SustainablY aNd digiTally driven hiErarchical laser texturing for Complex Surfaces

Project Information

SYNTECS

Grant agreement ID: 101091514

DOI

10.3030/101091514

Project closed

EC signature date 29 November 2022

Start date 1 December 2022

End date 31 January 2026

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

€ 4 481 813,00

EU contribution

€ 4 481 812,50

Coordinated by

FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SYNTECS (SustainablY aNd digiTally driven hiErarchical laser texturing for Complex Surfaces)

Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

SYNTECS brings together a consortium of industry leaders and academic and research organisations that are at the forefront of laser-based processing.
SYNTECS is designed to tackle the multiple challenges experienced with current chemical and mechanical surface treatments.
The overall aim of SYNTECS is to develop and demonstrate a digital and green laser texturing approach to generating complex multifunctional surfaces.
The surface multi-functionality enabled by these hierarchical textures will be demonstrated in three industrial case studies: an injection moulding tool, a hip implant system and a complex shaped vapour chamber.

The main objectives are:
- Develop and validate a flexible Laser Surface Texturing optical module, compatible with interchangeable short-pulse and ultra-short pulse laser sources.
- Develop and validate an inline monitoring and control system that enables processing of freeform/3D geometries and surface characterization with automatic pulse-to-pulse corrective control of laser beam parameters and machine working position.
- Integrate technology modules into a TRL6 modular machine platform with 300x300 mm processing stage and 7-axis control.
- Develop and demonstrate hierarchical Laser Surface Texturing processes for improved surface (multi-)functionality of 3 industrial components.
- Develop a Design for Surface Engineering module with embedded LCA for sustainable-by-design decision making, and to reduce the time and cost of developing functional surface designs compared to typical design cycles by at least 50%.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

SYNTECS | Complex shaped copper vapour chamber (VC)
SYNTECS will use LST to match and improve the cooling efficiency achieved by sintered wick VCs (by up to 48%) by enabling enhanced water/vapour transport and evaporation. The multi-axis SYNTECS machine will enable texturing on internal surfaces of top and bottom plates which have complex geometries in the X, Y and Z planes.
DLW will be used to produce 50-200 μm grooves on the plates, with aspect ratios (3-5) that could not be achieved by mechanical methods.
These grooves will support long-range capillary action to pull water around the system. DLIP (10-20 μm) and LIPSS (100-200 nm) hierarchical texturing on top of the grooved structure will promote tangential transport of water between the grooves and give a larger surface area for evaporation.
The use of USP burst mode will be used to enhance ablation efficiency (to >5 μm3/μJ, 10x enhancement vs single pulse USP processing) to bring the process in line with industrial expectations for the production of ~5M VCs/ year.

SYNTECS | Stainless steel mould inserts for modular mould tools
Texture development on mould inserts will allow flexibility to transfer surface textures to different interior automotive components e.g. grained instrument panel casing for EVs.
SYNTECS will develop nano & micro scale laser texture development on the injection steel mold surface, aiming to have better texture transfer efficiency, reduced clamping force, better processability of recycled materials and longer lifetime of the mould.
More on that, in injection molded part level, developed texture technology will provide higher scratch resistance and enhanced antimicrobial performance for the selected use-case. Finally, replacing current technology with new texture application will reduce environmental footprint of tool making via cancelling usage of chemicals during chemical etching.

SYNTECS | Representative orthopaedic implant geometries (Acetabular cup and Hip stem)
Life expectancy is rising and so orthopaedic implants must be designed for longer lifetimes and with improved properties.
Device manufacturers are seeking solutions to surface engineer implants for improved initial stability, osseointegration and anti-microbial properties.
DLW will be used to produce surface structures to maximise initial implant stability.
DLIP and LIPSS will be used to produce multi-functional textures with controlled roughness.
The combination of DLIP, DLW and LIPSS in a single laser processing system may also potentially replace several separate processes and improve overall process sustainability.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

A machine platform will be developed (TRL6), that enables interchangeable Direct Laser Writing (DLW), Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) and Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structuring (LIPSS), with a multi-axis motion stage for processing complex geometries and an inline monitoring and control system.
The combined system will streamline the generation of hierarchical surface textures, i.e. textures which combine at least two significantly different sized features.
SYNTECS will develop an innovative DSE module through a combination of empirical and physical modelling techniques to create an ML framework linking hierarchical surface textures and process parameters to functional and multi-functional performance parameters.
The three processing technologies will be combined in a single, stable machine platform for the first-time, allowing users to access hierarchical texturing without purchasing multiple machines (estimated selling price of industrialised machine: €800k, vs >€1.5M to acquire the multiple processing technologies in separate machines).
The modular design of the machine platform will enable customers to customise the system (e.g. laser source) based on specific needs (e.g. material to be processed) to avoid unnecessary capital expense.

Syntecs use cases