In its beginnings, Additive Manufacturing (AM) was solely used for prototype construction. The continuous improvements of machining systems as well as the advancements in powder characterization of novel materials led to a constant increase of possibilities for industrial application. Despite their numerous advantages such as the possibility to manufacture high complex parts with inner contours or light weight structures the current deficits in reproducibility and productivity of AM processes limit their economical use. These challenges are in the scope of fundamental research projects at the IWF. The following AM technologies are in focus of our work:

• Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Laser Powder Deposition (LMD)
• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

The current research topics in the field of Additive Manufacturing are:

• Fundamentals of SLM processes
• Material qualification
• System development
• Process chain qualification
• Additive process chain combination
• Digital integrated production

Due to their process inherent advantages jet technologies are used in a wide variety of industrial applications such as cleaning of sensitive surfaces, removal of functional layers and cutting of hard to machine materials (fiber-reinforced composites, titanium alloys etc.). The following robot guided jet technologies (with and without abrasives) are in the scope of research at the IWF to expand their industrial use:

• High pressure jetting (water, liquid CO₂)
• Compressed air blasting (dry ice, CO₂-snow, shot-peening)

The current research topics in the field of Jet Technologies are:

• Abrasive waterjet controlled-depth-milling
• Abrasive waterjet turning
• High pressure liquid CO₂-cutting
• Surface pre-treatment
• Cleaning and decoating

Through the close cooperation with the Fraunhofer-Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK the results of fundamental research can quickly and effectively be applied to industrial application. Further information can be found here.