Fraunhofer Institute IAPTThe component design is of primary importance in Additive Manufacturing to achieve resource- and cost-efficient products. The quality of a component also depends heavily on the design and planned processing steps. It can be supervised and controlled directly during manufacture through appropriate continuous monitoring.
AM DESIGN
Design for additive manufacturing
In the Bionic Function and Design Group, we focus extensively on the completely new design possibilities additive manufacturing technologies offer. We help to find components that can be produced more efficiently through additive manufacturing and also imbued with expanded functionality. To achieve a cost-effective design, it is essential to take subsequent post-processing steps into consideration.
One of our strengths is the fact that we can combine bionics and computer-aided optimization with experience in additive manufacturing technologies gained over many years.
We focus in particular on structures:
- for resource-efficient lightweight construction
- for optimized heat transfer
- for improved acoustics
- for one-piece joint and gripper systems
- for sensor integration•for catalytic converters
- for efficient hydraulics
Quality assurance and certification
The final quality of a component depends to a considerable degree on the design. Monitoring of all relevant manufacturing steps is important, particularly when new production processes are involved.
In the Quality Assurance and Certification Group, we develop solutions for automated quality monitoring and control. Cost savings can be achieved in many cases through an appropriate combination of process monitoring systems (e.g. recording of melt pool emissions) and downstream QA systems (e.g. μCT or destructive testing).
Our know-how relating to different QA technologies means we can develop and test solutions tailored to meet the special requirements of our customers.
In order to document and analyze all quality-relevant process and component data along the process chain, we develope a digital platform called Additive Quality Manager (AQM). This “digital laboratory journal” provides the basis for the later use of artificial intelligence.
Digitization of the AM process chain
Consistently digitized and automated product development and manufacturing will be a decisive factor for the future success of enterprises. For this reason, we develop software solutions and modules in the Digitization Group for additive manufacturing technologies that provide assistance during both product selection and the design of bionic components and automate production planning, process monitoring, and quality assurance. Our products can be adapted to suit individual customers and integrated in existing software solutions.