The Clip Fam project (characterization of the powder bed for metal additive manufacturing), funded by the Normandy Region and the European Union, involves a consortium from Normandy: Analyses & Surface (27), ArianeGroup, Cevaa (76), Crismat (14), GPM (76), Insa Rouen Normandie, LMN (76), NAE and Volum-e (76). Clip Fam will provide a better understanding of the role played by powder bed characteristics on the overall properties of metal parts obtained by additive manufacturing.
Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) has been identified as a key technology: unlike the manufacture of parts by material removal, metal additive manufacturing enables complex shapes to be produced in flexible series. The global market for this recent technology is currently estimated to grow by around 20 % per year. It is therefore vital for France to remain competitive in this technology.
The challenge: qualifying powder to produce quality parts and ensure productivity gains
The functional properties of metal alloys obtained by additive manufacturing are highly dependent on the general parameters of the process, through the microstructure of the material produced. Thus, the presence of porosities, crystallographic or morphological texture, the presence of zones of unmelted material and residual stresses resulting from thermal gradients are all factors that can adversely affect the mechanical properties of parts obtained by AFM compared to conventional casting. These various defects are partly linked to the characteristics of the powder used during manufacture.
At present, powder characterization does not reflect the reality of the process, and is relatively costly. The development of a realistic and simple powder characterization tool for metal additive manufacturing (Clip Fam) would provide a better understanding of the impact of powder quality on parts.
The Clip Fam project began on 1er December last year and is due to run until the end of March 2022. During this period, 4 deliverables are expected:
Lot 1: Develop a method for characterizing the spreadability of metal powders for additive manufacturing (test bench);
Batch 2: Strengthen scalability modeling to anticipate optimal production;
- Evaluate the impact of a powder with good/poor calibratability on the part produced;
Lot 4: Support the emergence of a specific powder standard (calibratability aspect).
Normandie AeroEspace, which has already been appointed by the Direction Générale des Entreprises (DGE) to promote and inform national companies about the development of standardization in additive manufacturing, will be stepping up this action within the framework of this project, and will support the overall coordination of the project. Analyses et Surface will be in charge of Lot 1, which aims to characterize powder spreadability. This work package is being carried out in partnership with Cevaa, LMN and ArianeGroup. It also aims to model powder spreadability and improve understanding of the phenomenon on the basis of key parameters. The GPM will be in charge of Batch 2, which will characterize and compare several parts produced by different additive manufacturing processes. This batch will be carried out in partnership with all the players involved, including Crismat, Volum-e and ArianeGroup, who will supply the test specimens.
ArianeGroup will pilot batch 3 to assess the impact of a powder with good/poor calibratability on the part produced. Then, Volum-e, in charge of batch 4 on standardization, will promote the work of the standardization committees and feed the project's results into the discussions.
The Clip Fam project is a unifying project and a first step in the structuring of additive manufacturing players in Normandy. Positioned at technological maturity level 4, it will enable a better understanding of the parameters involved in additive manufacturing under representative conditions, and a broad dissemination of knowledge through standardization.
Learn more: www.nae.fr