As mentioned in section 2.1 of the DoA, three level of impacts were expected by the Borealis project and they are still valid. They are:
• Impact on new generation aerospace, medtech and motorsport complex products; on efficient additive and subtractive laser based manufacturing sectors; on next generation of machinery.
The following paragraph describes the impact of the Borealis machine for the three categories mentioned above:
- Technical impact:
• Flexibility towards multiple technologies, i.e. additive and subtractive manufacturing laser based tools embedded in the same system;
• High energy efficient hybrid laser source module
• Achievement of cutting edge manufacturing thresholds of accuracy, reliability and speed
• Achievement of high throughput associated to a high powder efficiency;
• In line process monitoring and closed loop control of the process;
• Dynamic optimization of the deposition strategy to keep the machine performance on target;
• Increased productivity compared to traditional AM machine thanks to the new feeding system design.
• Availability of 11 Degrees of Freedom for an AM machine (X,Y,Z main axis (3)- x,y axis on the head (2) – a,b tilting axis on the head (2) – c,d external axis of the rototilt table (2) – u,v axis of the galvo scan head (2);
• High energy efficiency thanks to the innovative strategy for the control of the melt pool with the use of the galvo scan head;
• Independent regulation of each single nozzle;
• Possibility to recover from mis-deposition errors and reduce number of faulty parts thanks to the innovative vision system and closed loop recovery strategy;
• Reduction of reworks for the same piece, thus allowing reduction of total cycle time;
- Scientific impact:
• New Ph.Ds. and Specializing courses at
POLITO in cooperation with PI,PE,IRIS,AVIO: “Second Level Specializing Master in AM” with the hiring of seven young researchers
TNO: Phd on thermal modeling of AM process
LMS: PhD on AM modelling
LMS: PhD on AM process planning
• Involvement of 17 among young researchers and Ph.D. students in the Borealis activities.
• 10+ publications in International Journals and Conference papers;
• 5+ Oral Presentations at major international academic conferences
- Environmental and social impact:
• Reduction of the energy and resources consumption thank to innovative deposition strategies;
• Compensation of the CO2 produced during the project with implant of a number of trees that ensures the carbon offset
- Commercial impact:
• Reduction of time to market of products;
• Unique Selling Point is the reduction of ramp up and of faulty parts in Borealis process thanks to the vision system architecture and the closed loop control of the process;
• Reduction of production cost of products.
