Renewal of the testing facility for thermomechanical simulation of material processes

• Subject Area: Materials Engineering
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 576306217

IWTM conducts research into materials development with a special focus on their processing properties. The Chair of Joining Technology focuses in particular on the following sub-disciplines: Development and evaluation of novel alloys (Ni, Al, Fe materials) with regard to their hot cracking behavior and the associated strength properties both during thermal joining and under thermal stress, interaction between coating and base material (liquid metal embrittlement), development of weldability concepts for different joining technologies (fusion and compression welding). In addition to applications for joining and deposition welding, the properties of additive manufactured structures are also considered. There is still a considerable need for research, for example on the effect of cyclic thermal material stress during the build-up of additive structures in DED process variants on the microstructure. The thermomechanical testing facility available at the IWTM is fundamental to addressing these issues and urgently needs to be replaced due to its advanced age. The existing control system can no longer be maintained or repaired, so a defect could result in total failure. In addition to a state-of-the-art control system, the planned upgrade will also include an inductive heating system, which was not previously technically feasible. This will expand the range of test methods available in terms of possible sample shapes and temperature profiles. The existing plant technology (clamping device, resistance heating, hydraulic force system) can be reused. This means that a high-performance system can be maintained with minimal investment of resources. The research results will also provide parameters for different simulation methods, which in turn will enable resource-saving developments for new applications, e.g., in the field of additive manufacturing. In addition to our own research projects, the renewed testing facility will also be used to work on tasks from cooperating working groups, see expression of interest in the appendix to the proposal. Research work is to be carried out here on the expansion of Al alloys with an increased recycling content, in which their processing behavior must be investigated. The renewal of the facility will secure the basis for processing research work that has already been applied for and further planned research work.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Prüfanlage zur thermomechanischen Simulation von Werkstoffvorgängen (Erneuerung)
• Instrumentation Group: 2900 Statische und quasistatische Prüfmaschinen und -anlagen
• Applicant Institution: Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Sven Jüttner