 7 times higher build rate, to reduce costs by 50 %, and to use 60 % less energy and 30 % less scrap.
The project’s potential will be demonstrated in use cases in the aerospace, energy, space, and forestry sectors. InShaPe aims to disrupt the manufacturing industry by transforming PBF-LB/M into a green manufacturing technology that outperforms traditional techniques regarding resource efficiency and part precision.
The InShaPe project methodology consists of four main research and development steps: specification, development, integration & validation and demonstration.
The "specification" step in the InShaPe project started with baselining the four initial use cases, with a fifth use case to be defined later in the Open Innovation Service. Oerlikon's aerospace use case aims to manufacture an impeller for pumps and compressors. BeamIT is focused on improving productivity and achieving specific mechanical properties in an industrial gas turbine part. AENIUM is investigating CuCrNb-based alloys for rocket engines to address microstructure tailoring and post-processing challenges. AMEXCI is focused on transitioning small engine cylinder head production from die casting to additive manufacturing for chainsaws. AMEXCI aims to improve cost efficiency and increase productivity by developing beam shaping capabilities and optimising part design.
The ”development” step involves advancements in the area of beam shaping and multi-spectral imaging. Understanding laser-material interaction is crucial for economically efficient production and widespread industrial use of this technology. In the first step, the different beam shapes that should be created within InShaPe were defined. The next step is to physically develop these proposed beam shapes in the AM process. For this reason, a framework and guidelines for creating new beam shapes were provided. The first experiments consisted of high-speed imaging with different beam shapes and process settings to observe the qualitative effects on the process. Single weld lines and hatch patterns were created to analyse the influence of different beam shapes and process parameters on the resulting process signature and weld seams. From these experiments, the possible process window for stable processing was narrowed down. In a second set of experiments, volumetric parts were created with materials science experts to analyse the resulting densities, mechanical properties, microstructure, and surface roughness (WP8). Tailoring the microstructure using different scanning strategies and beam shapes is one main achievement. Furthermore, the printing speed was already increased by a factor of 4 using a ring-shaped beam profile for the infill and a Gaussian one for the outline. The overall cost per part has been reduced by 46 %, and 45 % less energy has been used for this complex demonstration part. In addition to technical innovations in beam shaping, a multispectral imaging monitoring system was developed (WP3). As a first step, the configuration of the MSI sensor was evaluated. The specification was based on the requirements from the use cases. A SWIR-adapted and a VIS/NIR-adapted multispectral camera were designed and manufactured in the second step. With this novel hardware, the first MSI experiment was started with the MSI group. In parallel, the MSI algorithm, which translates the digital value to a physical value, was developed in hardware manufacturing. In InShaPe, the physical value of interest is the absolute temperature. Calibration and validation of the camera were, therefore, a priority. Applying the novel hardware with the MSI software developed in InShaPe, the first temperature distribution for different beam shapes was evaluated.
In the “integration and validation” step, the MSI camera and software, and the beam shaping unit, were integrated into a new machine generation. The following step, the demonstration, is printing the different use cases with the novel InShaPe technology and evaluating the KPIs.
The "specification" step in the InShaPe project started with baselining the four initial use cases, with a fifth use case to be defined later in the Open Innovation Service. Oerlikon's aerospace use case aims to manufacture an impeller for pumps and compressors. BeamIT is focused on improving productivity and achieving specific mechanical properties in an industrial gas turbine part. AENIUM is investigating CuCrNb-based alloys for rocket engines to address microstructure tailoring and post-processing challenges. AMEXCI is focused on transitioning small engine cylinder head production from die casting to additive manufacturing for chainsaws. AMEXCI aims to improve cost efficiency and increase productivity by developing beam shaping capabilities and optimising part design.
The ”development” step involves advancements in the area of beam shaping and multi-spectral imaging. Understanding laser-material interaction is crucial for economically efficient production and widespread industrial use of this technology. In the first step, the different beam shapes that should be created within InShaPe were defined. The next step is to physically develop these proposed beam shapes in the AM process. For this reason, a framework and guidelines for creating new beam shapes were provided. The first experiments consisted of high-speed imaging with different beam shapes and process settings to observe the qualitative effects on the process. Single weld lines and hatch patterns were created to analyse the influence of different beam shapes and process parameters on the resulting process signature and weld seams. From these experiments, the possible process window for stable processing was narrowed down. In a second set of experiments, volumetric parts were created with materials science experts to analyse the resulting densities, mechanical properties, microstructure, and surface roughness (WP8). Tailoring the microstructure using different scanning strategies and beam shapes is one main achievement. Furthermore, the printing speed was already increased by a factor of 4 using a ring-shaped beam profile for the infill and a Gaussian one for the outline. The overall cost per part has been reduced by 46 %, and 45 % less energy has been used for this complex demonstration part. In addition to technical innovations in beam shaping, a multispectral imaging monitoring system was developed (WP3). As a first step, the configuration of the MSI sensor was evaluated. The specification was based on the requirements from the use cases. A SWIR-adapted and a VIS/NIR-adapted multispectral camera were designed and manufactured in the second step. With this novel hardware, the first MSI experiment was started with the MSI group. In parallel, the MSI algorithm, which translates the digital value to a physical value, was developed in hardware manufacturing. In InShaPe, the physical value of interest is the absolute temperature. Calibration and validation of the camera were, therefore, a priority. Applying the novel hardware with the MSI software developed in InShaPe, the first temperature distribution for different beam shapes was evaluated.
In the “integration and validation” step, the MSI camera and software, and the beam shaping unit, were integrated into a new machine generation. The following step, the demonstration, is printing the different use cases with the novel InShaPe technology and evaluating the KPIs.
Key research outputs from the InShaPe project are exploited by the wider European scientific and academic community, catalysing new scientific breakthroughs in diverse fields linked to green, digital, and photonic-based manufacturing processes. In the following, the knowledge gained and its impact on the scientific communities are shown in the different disciplines:
• Tailoring the microstructure with the beam shape and the scanning strategy: The scanning strategy is crucial in customising microstructure, influencing grain size, texture index, and shape morphology. The beam shape and its size can be used to change the process dynamics.
• Influence of beam shaping on Process speed: The beam shape and the combination of beam shapes may lead to a significant increase in the production speed and a reduction of the costs per part.
• Using MSI as a tool for temperature measurement: So far, MSI is mainly used in civil engineering as a tool for earth observation. With InShaPe, MSI can also be used for temperature estimation.
• Mechanical Testing and Heat Treatment: Optimised heat treatment temperatures influence microstructure, resulting in variations in yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break.
The current results were presented at international conferences (ICALEO 2023). The education of eight Ph.D. candidates within the InShaPe project, coupled with the guidance of a dedicated postdoctoral researcher, is the foundation for inspiring and retaining young talent in the additive manufacturing (AM) field.
Furthermore, InShaPe aims to generate strong pre-market interest for the novel PBF-LB/M process resulting from the InShaPe project among target customers and end-users, at this moment facilitating the accelerated and wide adoption of the key technologies within the European manufacturing industry. The InShaPe team has successfully showcased the novel technology at five International Trade Show Exhibitions and positioned articles in five trade publications with more to come. InShaPe has opened an Open Innovation Service, allowing SME end-users to trial the advanced PBF-LB/M process for ultra-complex part geometries.
• Tailoring the microstructure with the beam shape and the scanning strategy: The scanning strategy is crucial in customising microstructure, influencing grain size, texture index, and shape morphology. The beam shape and its size can be used to change the process dynamics.
• Influence of beam shaping on Process speed: The beam shape and the combination of beam shapes may lead to a significant increase in the production speed and a reduction of the costs per part.
• Using MSI as a tool for temperature measurement: So far, MSI is mainly used in civil engineering as a tool for earth observation. With InShaPe, MSI can also be used for temperature estimation.
• Mechanical Testing and Heat Treatment: Optimised heat treatment temperatures influence microstructure, resulting in variations in yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break.
The current results were presented at international conferences (ICALEO 2023). The education of eight Ph.D. candidates within the InShaPe project, coupled with the guidance of a dedicated postdoctoral researcher, is the foundation for inspiring and retaining young talent in the additive manufacturing (AM) field.
Furthermore, InShaPe aims to generate strong pre-market interest for the novel PBF-LB/M process resulting from the InShaPe project among target customers and end-users, at this moment facilitating the accelerated and wide adoption of the key technologies within the European manufacturing industry. The InShaPe team has successfully showcased the novel technology at five International Trade Show Exhibitions and positioned articles in five trade publications with more to come. InShaPe has opened an Open Innovation Service, allowing SME end-users to trial the advanced PBF-LB/M process for ultra-complex part geometries.