Modelling of Sustainable AM Processes for Fabrication in Lightweight Solutions

Purpose and goal

The aim of the project is to mature technology for additive manufacturing of gas turbine components for fossil-free propulsion and energy supply. This is done by improving and validating the predictive capability when modeling L-PBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) of titanium to enable high quality manufacturing of large complex components.

Expected effects and result

The project will develop, calibrate and apply material and FE models suitable for thermo-mechanically coupled analysis capable of predicting fabrication with sufficient accuracy. These models will be applied in industry to minimize risks of critical defects during the manufacturing process and subsequent heat treatment in the manufacture of large complex gas turbine components. The downstream effects of improved predictive capability are reduced development time, realization of weight savings and component performance improvements.

Planned approach and implementation

In the first work package of the project, a suitable demonstrator geometry will be identified. Afterwards, different modeling strategies will be studied where the complexity is sequentially increased to capture relevant phenomena during the manufacturing process. Material and FE models are calibrated and validated through simpler tests and lab-scale demonstrators as well as advanced measurement technology, e.g neutron/synchrotron measurement of stress states. Finally, a full-scale demonstrator will be manufactured and used for validation of the simulation method.