Material development is becoming more and more important for manufacturing industries. Highly specialized manufacturing processes need new materials to realize the promised advances with the final component. With a focus on metallic materials and hybrid structures, we start virtually into the development process via material simulation. Verification follows by fabrication of tailor-made powders, and thorough characterization of microstructure and properties of the final component.
Additive Manufacturing
We are researching the entire process chain – from alloy development to component testing – to achieve the best results overall. We support all manufacturing processes available at inspire and our industry partners – from 3D powder-bed technologies to high-speed laser cladding.
Process specific material development, here for SLM
Sintering processes
We are giving shape to powder material via hot pressing, thermal sintering, spark plasma sintering (SPS), and hybrid processes. For this, we are making use of additive processes to near-net-shape the tools, and we develop new, more sustainable tool materials.
3D spark plasma sintering: Concept and sintered aluminium component
Metals, Multi Material Systems
We are working with metallic materials in the Al-, Ti-, Fe-systems (and more), and research multi-material-applications (metal+metal, metal+ceramic).
Bimetallic compound, co-sintered via spark plasma sintering. Source: advanced-manufacturing.ethz.ch
Metal Powder
We develop and produce metallic powders at lab scale, tailor-made for the specific manufacturing process (e.g., SLM) and the targeted application.
Our lab-scale atomizer for the fabrication of metallic powder, production principle, metal powder with high sphericity. Source: www.metalatomizer.com
Simulation
Virtual material development is one main pillar of our expertise. Applying this method, we shorten the conventional development process, which builds on incremental adaptation and local improvement. Therefore, we aim at the globally achievable optimum.
Material simulation with ThermoCalc®: Solidification simulation with alloying concept and simulation of the formation of metastable phases
Testing
Our testing expertise goes from metallography, static and dynamic mechanical testing, to characterization of thermophysical properties, etc. Highly specialized characterization methods, such as TEM or XRD, can be accessed via the close collaboration with ETH. If you have specific requests, like damage analysis, we offer our assistance.
