Project – Rapid Manufacturing of Lightweight Metal Components

Project start November 2008. Expected completion November 2011.

Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is the production of objects in various materials directly from a SD CAD file. RM is a so-called Layer Additive Process, which means that the items are constructed with micrometer thin layers. Furthermore, the items are produced directly for the end-user.

The Centre for Product Development is collaborating with a number of companies and institutes in the EU Project, CompoLight, to develop RM from light metal items. The project will concentrate on three lightweight types: items with interior canals, items with cavities and porous items. Many of the challenges which RM faces today using metal components, will also be addressed by the project, resulting in a general improvement of design, production and quality of RM metal items. Furthermore, the project will improve the competitiveness of European small and medium-sized companies using RM in their production. 

Project Objectives

  • Gain new knowledge about light metal items produced via RM.
  • Make it easier for the customer to include the concept of RM in production.
  • Increase the use of RM for certain products in the industry.
  • Reduce the time it takes for a product to reach the market.
  • Reduce the costs and error output related to RM.

Participants

Activities
The project will reach its objectives through

  • Setting up rules of design to aid product designers.  
  • Setting up guidelines and simulation software that can support the end-user’s work before the RM production, as well as predict the quality and the mechanical properties of the item 
  • CAD software for design of lightweight items with inner structures. 
  • Research into how RM can be integrated into conventional production methods. 
  • Control and improvement of surface quality of RM items.