The display will showcase the current results of the so-called Fraunhofer lighthouse project ‘futureAM – Next Generation Additive Manufacturing’. One of the six institutes*, Fraunhofer ILT, has developed a new, compact optical system for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). It is being used in the first prototype, which – thanks to its build volume (1,000 by 800 by 500 mm) – can also additively manufacture large metal components up to 10 times faster than conventional LPBF systems.
Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in Chemnitz is looking at post-processing of AM parts – manual approaches can account for up to 70% of the total process costs. Dr Ines Dani from Fraunhofer IWU says: “Downstream processing steps have not yet been automated, partly because of the different geometries of the parts to be manufactured. This will now change.” Fraunhofer IWU is developing various autonomous technology modules for the individual processes. A robot takes over both the workpiece handling and the post-process machining.
The Formnext stand (Stand D51, Hall 11) will also highlight the country's Virtual Lab that digitally links all areas and institutes in the field of metallic additive manufacturing (metal AM) via a network and a database. Residing at Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT in Hamburg, it plays an important role in the Fraunhofer lighthouse project.
Experts will demonstrate what this lab can do and how it will work. Fritz Lange from the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT in Hamburg, explains: “The institutes will use the Virtual Lab to process and track distributed manufacturing.” They also plan to create a closed digital representation of the competencies and equipment of all participating institutes.
The Virtual Lab makes the entire AM process transparent and reflects it digitally: Digital Twins enable project participants to model and simulate processes in order to optimise real systems in all areas of industrial manufacturing. The Virtual Lab is ready for operation and is already being evaluated with dummy data. Currently, the participating institutes are connecting to the Virtual Lab via their database so that the lab can soon start its virtual operation.
*Launched in November 2017, futureAM involves: Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT in Hamburg; Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Aachen (project coordination); Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT, Hamburg; Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Bremen; Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD, Darmstadt; Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Dresden; and Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, Chemnitz.
