Hybrid Additive Manufacturing

With increasing demand for personalized products and customized solutions the need for processes that go above “conventional” additive manufacturing (AM) is immanent. This includes the introduction of more than one material of identical and/or different materials classes. So-called hybrid AM processes combine existing processing techniques within a single process to expand the solution space and meet progressive requirements.

Aim

The Professorship of Laser-based Additive Manufacturing investigates the development of a hybrid processing method called “Fusion Jetting” (FJ):

  • Combination of two state-of-the-art AM processes: Laser-based powder bed fusion of plastics (PBF-LB/P) and binder jetting (BJT).
  • Concept: Implementation of reactive liquids (thermoset component) within the thermoplastic powder bed of PBF-LB/P
  • This represents the first AM approach to simultaneously process thermoplastics and thermosets within functional parts
  • Applications lie within the field of hard/soft structures, smart structures and structures with locally adjusted mechanical, thermal and/or electro-magnetic properties

Methodology

Extensive characterization of materials and test specimens represents the foundation necessary to understand the material interaction on a micro and macro stage. Since hybrid AM creates complex and to this point not fully understood material interactions, enhanced characterization techniques for each process step have to be considered in comparison with the state of the art. This includes the following investigation:

  • Interaction of reactive liquids with powder
  • Analysis of the curing behavior of the reactive liquids
  • Interaction of the Laser with the powder-liquid compound
  • Enhanced mechanical testing of multi-material parts

 

Project relations and funding:

Collaborative Research Center 814 “Additive Manufacturing” granted by “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”

https://www.crc814.research.fau.eu/