MICRO-FAST A FAST process and production system for high-throughput, highly flexible and cost-efficient volume production of miniaturised components made of a wide range of materials

Summary

The main exploitable results achieved in this project are as follows

MACHINE SYSTEMS AND SUBSYSTEMS

The core project result is represented by Micro-FAST machine system for the production of high quality components. It is first kind of the machine developed specifically for the manufacture of miniature to micro-sized bulk components with controlled micro-structures, using a wide range of powder materials.

The innovative and fast process combining micro-forming and electrical-field activated sintering technology (Micro-FAST) and fully automated machine system are expected to generate significant impacts in the manufacturing sector and component users. To accompany this several individual ancillary sub-systems related to the press have also been developed, including that for powder feeding, robotic handling of the die-set, ejector for the formed parts, laser die-cleaning and inspection system. These will also be exploited for other applications in different industrial environments.

MATERIALS AND TOOLING

Several types of high-quality powders have also been developed that can be used in the FAST applications as well as in other powder metallurgy processes. Nanostructured metal-based and ceramic powders are produced with different techniques able to deliver controlled and homogenous chemical and structural composition and optimized flowability, leading to high quality formed parts produced. Correspondingly, advanced surface treatment and coating techniques for micro-tooling have been developed for high-temperature applications such as Micro-FAST processes, including active-screen plasma co-alloying technology enhancing oxidation and wear resistance and reducing friction coefficient of the tool surfaces.

In addition to these, first kind of multiscale modelling technique and software modules for the modelling of electrical-field activated sintering and forming have been developed, which is able to link modelling of micro-scale electro-plasticity, diffusion bonding and bulk-material deformations to predict the material behaviours during Micro-FAST.

COMPONENTS

High-quality parts produced are expected to have impacts in the field of miniaturised products/systems, both for users and manufacturers. The production of these parts through the Micro-FAST process and the machine will result in better performances, more economical gains and enhanced industrial competitiveness, compared to the current solutions.

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More information & hyperlinks

Web resources:	http://www.micro-fast.eu https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/608720
Start date:	01-09-2013
End date:	28-02-2017
Total budget - Public funding:	7 512 973,00 Euro - 5 349 843,00 Euro

Cordis data

Original description

The aim of the project is to develop a completely new manufacturing system for the volume production of miniaturised components by overcoming the challenges on the manufacturing with a wide range of materials (metallic alloys, composites, ceramics and polymers), through: (i) developing a high-throughput, flexible and cost-efficient process by simultaneous electrical-forming and electric-fast-sintering (Micro-FAST); (ii) scaling up the process to an industrial scale; (iii) further developing it towards an industrial production system for micro-/nano-manufacturing. These will be enabled/supported by developing: (i) a new machine concept: Micro-FAST CNC Machine; (ii) an innovative inline monitoring and quality inspection system; (iii) innovative multiscale modelling techniques for the analysis of the micro-structural behaviours of materials and its interactions with the production processes; (iv) new tooling techniques for high-performance tools, and (v) high-performance nano-material systems. The whole development will take into account energy savings, cost and waste reduction, and recycling issues which will be studied thoroughly through an expertise Life-Cycle Assessment.
The development should lead to substantial improvements in the manufacture of components at micro and nanoscale with a good balance on cost and performance. The consortium seeks: reduction of the overall manufacturing cost by 50-100%; energy consumption by more than 30-50%; achieving full-density (100% density) components; direct economic gains for the SME participants of up to 5-25%.
The whole development will support the EU-wide product innovations involving use of miniature and micro-components in many manufacturing sectors and, especially with difficult-to-cut and difficult-to-form materials. Adopting the production system in industry should help the EU manufacturing sectors to gain new technological and business competiveness significantly.

Status

ONG

Url

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/608720

Call topic

FoF.NMP.2013-11

Update Date

27-10-2022

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Factories of the Future Partnership - Made in Europe Partnership

Comment: Innovation in merging in one step manufacturing several processing steps

Comment:
standard in powder materials qualification for micro-FAST

Comment: The new manufacturing system is intended for a high throughput, flexible and cost-efficient process for the production of ministurised components, realized using a wide range of materials, with strict dimensional tolerances. The whole development takes into accout energy savings and waste reduction.

Comment: Development of new technologies for production of powdered raw materials in an optic of improvement of economic performance. Extremely short processing-time, direct manufacture, very short process-chain and innovative highly efficient CNC type machine system can achieve sensible reduction of manufacturing costs.

Comment: The Micro-FAST process makes optimal use of materials supplied, with its highly monitored production chain. Powders not employed in a single process can be collected and re-introduced in the manufacturing system.

Comment: The incidence of defective parts will be significantly low thanks to the monitoring of all the stages of production. Due to the high level of precision requested in miniaturized mechanical parts, one of the main goals of the project is the achievement of near-zero defects in components realized.

Comment: In the project frame, different studies are conducted about the re-process of raw materials not possessing the required characteristics, in order to minimize the discarded amount. Efficiency in the production stage is guaranteed by the high level of control in the process and the optimization of resource statuses ("stand-by functionalities of certain components). Innovative solutions in dealing with end-of-life products are subject of research.

Comment: The essence of the project is a continuous feedback among the parties involved in raw material supply, process development and production of final parts to achieve a result which satisfies all the expected requirements. The evolution in each stage is strictly related to the evolution of the global chain.

Comment: The Micro-FAST machine will include the in-line consideration of the energy needs for the specific process steps during their control and scheduling in order to reduce energy wastage and energy consumption peaks. This will be achieved increasing process stability and optimization of the maintenance cycles.

Comment: Facilities wher Micro-FAST raw materials and final products respectively are and will be manufactured, comply with the European safety standards of people operating in them. Powders employed are in an aggregated state, not representing as high a concern for their handling as if they were not.

Comment: Machine control and remote control, modelling

Comment: Powder processing technology

High productivity and “self assembly” technologies development of conventional (joining, forming, machining) and new micro/nano-manufacturing processes

Comment: The Micro-FAST machine is designed as highly automated systems integrating in the process chain fully automated sub systems to reach high productivity for small parts with final shape (up to 200parts/hour). The FAST process combined with the use of nanostructured powder allows to preserve the nanostructure in the part providing a new approach for the forming of nano-products

Comment: Automation in powder feeding, sample ejection, laser based shape control inspection and surface cleaning

Comment: FAST process is using direct powder pressing together with electrical discharge that allows a quick consolidation of powder into final shape reaching full density. This process can be applied also to difficult to form materials

Comment: Novel physical process for powder densification based on pressure assisted pulsed current

Comment: Integration of manufacturing modules

Comment: highly automated modules for sample handling, control of shape and cleaning

Comment: ADvanced powder materials (cermaics and metals) engineered in size , shape and structure to the micro-FAST process

Comment:

Material related knowledge based system

Comment: The production system developed by Micro-FAST allows a temperature process range very flexible to use of several materials (metal alloys, ceramic, CerMet and composites). The tooling geometries are developed specifically for the targeted products.

Comment: Project relates with the development on novel powder materials for FAST sintering process and in particular nanostructured Ti Alloys and steels and ceramics with very fine and accurate particle size.

Comment: The parts to be manufactured in the project are miniaturised components with complex geometries and high accuracy. Special tooling techniques and tooling materials are developed to manufacture these componens.

Comment: The Micro-FAST process is a net shape manufacturing process that is not generating production waste. therefore inherently efficient in terms of resources. The Micro-FAST system allows an efficient management of the manufacturing cycle controlling the quality of product in line with an high degree of automation and integration of each production step.

A FAST process and production system for high-throughput, highly flexible and cost-efficient volume production of miniaturised components made of a wide range of materials

Contacts

MICRO-FAST | A FAST process and production system for high-throughput, highly flexible and cost-efficient volume production of miniaturised components made of a wide range of materials

Original description

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Paolo Matteazzi