A challenge consortium funded by the German Federal Ministry of Schooling and Analysis (BMBF) and led by the BMW Group was launched three years in the past, with small and mid-sized enterprises, giant firms and analysis institutes. The widespread objective was to revolutionize metallic 3D printing in normal automotive manufacturing.
The 12 members of the consortium introduced the profitable implementation of the IDAM (Industrialization and Digitalization of Additive Manufacturing) challenge on the BMW Group Additive Manufacturing Campus in Oberschleißheim, the place a digitally linked, totally automated 3D printing manufacturing line has been arrange and ready for automotive normal manufacturing. An extra line is positioned on the agency GKN Powder Metallurgy in Bonn.
Switch of the development cylinder by the use of dealing with robotic and driverless transport system.
Round 50,000 elements per yr may be manufactured cost-effectively in widespread half manufacturing, in addition to greater than 10,000 particular person and new elements, by the use of 3D printing utilizing Laser Powder Mattress Fusion (LPBF). The beginning materials, metallic powder, is remelted with a laser, layer by layer, on the website the place the strong part must be created at every stage. Utilizing this 3D printing course of means sure instruments are not required and new design prospects may be realized—which vastly will increase flexibility.
Building cylinder switch to the depowdering module.
Having began out from an idea define in 2019, totally automated driverless transport programs (FTS) now carry the 3D printers’ cell construct chambers between modules within the IDAM manufacturing strains. The machines are orchestrated by a central management unit that consolidates all manufacturing knowledge from particular person line modules to make sure most productiveness and high quality.
Over the course of the challenge, progressive ideas have been developed for automated technology of 3D printing building knowledge. Absolutely automated modules now transport the processed metallic powder to workstations the place they put together the fabric independently. Publish-processing of the manufactured elements takes place at specifically designed stations which can be additionally totally automated. The standard of the elements is high precedence.
Absolutely depowdered building job in depowdering module.
High quality assurance of the completed elements takes place in-line, through the laser melting course of, utilizing sensors. This contains checking emissions from the molten pool with a CMOS digital camera and pyrometer. AI algorithms are used to correlate the information collected with precise part high quality. This implies course of deviations can already be recognized throughout manufacturing and part high quality evaluated.
Profitable implementation of the challenge referred to as upon the experience of all challenge companions. This was the one technique to obtain digitalization and automation in mechanical and plant engineering, in part design and within the space of metallic 3D printing.