NINFA - Research into developing aerospace solutions using new assessment, design and inspection methods in additive manufacturing adapted to the entire supply chain
Participants:
CT INGENIEROS
CREATECH
EGILE
FADA-CATEC
INESPASA
LORTEK
SARIKI
TTT
Programme:
Sectors:
Aeronautics-Aerospace
Health
Technologies:
Data analysis
Control and Robotics
PBF-LB
Digital platforms
Computer vision
Scope
Promoting research and development of solutions, systems and protocols that allow more effective industrialisation at lower cost and maintaining the quality requirements of today's aerospace industry. The concept of these solutions is being demonstrated from design and manufacturing, including post-processing in innovative component solutions. All these developments involve the collaboration of various supply chain players. Furthermore, NINFA was conceived as a cross-cutting project that seeks to maximise the use of the synergies generated in its developments in other industrial sectors. Thus, it will transfer improvement of current additive manufacturing applications in the medical-dental sector, taking advantage of the impact of the project's results on other sectors. Key aspects include optimisation and manufacturing of high/low structural compromise components in light alloys; cost-benefit analysis, industrialisation and quality assurance of processes and materials.
The project vision is broad, considering the entire supply chain, from research into the development of new heat and surface treatments, research into the monitoring of processes and mechanical characteristics, fundamental research into the application of new non-destructive methods, to the use of distortion modelling as a support tool in the design of the product itself.
Solution
LORTEK has worked to optimising the PBF-LB metal additive manufacturing process and post-processes to improve mechanical properties and minimise geometric distortions. The main focus was Inco 718, with the application of ad-hoc heat treatments to minimise associated costs and guarantee high mechanical properties. Tensile testing (ambient temperature and high temperature) and a detailed characterisation of the microstructures have been carried out. Also, Ti6Al4V and specific conventional heat and HIP treatments have been used to determine the effect of microstructure and defects on mechanical properties, and especially fatigue. A comprehensive microstructure characterisation has been carried out, determining the presence of Alpha-case, phases, type of defects and their location and texture by SEM and EBSD. This study has been carried out on the basis of aeronautical approach and standards. However, it has also been oriented to the medical sector. For this purpose, specific standards and specimen geometries have been applied and static mechanical properties have been determined using a DIC or Digital Image Correlation system. Thanks to this system the Poisson’s ratio of the material can be obtained. LORTEK has manufactured PBF-LB demonstrators for the aerospace and dental sectors using monitoring systems for quality assurance. In dental components, textures improving osseointegration have been designed.
