“We aim to produce large components using additive manufacturing within two years”

Five industrial companies, together with researchers at University West, have achieved major advances in Additive Manufacturing using laser and wire.

At University West, the results from the SESAM research project were recently presented. Among other things, a large cylindrical component in stainless steel was displayed, produced in a demonstrator* at the Production Technology Centre in Trollhättan. The cylinder is approximately 80 cm in diameter, half a meter high, and weighs 200 kg.

The manufacturing industry is intensively working on the transition to more sustainable production processes. Additive Manufacturing can be a significant contributor here. Producing components with additive manufacturing means they are built up layer by layer using, for example, metal wire in an automated process.

Many advantages

“The technology is of great interest to us and our customers. It requires significantly less material, and we are strengthening our supply chain from several perspectives. With Additive Manufacturing, we can design more complex geometries, the manufacturing speed is considerably higher, and the products achieve longer lifetimes,” says George Persson.

“We can manufacture products on demand and significantly shorten the lead time for the production of a component. It also becomes possible to produce items that have gone out of production. At the same time, there are challenges to continue working on - for example, we need to reduce the need for post-processing.”

Alfa Laval scales up

“The results from the research project show that the process is mature enough to scale up to full production for our large components used in the process industry. We achieved high deposition rates without compromising material quality. We believe it is possible to further increase the speed and reduce the need for post-processing,” says George Persson.

More sustainable than current production techniques

“Industry can greatly benefit from these types of processes because the material savings are immediate. Being able to manufacture large-scale, high-performance components at such high build rates makes Additive Manufacturing attractive from a productivity standpoint, even compared to competing conventional methods,” explains Jörg Volpp, Professor of Production Technology at University West.

“In the long run, the technology can strengthen the local industry's competitiveness in the global market. Society also benefits from more sustainable manufacturing methods, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and high-performance products,” says Jörg Volpp.

Collaboration as a success factor

The SESAM research project involved close collaboration between University West researchers and five industry partners.
“The project has been so successful thanks to the strong commitment of all partners and the excellent cooperation. Everyone has contributed with expertise in their respective fields,” says Jörg Volpp.

• Alfa Laval’s staff participated in process development and continuously monitored the material quality of the manufactured components.
• Procada and Adaxis contributed with technology development and system expertise.
• Voestalpine Böhler Welding provided expertise in welding wire and contributed to material analysis and development.
• EIT Manufacturing North has disseminated - and will continue to disseminate - the research results and lessons learned through its large international network.

Further development of the technology

At University West, research in Additive Manufacturing is now moving forward through new initiatives.
“Several parallel research projects in Additive Manufacturing with laser and wire are currently ongoing. The most extensive project is the KK-funded project DEDICATE, which includes additional Additive Manufacturing processes. Ten industrial companies are participating,” says Jörg Volpp.

FACTS

• Additive Manufacturing is seen as a key part of the next generation of industrial production, where sustainability requirements are high.
• The technology offers many advantages: more efficient use of materials, lower energy consumption, and shorter lead times compared to traditional methods such as forging, which requires extensive machining.
• Researchers at University West have over 20 years of experience in Additive Manufacturing with laser and wire.
• The SESAM project ran for 3.5 years and was funded by Vinnova.

* A demonstrator is manufacturing equipment built on a small scale to develop and test new technologies in a research or development project.

At University West, we conduct research in collaboration with society to help create a better future.