D1.1 Comprehensive overview of the project

This deliverable addresses the complex landscape surrounding the introduction of steel additive manufactured components in industrial and aerospace applications. It navigates through studies, research findings and potential impacts, highlighting the evolving dynamics of predictive models on surface finishing operations and the challenges associated with the final surface integrity of functional components.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is widely used in the manufacture and repair of metallic parts. The process provides a means for components of intricate geometry to be manufactured using a laser beam with material being delivered into the laser path on the desired substrate. Parts produced by AM commonly present poor surface quality and wide dimensional accuracy; thus, machining processes are required to obtain optimal surface integrity. Surface properties have an enormous influence on features such as dimensional accuracy, friction coefficient and wear, thermal and electric resistance, fatigue limit, corrosion, appearance and cost. Hence, optimum surface integrity is crucial for the proper functionality of machined workpieces.

SuPreAM project aims at optimizing surface integrity of AMed + machined steel components to reduce manufacturing expenditures at the steel industrial sector through the minimization of scrap and avoidance of re-processing loops. Predictive models of finishing operations will be developed considering the influence of AM technology and steel grades, machining operations, strategies and process parameters on machinability and surface properties of AMed components, enabling the identification of main variables affecting surface integrity. Particle Finite Element Method will be developed for the first time to study of AMed machined steels and AM parameters will be adjusted for a new quality of lean maraging steel.

Two representative case studies have been selected. In both cases, components are real in-use parts proposed for improvement with requirements very closely related to surface quality: 1) a plastic injection mould, surface finish is crucial to ensure quality of moulded parts and mould behaviour (thermal fatigue and wear resistance); 2) a structural component for aerospace application, which requires fatigue resistance. Demonstrators of both case-studies will be produced and used for model validation and comparison with conventional steels.