INDUSTRY NEWS
Direct manufacturing is primarily used for prototyping, and has not yet gained widespread use in series production. However, this kind of manufacturing process can provide advantages such as reduced production and process costs. It can also facilitate the fabrication of complex part geometries, and support demand-driven production of spare parts. To advance technological progress, a centre dedicated to the development of direct manufacturing processes and systems is scheduled to open in the fall at the University of Paderborn in Germany.
Boeing, EOS Electro Optical Systems, Evonik Industries, and MCP HEK Tooling will form the Direct Manufacturing Research Center (DMRC) in cooperation with the University of Paderborn. The industrial sector will contribute its expertise in aerospace, material production, and equipment manufacturing to the centre, while the university will provide its competency in mechanical engineering, chemistry, and computer science.
“The objective of the DMRC is to further the processes, develop systems and processes, and expand the equipment possibilities,” says Hans-Joachim Schmid, professor for particle technology and principal investigator at DMRC. “To do that, we need to deal with various problem areas, such as the standardization and improvement of direct manufacturing processes, increased reliability and processing speed, and the development of new materials.”
Aside from contributing their core expertise, the four founding companies each will invest € 100,000 per annum over a five-year period. The university also will contribute € 600,000 to the project. Professors, technical staff, and students will be conducting the research at the DMRC.
As one of the industrial partners, EOS is going to support the consortium in the development of laser sintering systems. “By participating in the project, we want to boost the further expansion of laser sintering technology,” says Martina Methner, marketing communications specialist at EOS. “Our aim is to have layer manufacturing technology, such as laser sintering, implemented not only in niche markets, but also by end-users in various industries.”
Initially, research will largely focus on the aviation industry, but according to Schmid, the DMRC will certainly be an alternative manufacturing method for medical devices in the future. “Small series can be produced at a much lower cost when using direct manufacturing procedures,” he adds. “Even customized individual work pieces can easily be manufactured via a digital dataset.” Methner adds that in medical technology, layer manufacturing techniques are especially suitable for the production of products with complex geometries, or for products that need to be readily available.
To find out more about the DMRC, contact the University of Paderborn, Pohlweg 55, 33102 Paderborn, Germany; phone +49 5251 602404; fax: +49 5251 603207; e-mail: hans-joachim.schmid@upb.de; Internet: www.dmrc.de.
