Automotive Center Südwestfalen GmbH (acs) from Attendorn and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT from Aachen want to tackle a new application for additive laser cladding in the joint project LAVAL. The focus is on validating a process with which steel and aluminum sheets can be locally reinforced with the help of laser metal deposition. Basic studies have demonstrated an almost three-fold increase in load-bearing capacity with a minimal increase in weight.
The successfully completed AIF project "Material-efficient production of load-adapted sheet metal components with flexible reinforcement zones applied additively by laser" focused on basic studies on the combination of classic sheet metal forming with additive laser deposition welding. With the help of additive manufacturing, sheet metal components were locally reinforced before and after sheet metal forming. Two applications - a collar pull and the cover of a hydro transducer - already demonstrated the enormous potential of this hybrid process in the laboratory. By locally thickening the sheet metal with material of the same type, it was possible to increase the load-bearing capacity of the collar hoist by 264%, for example. The so-called patch increases the total weight by only 4.3 %. This enables a new form of lightweight construction, as metal sheets can now be made significantly thinner. The patches are only used in places where the load peak is located and where reinforcement is therefore required, for example because a thread has to be cut there. This also allows the acoustic NVH behaviour of the sheet metal (noise, vibration, harshness) to be specifically optimized.
Powder-based laser cladding can apply reinforcements layer by layer with maximum geometric flexibility, the shape of which can be individually adapted. The surface quality can also be individually adjusted and dissimilar patch materials can be used to counteract corrosion, for example. The planned research project LAVAL (locally reinforced semi-finished sheet metal products by additive laser cladding) is intended to validate the process for steel and aluminum sheets using specific tasks from industry. Partners from industry and research are needed to participate in the planned project.
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