High-performance materials for mechanical engineering: Award-winning bachelor's thesis shows the potential for additive manufacturing
Award winner Leon Meyer with from left: Prof. Holger Ruckdäschel (Managing Director NMB), Stephan Braun (KSB Pegnitz), Dr. Haneen Daoud (Deputy Head of NMB Metals), Agata Kulig (NMB), presenter Siegmar Schnabel (Managing Director IHK zu Coburg) and Klaus Smolik (Board of the Research Association New Materials e. V.) © NMB/Nico Geis
The development of highly wear-resistant components is of central importance for the industrial sector. Components such as pumps, valves, or conveyor screws in plastic processing operate under extreme conditions, such as high temperatures and abrasive or aggressive media. Their lifespan, energy efficiency, and low maintenance are decisively determined by the high-performance materials used.
Therefore, MMCs were the focus of the award-winning work. To open up an alternative to the conventionally used, complex processing methods of high-performance materials, the challenge was to investigate whether this innovative material is suitable for a process of additive manufacturing. This technology allows components with complex geometries, such as integrated cooling channels that would not be feasible conventionally, to be built layer by layer.
The processing of MMCs was examined using powder-based laser beam melting (PBF-LB/M) as an example for a complex pump housing. The 23-year-old student at the University of Bayreuth was able to demonstrate that it is possible to print crack-free and low-stress components from MMC – in a single manufacturing step, thus without complex post-processing.
The jury evaluated the work as an important contribution to demonstrate the industrial applicability of this relevant material/process combination.
The work was carried out at Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH, a non-university research institution, in cooperation with the pump and valve manufacturer KSB SE & Co. KGaA.
The Innovation Prize of the Research Association New Materials e.V. aims to promote the academic young talent from the field of materials and engineering sciences. This prize was awarded on-site at Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH for the tenth time in early December.
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