Multi-Material Products and Processes |
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The objective of the research area Multi-Material Products and Processes is to develop the ability to optimize material choice, multi materials geometry and processes simultaneously. The work is lead by Einar Hinrichsen in SINTEF Industry.
Introduction to the research area
New advances on sustainable, lightweight and high-performance products can be achieved by combining the best properties of different materials, such as the impact toughness of aluminium and weight/strength ratio of carbon composites. This is a major trend for demanding markets such as the automotive, aerospace and maritime industries. In the first two years of SFI Manufacturing, we have focused on selected topics related to design and manufacturing processes of multi-material products. The two main scientific focus areas have been to study different processes of joining dissimilar materials and on topics related to additive manufacturing of metals and polymers. However, the global trend towards circular economical thinking will have a strong influence on product design and optimal choice of materials taking the concept of Design-for-Disassembly and recycling into account. Sustainability in material selection and production processes, including high recyclability
of materials in multi-material solutions will therefore become a focus area of SFI Manufacturing in the coming years.
Among various dissimilar material combinations, the joining of aluminium to steel has had extensive attention, both scientifically and in industry, due to the increasing relevance of lightweight solutions. Within SFI Manufacturing we have identified six different approaches of joining these two metals. One PhD candidate has started investigating the Cold Pressure Welding (CPW) process for joining aluminium to steel, and two PhD candidates are focussing on material structure and properties in the vicinity of the interface, using advanced material characterisation methods and atomistic modelling respectively. Other joining processes we have started to investigate are Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) and a Hybrid Metal Extrusion and Bonding (HYB) technology patented by the partner company HyBond. The last method we have started working on is adhesive bonding.
of materials in multi-material solutions will therefore become a focus area of SFI Manufacturing in the coming years.
Among various dissimilar material combinations, the joining of aluminium to steel has had extensive attention, both scientifically and in industry, due to the increasing relevance of lightweight solutions. Within SFI Manufacturing we have identified six different approaches of joining these two metals. One PhD candidate has started investigating the Cold Pressure Welding (CPW) process for joining aluminium to steel, and two PhD candidates are focussing on material structure and properties in the vicinity of the interface, using advanced material characterisation methods and atomistic modelling respectively. Other joining processes we have started to investigate are Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) and a Hybrid Metal Extrusion and Bonding (HYB) technology patented by the partner company HyBond. The last method we have started working on is adhesive bonding.
The process of adhesive bonding, either gluing or secondary lamination, is the key to joining thermoset matrix composites: the surfaces cannot be melted so welding is not an option, and through-thickness mechanical bonds (rivets, screws etc) perforate the fibre reinforcements, leading to structural damage. Within SFI Manufacturing, we performed an initial study of physical and chemical parameters of both the adhesive and the surfaces to be bonded in order to understand effects influencing the adhesion and strength of the bond.
One important industrial method of combining two polymeric materials (e.g. a soft and a hard polymer) in a single product is through 2 component injection moulding. One PhD candidate is studying this process focusing on moulding a group of rubbery materials called Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) on to a hard plastic such as Polyamide.
In addition to more conventional processes of producing multi-material products, we have in SFI Manufacturing a special focus on additive manufacturing as an important enabling production technology alone, or in combination with traditional production methods like forging and casting. In the past few years, the additive manufacturing community in Norway has grown substantially. Nordic Additive Manufacturing AS has received and installed their Trumpf Directed Energy Deposition (DED) cell at the Raufoss industrial park. This machine will be able to make larger metal parts at a much faster rate. The setup was performed in collaboration with SINTEF and NTNU. Also on the powder bed side there have been movements in the Norwegian industry, with Tronrud Engineering doubling their metal printing capacity while at the same time investing in a new polymer based powder bed machine.
Figure 5. Illustration of the basic principles of Cold Metal Transfer technology.
PhD's and postdocs
PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers are essential resources within the SFI. Tina Bergh, Muhammad Zeeshan Khalid and Anna-Maria Persson are connected to the research area Multi-Material Products and Processes.
Read more about Tina, Muhammad and Anna-Maria here
Read more about Tina, Muhammad and Anna-Maria here