«Projects«
Compolight
Rapid manufacturing of lightweight metal components.
2008-2011
Coordinator
Danish Technological Institute AARHUS DENMARK
Consortium
MB Proto SAS France
Euro Heat Pipe SA Belgium
Flying Cam SA Belgium
Hydrauvision BV Holland
Marcam Engineering GMBH Germany
Sitex 45 Romania
FJ Industries Denmark
Fraunhofer IFAM Germany
Sirris ASBL Belgium
TNO Science & Industry Holland
Objectives
• Gain new knowledge about light metal items produced via RM.
• Make it easier for the customer to include the concept of RM in production.
• Increase the use of RM for certain products in the industry.
• Reduce the time it takes for a product to reach the market.
• Reduce the costs and error output related to RM.
Project
Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is the production of objects in various materials directly from a SD CAD file. RM is a so-called Layer Additive Process, which means that the items are constructed with micrometer thin layers. Furthermore, the items are produced directly for the end-user.
The Centre for Product Development is collaborating with a number of companies and institutes in the EU Project, CompoLight, to develop RM from light metal items. The project will concentrate on three lightweight types: items with interior canals, items with cavities and porous items.
Many of the challenges which RM faces today using metal components, will also be addressed by the project, resulting in a general improvement of design, production and quality of RM metal items. Furthermore, the project will improve the competitiveness of European small and medium-sized companies using RM in their production.
The project proposes to solve identified shortcomings of Rapid Manufacturing (RM) by addressing five areas, all of which are related to design and production of lightweight metal parts. These deficiencies are:
Lack of design rules? for RM, which could guide the designer
Lack of guidelines and simulation software to support to the user in the work preparation prior to RM processing and predict quality features and mechanical properties of the part
CAD application software to augment (partly automate) the design of internal structures of a part
Research in the effective use of RM integrated in a process chain jointly with conventional processes
Lack of ways to define and effectively control surfaces quality. CompoLight is addressing these problems by means of experiments, applied research and software development.
The work is centered on 3 archetypes of lightweight metal products, all of which are parts with internal structures, respectively:
* Channels (as in hydraulic valves)
* Hollow zones (to decrease weight of the component
* Porosities (as in filters)
Projected impact from the project originates from a larger industrial utilization of lightweight components in many industries, including automotive, aerospace, medical, and electronics. For each of the participating SMEs, the opportunity to strengthen their market position is the crucial argument for taking part in the project. Society impact is exemplified in terms of potential reduction of CO2 emission from cars and equivalent savings in fuel consumption.
Dissemination of project results involves all partners in activities ranging from demonstration events in each of the participating companies via RM cluster building, seminars and exhibitions to special training courses and the integration of RM curriculum in university studies
Activities
The project will reach its objectives through
Setting up rules of design to aid product designers.
Setting up guidelines and simulation software that can support the end-user’s work before the RM production, as well as predict the quality and the mechanical properties of the item.
CAD software for design of lightweight items with inner structures.
Research into how RM can be integrated into conventional production methods.
Control and improvement of surface quality of RM items.
The proposing consortium comprises 12 partners from six EU member states: 4 RTD, 5 end user SMEs, 1 SME provider, and 2 large industrial companies.
«Projects«
