Additive Intelligence 4.0: Talarintervjuer

Hallå där, Mélanie Despeisse, docent i hållbar digitaliserad produktion vid Chalmers Tekniska Högskola, och talare på konferensen Additive Intelligence 4.0 i mars.

Du deltar i en paneldebatt på temat: "Additiv tillverkning bidrar till hållbarhet - myt eller verklighet?" Hur kommer du att ta dig an ämnet?

– Jag kommer att prata om hur additiv tillverkning kan vara en kraftfull drivkraft för cirkulär och eko-effektiv tillverkning. Just nu har vi inte råd att nyttja några teknologier som inte bidrar till hållbar utveckling, och jag är övertygad om att additiv tillverkning är särskilt väl positionerad för att driva oss i en hållbar riktning. Men det kommer inte att ske per automatik.

Vad hoppas du på att förmedla till publiken?

– Att vi måste vara mycket medvetna och ändamålsenliga i vår design, utveckling och implementering av teknologier, och systematiskt kontrollera att processerna överensstämmer med våra hållbarhetsprinciper. Annars kan det leda till oönskade eller oavsiktliga konsekvenser som ofta är ohållbara. Hållbarhet får inte vara förhandlingsbart vid utveckling och implementering av nya teknologier, enligt min åsikt. Om en teknologi inte bidrar till hållbarhet måste vi återgå till ritbordet, eftersom det finns en designbrist någonstans som behöver åtgärdas.

Vilka långsiktiga fördelar kan du se med additiv tillverkning?

– Jag tror att additiv tillverkning har potential att bli en vedertagen metod för miljövänlig och cirkulär tillverkning, precis där och när det behövs. Detta skifte kan även bidra till betydligt mer hållbara konsumtionsmönster. Även om vårt fokus ligger på produktion behöver vi förstå att hur vi producerar saker också påverkar hur vi konsumerar dem.

Du är förstås också deltagare på konferensen, finns det någon del som du är särskilt intresserad av?

– Jag är väldigt nyfiken på presentationerna kring simulering och artificiell intelligens, särskilt eftersom jag inte själv är direkt involverad i AI-relaterat arbete. Jag har kollegor som är specialiserade på maskininlärning för exempelvis smart underhåll eller prediktiv modellering, men jag har ännu inte sett AI tillämpas i sammanhanget eko-effektiv additiv tillverkning. Därför ser jag verkligen fram emot att förstå hur dessa innovativa teknologier kan bidra till ökad hållbarhet inom additiv tillverkning.  

Hello, Dirk Herzog, Senior Engineer at the Institute for Industrialization of Smart Materials, Hamburg University of Technology, and Project Manager with Fraunhofer IAPT. You are one of the speakers at the Additive Intelligence 4.0 conference.

The theme of your session is “Novel strategies to enhance the productivity and robustness in additive manufacturing”. How will you approach this topic?

“I will talk about beam shaping, or the use of different beam profiles, in the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process, and highlight its impact on the robustness of the process, as well as on productivity and quality.”

What makes Powder Bed Fusion an essential technique to spotlight in this session?

“Powder Bed Fusion is the most widely used additive manufacturing (AM) process nowadays, accounting for over 90 % of all sold metal AM machines. This widespread adoption underscores its significance across various industries, and the core aspects of productivity and quality, is a crucial consideration for all sectors employing the powder bed fusion process."

Do you think that additive manufacturing is the future direction for both the manufacturing industry and the maintenance industry?

"Of course! I would say that additive manufacturing is an enabler for producing lighter and more functional parts, addressing sustainability concerns in the process. The attainment of these objectives relies on the design freedom offered by additive manufacturing. However, its use should be purpose-driven. Additive manufacturing tends to be more expensive, so your part needs to be better. Consequently, part redesign often becomes imperative to fully harness the benefits of additive manufacturing and transform it into an improved product. Given the higher costs involved, productivity gains are often sought to enhance overall cost efficiency.

Regarding maintenance, the powder bed fusion process is frequently highlighted as a viable option for producing spare parts. The ability to manufacture small lot sizes on demand, including lots as small as one unit, makes it particularly advantageous in this context. This is the area where its utility is most pronounced."

What are your thoughts and expectations on the conference?

"I really look forward to connecting with people from both industry and academia with a shared interest in advancing additive manufacturing. I am also genuinely excited about the opportunity to strengthen the collaboration with RISE during the event."

In a few words, what would you like to convey to your audience with your presentation?

"The key message is that the latest advancements in Laser Powder Bed Fusion have the potential to boost both the productivity and robustness of the process. This may open new fields of application that were previously deemed too cost-sensitive or impacted by various challenges."

Hello, Sebastian Piegert, Head of AM Technology at Siemens Energy. You are one of the speakers at the Additive Intelligence 4.0 conference.

The theme of your session is future trends and challenges in additive manufacturing. How will you approach this topic?

“My talk will offer insights into the progress of additive manufacturing at an industry level. I will dive into the challenges, highlighting areas where collaborative efforts between industry and academia are crucial for developing new solutions. Additionally, I will share examples of successful applications of additive manufacturing, showcasing some of the possibilities this technology has to offer, and hopefully sparking some new ideas. Finally, I will outline my perspective on the industry's direction and the necessary next steps.”

In short, what trends and challenges do you see ahead?

“Maybe it's not a trend, but a necessity. For additive manufacturing to survive as a viable manufacturing technology, it must transition into serial production of parts. In the current market, we observe a gradual increase in serial production, however not to the extent we would like. The aerospace sector, in particular, faces considerable regulatory challenges in meeting stringent quality requirements and managing costs at the same time. Within the area of industrial gas turbines, I would say that the prevalence of AM applications is growing. From a general perspective, there is an overarching trend towards digitalization. Furthermore, there is an evident shift from producing small bits and pieces to larger parts through additive manufacturing, regardless of technology.”

In what ways do you think that AM can benefit the future industry?

I can only reflect in detail on the benefits we experience at Siemens Energy. For us, additive manufacturing, along with its potential for innovative geometries, has provided solutions in critical areas such as emissions reduction, fuel flexibility, and enhanced efficiency. Additive manufacturing also plays a crucial role in addressing supply chain challenges, particularly in the realm of servicing products, when casting vendors or conventional manufacturers are unwilling or unable to support low-quantity production. It enables quick supply of spare parts, minimizing downtime.

Moreover, we have developed a couple of solutions where additive manufacturing is used not only for repairing but rather for upgrading components. This approach allows us to manufacture components that not only restore parts to customers' engines but also present enhanced versions, potentially with extended durability or improved performance. Aspects such as weight reduction, shape optimization, and aerodynamics, are of course relevant across diverse industries.

What are your thoughts, and expectations on the conference?

“I hope to connect with people facing similar challenges. Networking holds significant importance for me. Throughout the conference, I aim to gain insights into the different challenges perceived by various industry players and their approaches to applying different technologies. Additionally, I hope to explore possibilities for future collaborations, both within the industry and between industry and academia. An area in which, I would say, this conference is especially beneficial.”