Sacrificial Thermoplastic Injection Moulding platform for manufacturing small and complex metal and ceramic components

Informazioni relative al progetto

STIM-MC

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 790850

DOI

10.3030/790850

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 29 Novembre 2017

Data di avvio 1 Novembre 2017

Data di completamento 28 Febbraio 2018

Finanziato da

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies

Costo totale

€ 71 429,00

Contributo UE

€ 50 000,00

Coordinato da

ADDIFAB APS
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - STIM-MC (Sacrificial Thermoplastic Injection Moulding platform for manufacturing small and complex metal and ceramic components)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2017-11-01 al 2018-02-28

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

Injection molding is ideal for volume production, but high costs and low flexibility are problematic in prototyping and scale-ups. This is especially true where tooling costs are high, as in metal and ceramic injection molding (MIM, CIM).

MIM and CIM hold great potential in e.g. the medical and automotive industries, as they allow the manufacturing of complex components in materials that are strong, durable and biocompatible. But high costs make MIM and CIM unsuitable for all but the most promising products.

The objective of the STIM-MC project is to provide a low-cost platform (the STIM-MC platform) for low-volume MIM and CIM that support wider-spread use of these technologies. This platform must provide the freedom-of-design of 3D-printing, and must allow the processing of all the commercially available MIM and CIM feedstocks. Finally, it must be compatible with standard MIM and CIM injection molding equipment to ensure wide applicability and adoption.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

During the feasibility study, we have interviewed several stakeholders.

Together with our coach, we have deepened our analysis of the market and updated our business plan.

Additionally, AddiFab has tested the applicability of the STIM-MC platform with a MIM feedstock (containing Inconel 625) and a CIM feedstock (containing zirconium oxide). The feedstocks were injected in 3D-printed STIM-MC molds with standard injection molding equipment, and were debound and sintered using standard debinding and sintering equipment. Results have been presented at the winter meeting of the Danish metallurgical society (Inconel) and disseminated in a research group (Zirconium).

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

Successful demonstration of the STIM-MC platform will lead to the creation of a new production paradigm. This paradigm will combine the geometrical freedom and low start-up costs of 3D-print with the scalability and versatility of injection molding to transform the way products are developed and brought to market.

As a first result, costs and risks of development may be strongly reduced, which is critically important in e.g. the medical device industry, where escalating device development costs are driving up costs to society.

As a second result, reshoring of work becomes attractive when development times are reduced. Outsourcing is based on economies-of-scale, but is inefficient if development and ramp-up is done in weeks instead of months

As a third result, the competitiveness of EU SME’s is given a strong boost. The STIM-MC is well suited for collaborative production and shareconomies, and may be an important driver of industry 4.0 adoption due to the resulting need for distributed (digital) quality assurance

STIM-MC green body before debinding and sintering

3D-printed STIM-MC mold showing inlet and top of geometry