January 18, 2022 Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) and German machine tool builderTrumpfcompany(TRUMPF) signed a cooperation agreement to accelerate technology transfer in the field of laser metal deposition.The parties will combine their respective expertise in laser system technology and application-specific know-how to conduct research and development for customers to improve the productivity, speed, materials and processes of laser material deposition.
Thomas Schopphoven, Head of the Fraunhofer ILT Laser Material Deposition Competence Area, said: “Our core business is the development of application-adapted process and system technology components, based on our 30-year experience in laser material deposition. Experience, in the applications we develop for various industries. As we transfer technology to industrial applications, our customers are increasingly concerned about the implementation of systems engineering, especially in terms of component availability, stability and suitability .”
△ EHLA is deposited by very high-speed laser material using TRUMPF system technology. Photo via TRUMPF.
Advancing Laser Material Deposition
Back in 2017, Fraunhofer ILT developed a patent for Extremely High Speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA)3D printingTechnology. The EHLA is designed based on high-volume directed energy deposition (DED) principles and was originally offered as a modular tool head that can be integrated into gantry and robotic arms. ILT describes EHLA technology as a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cladding processes.
Since the technology’s release, Fraunhofer has worked with several partners to seek to develop a more suitable3D printingThe next generation process version of the application. In 2020, fixture manufacturer Bilsing Automation integrated EHLA into its workflow to produce some of its proprietary products, including flexible grippers, handling units and forming tools.
Soon after, Fraunhofer ILT, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Iron and Steel (MPIE), used EHLA to produce a 3D printed composite with properties comparable to Damascus steel, and later announced that its EHLA technology had been fabricated Used by Service Bureau Toolcraft to repair and modify rotationally symmetric components and then coat them with corrosion and wear protection.
Last October, Fraunhofer ILT partnered with German engineering firm Ponticon to start a series of new research projects using the latest version of its EHLA technology, known as EHLA 3D. Currently, the EHLA 3D can process parts weighing up to 25 kilograms at a speed of about 200 meters per minute with a very high accuracy of 100 microns.
△Applications such as wear and corrosion protection of economical brake discs or hydraulic cylinders. Image via TRUMPF.
a new partnership agreement
TRUMPF has decades of experience in the manufacture of laser systems and components for laser material deposition and material processing, which can further advance the improvement of EHLA technology, which is the main reason why ILT chose to join forces with TRUMPF.TRUMPF is one of the world’s largest producers of machine tools and lasers, serving industrial manufacturers and building a strong metal printing portfolio. Fraunhofer ILT will rely on the manufacturer’s know-how to manufacture robust, reliable, high-yield laser material processing machines in industrial series production to accelerate the development of EHLA and its applications.
TRUMPF’s 3D printing product portfolio consists of its self-developed Laser Metal Fusion (LMF) drive systems TruPrint 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000, as well as its Laser Metal Deposition driven TruLaser Cell 3000, 7040 and DepositionLine products. From the beginning of this year, the company will continue to supply Fraunhofer ILT with state-of-the-art laser systems, complete with various optics and powder feeding nozzles, to develop processes and applications for its machines.Schopphoven adds: “In this way, we can study the process directly on the industry-relevant system, which allows us to translate our research into customer applications particularly efficiently.”The Fraunhofer partners also claim that there are many promising applications at hand, such as more economical coatings for passenger car brake discs, as well as wear and corrosion protection for hydraulic cylinders.
Marco Göbel, Industry Manager at TRUMPF in Ditzingen, said: “The close cooperation with Fraunhofer ILT is a win-win for both customers. Thanks to the close cooperation with Fraunhofer ILT, we can provide the entire The production chain provides solutions. By combining system technologies optimized for industrial use with processes adapted or specially developed for this purpose, we help our customers around the world to benefit from these innovations.” Going forward, the parties also plan to Further expansion of cooperation in other areas of laser material processing.
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