Enabling the ARBURG Freeforming process for industrial production of metallic components

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer
• Subject Area: Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing ; Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics ; Engineering Design, Machine Elements, Product Development ; Production Automation and Assembly Technology
• Term: from 2020 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 443103294

The primary objective is to enable the already researched ARBURG metallic freeforming process for the economical and sustainable production of metal components. In particular, this involves increasing the durability of the discharge system, improving the reproducibility of the output, increasing the build rate and enabling the process to use suspensions with larger powder particle diameters. Increasing the durability of the discharge system requires a revision of the mechanical design and the selection of appropriate materials to increase wear resistance. Higher reproducibility can be achieved by developing a new control strategy. The increase of the build rate requires a geometry revision of the closing mechanism of the discharge system as well as the revision of the volume discharge control. When revising the mechanics of the closure mechanism, the suspension processing with larger powder particle diameters must be considered. A structure component of the company Heidelberger Druckmaschinen is provided to validate the revised machine and control strategy. The component shall be made of 316L stainless steel and shall meet the requirements of real production.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: ARBURG GmbH & Co KG; Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG