Further, SLM recycling trials have shown acceptable part quality after 14 powder recycling iterations. Material utilisation and powder recycling has come from a number of LMD activities where MERLIN demonstrators have been manufactured with high material usage (70 – 85% for LMD-p and nearly 100% for LMD-w). high forces from high speed cutting tools. However, because the LMD process imparts little force onto the substrate during processing, other than secondary forces due to thermal expansion/contraction which can be kept to a minimum, fixturing requirements were significantly less robust and therefore, less costly, that those used for conventional machining i.e. 5 further demonstrators produced by LMD required fixtures to hold substrates. In general terms, tooling costs were eliminated for a large majority of MERLIN demonstrators due no requirement to produce tooling, jigs or fixtures for the SLM and LMD processes (5 of 10 demonstrators). All of these factors could drastically reduce emissions across the life-cycle of the parts. This was supplemented by improved quality control of raw powder materials, powder recycling, topology optimised structures, post machining, repair, improved AM productivity and in-line NDT inspection for flaw detection. MERLIN’s overall aims and objectives for the project duration were to develop AM techniques, at the level 1 stage, to allow environmental benefits including near 100% material utilisation, no toxic chemical usage and no tooling costs, to impact the manufacture of future aero engine components (current buy to fly ratios result in massive amounts of waste). The demonstrators were also selected to indicate impacts on material savings, other environmental and through life cycle benefits and price reductions when comparing with conventional manufacturing routes. temperature, corrosion and static/moving parts. These demonstrator components were selected to give impact across a wide applications space with different performance characteristics i.e. The focus was on selective laser melting (SLM) and laser metal deposition (LMD) technologies to develop and manufacture a total of 10 different civil aero engine demonstrator components. The concept of the MERLIN project is to reduce the environmental impact of air transport (reduced by to fly ratios) using Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques in the manufacture of civil aero engines. Executive Summary: MERLIN is collaboration between six world leading aero engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce is the coordinator, six renowned RTD providers and two intelligent SME’s.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |