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New tools and advanced methods to allow monitoring of metallic part s shape variations induced by thermal treatments

Objective



During its manufacturing process, mechanical parts suffer temperature, microstructures and shapes evolution, creating volume variations, internal stresses and strains which can affect its precision and in-service resistance. SMEs working in the field of metallic parts manufacturing are particularly concerned by these problems involving products quality and production costs. The purpose of this project is to develop a new method of geometric variation controlling, allowing design departments to predict volume variation during heat or surface treatments, and so to adopt preventives actions, essentially during the conception and design time. In the end of this project, it will be possible to obtain well sized metallic parts after heat or surface treatment, without this last costly unavoidable shape recovery step. In order to reach this goal, it will be necessary to develop during the project the following points: O A non destructive portable device dedicated to intern stress fields measurements in metallic parts, as simple in use as an electropolishing device, and with a cost lower than 30.000 Euros; 0 A shape and size variation modelling tool that will be able to give a result in few hours (instead of several days or more with existing softwares using finite elements calculation). Moreover, this modelling tool must be run on a PC that are computers that exist in SMEs. This new approach will have economics repercussions, as the cost of a part will decrease from more than 10% of the current one. The quantity of rejected part could decreased from more than 60 %. Many SMEs are very interested in this project: - thermal treatment performers on principals specifications. Specifications are written as follow: a specified treatment on a part with specific dimensions and tolerances. - mould manufacturers, that are frequently SMEs, have to give guarantees on life time of the mould that they send to their customers and due to thermal treatment, it is very difficult for them to validate the possible life time of their moulds. - metallic part manufacturers that have to design their parts taing into account the thermal treatment that will be performed at the end of the manufacturing process. This project is included in materials and technologies for product innovation areas. The subject covered by the proposal is BRITE EURAM, theme 2, dealing about new technologies for product design and manufacture, and more precisely: Point 2.3.2.s and Point 2.3.3.m

Call for proposal

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Coordinator

Redex S.A.
EU contribution
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Address

45210 Loiret
France

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Total cost
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Participants (9)