Also referred to as "additive manufacturing" (AM) 3D printing process is becoming increasingly interesting as a complement and alternative to conventional manufacturing techniques. Additive technology is the name of the technology because, in this process, thin layers of the material are applied to one another and then solidified by an energy source. In addition to plastics and ceramics, metal parts can also be produced in 3D printing.

The aim of the pilot project was to develop a next-generation digitized production line that could produce aluminum parts for the automotive and aerospace industries much more economically than was previously possible. NextGenAM's Successful Balance Sheet: Relative to the entire production process at Premium AEROTEC, manufacturing costs were reduced by up to 50 percent compared to existing 3D printing presses.

"In aircraft construction, Premium AEROTEC is already an international pioneer in the field of 3D metallic printing. This expertise now needs to be further developed and successfully applied in other industries, "said Dr. Thomas Ehm, Chairman of the Board of Premium AEROTEC. "The successful completion of NextGenAM is another important building block in our strategy."

Production runs fully automatically

The secret lies in a sophisticated, scalable additive production chain, which is fully automated until the mechanical sawing off of the printed parts from the carrier plate. This means that no manual work is needed, from data preparation and central powder delivery through the actual AM construction process to heat treatment, quality assurance and separation of the components from the carrier plate. The technical core of the system is the four-laser system EOS M 400-4 for metal-based industrial 3D printing. A driverless transport system and robots ensure a smooth passage of parts through the entire production line.

The entire production process controls itself without operating personnel via a central, autonomous control station. The basis is the networking of all the machines used. The order data is transmitted to the control center, which prioritizes the individual construction contracts and assigns them to an AM system. During the construction process, the production status can also be retrieved from anywhere, regardless of location. After completion of the complete production chain, the quality reports are sent back to the control center. This provides all the data needed to create a digital twin, which, among other things, enables full traceability.

Dr. Adrian Keppler, CEO EOS says: "We are very proud of what we have achieved together with our partners Premium AEROTEC and Daimler. In concrete terms, the NextGenAM project shows how industrial 3D printing, as part of an automated process chain, can also be used economically in mass production. In combination with the digitization possibilities used, the pilot plant is no less than a milestone on the way to digital production. "

Capacity can be expanded as required

An integrated 3D data chain with integrated quality management makes the production plant one of the first applications of the future benchmark Industrie 4.0. The production is completely scalable: Duplication of the production lines can increase the capacity of the factory. This promises further significant savings in the future, if the numbers increase. Today's pilot plant is already capable of automated production of components in series quality.

Daimler already manufactures parts for Daimler in the new technology road at Premium AEROTEC: For example, the first premium parts manufactured by Premium AEROTEC are already being used in the truck sector. It is a holder for the truck diesel engine.

Spare parts for trucks and buses

Especially in the spare parts area, the 3D printing process is suitable because rarely needed parts can often be rebuilt more cheaply in the case of a tool defect than in conventional sand or pressure casting. The first inquiries for 3D printed omnibus spare parts made of aluminum are currently being examined at the Center of Competence 3D Printing at Daimler Buses. In addition, the Passenger Car Division is also considering suitable applications in the analysis.

Opportunities for very small series and for advanced development

"For small series of new vehicles (limited editions) additive manufacturing is also suitable. Targeted development of parts specifically for 3D printing can further reduce production costs and optimize quality, "says Jasmin Eichler, Head of Future Technologies at Daimler AG. "3D printing is particularly useful in the pre-development of vehicles. The required small quantities can often be produced cheaper and faster with additive manufacturing than with conventional production processes. "

This applies to vehicles with internal combustion engines as well as electric cars. For example, 3D printing is also very well suited for the production of integrated base plates in which the cooling lines for the batteries of electric vehicles run.

High product quality is standard

high product quality is in the pilot plant Standard: For parts of the aerospace industry is also making use of high tensile aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy (as Scalmalloy ® provided known).

In the automotive sector, a classic aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) is used, whose material properties could be continuously improved during the pilot project. Among other things, the material strength values and the surface quality were significantly increased compared to the start of cooperation two years ago.

Outlook: 3D printing as a production method with a future

After the previous quality checks were passed with promising results, an auditing according to the specifications of the strict industry standard VDA 6.3 is in preparation. At Daimler, it is a prerequisite for the delivery of series components for a subcontracting supplier. With the automation of the complete AM production chain, larger quantities will be available in series production - with the same reliability, functionality, durability and cost-effectiveness as components from conventional production. Parts for new vehicles can already be optimized in the design for the 3D printing, which promises further cost advantages. In addition, results from 3D printing weight advantages, which is particularly interesting for electric vehicles. For spare parts, 3D printing has the advantage In the future, storage costs could be saved - if parts are made "on demand" instead. At Daimler, this vision of the future is also called "digital stock", ie the central provision of digital production data for the decentralized production of spare parts by means of 3D printing. 3D printing is thus well on the way to further establishing itself in the automotive and aerospace sectors as an additional variant-rich relatively new production method.

Premium AEROTEC project is the world's first component manufacturer to supply 3D printed titanium alloy components for Airbus aircraft in series production. The company is a global player in the aviation industry. Its core business is the development and production of aircraft structures made from metal and carbon fiber composites. The company has German locations in Augsburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Nordenham and Varel. There, Premium AEROTEC was responsible for the entire production process in the joint project.

EOS is the leading technology provider in industrial 3D printing of metals and plastics. Founded in 1989, the independent company is a pioneer and innovator of holistic solutions in additive manufacturing. With the product portfolio of EOS systems, materials and process parameters, customers gain decisive competitive advantages with regard to the quality and sustainability of their production. In the joint project EOS will provide the complete 3D printing technology as well as associated software solutions and the control center for connecting and controlling the production chain.

Daimler brought the experience from mass production into the project. Research and advanced development worked hand in hand. These included the sample components, the mathematical validation and the digitization of the component data for the entire production process. The testing of the sample components was as much the task of the automaker as the creation of a standardized manufacturing specifications for 3D printing. In addition, Daimler was also responsible for the validation and certification according to the VDA 6.3 standard with regard to series production.