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Technology development for the efficient production of glass exterior and interior components for automotive futures

Subject Area Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing
Mechanics
Term from 2020 to 2023
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 440959716
 
Final Report Year 2024

Final Report Abstract

The »Glass4AutoFuture« project aims to revolutionize glass-forming technology by developing a Nonisothermal Glass Molding (NGM) technology capable of massproducing geometrically complex and precise glass products. This innovation meets the growing demand in the automotive industry for lighter, tougher, and optically advanced glass components for both interiors and exteriors. Developing NGM technology requires interdisciplinary expertise, including understanding glass deformation at high forming temperatures and complex heat transfers at the glassmold interface. The project successfully developed a coupling thermal-mechanical model that includes a new thermomechanical model of glass behaviors and a heat transfer model at the glass-mold interface. The material model captures viscoelastic deformations at finite strain governed by deformation rate and relaxation mechanisms. Meanwhile, the contact heat transfer model integrates actual topographies from three-dimensional (3D) measurements to address microscopic deformations occurring at the contacting surfaces. Implementing these models enhances simulation accuracy, enabling precise predictions of form deviations and surface defects in glass optics. As a result, forming process designs, including glass preform design, definition of the forming concepts, and optimization of forming parameters, for two optics demonstrations, chosen by the project end-user and the associated partner, were accelerated, leading to a 50% increase in form accuracy. The project also developed a userfriendly simulation software, SimPGM, tailored for non-simulation experts and industrial users to perform glass molding simulations. Exploitation of the project results includes research contracts, software licensing, and consulting services. For experienced simulation clients, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model offers seamless access to the software through a user-friendly GUI in the Fraunhofer Cloud. Flexible payment options, such as monthly or yearly subscriptions or per simulation run, are available, as well as specific module selections. Contract research services target customers with limited simulation expertise, offering guidance in building and conducting simulations through bilateral projects. Consulting services support clients who want to keep their product designs and process technology confidential while receiving expert guidance. Workshops and knowledge transfer sessions empower clients to use the SimPGM software independently. Moreover, technology licensing of the developed NGM process will be offered to industrial partners wishing to integrate the innovative forming method into their production lines, with options such as perproduct licenses. Follow-up projects are planned to extend simulation capabilities, such as incorporating damage modeling for glass failures. Additionally, the direct deployment of NGM technology for automotive displays and consumer electronics industries, as the project's primary market focus, will be expanded to other emerging markets such as semiconductors. This comprehensive approach opens new avenues for the project's results across various sectors.

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