Enabling Laser Powder Bed Fusion for Large Scale Production of Multi-Material Components

While laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) inherently allows the production of complex geometries it isn’t yet introduced to mass markets due to prohibitive cycle times and uncompetitive product precision and quality. A hybrid production where complex components using LPBF’s flexibility are built on top of conventionally manufactured substrates at near-net-shape geometry can speed up the production process dramatically, especially if applied to small component volumes. global-AM aims to advance and combine existing state-of-the-art approaches, namely beam shaping, beam splitting, in-situ geometry correction, and process monitoring + control in an advanced machine concept that allows fixation of multiple substrates and laser beam positioning to produce components on a large scale. As a demonstrator, a cooling device for power electronics is chosen because it combines typical challenges in a prototypic way: complex metal geometries made from challenging materials such as copper are built on a ceramic-based substrate with a required precision in the low micrometer scale. If the technological barriers towards the demonstrator can be solved, global-AM will introduce – but not limit – LPBF to the multi-billion euro mass market of power electronics with highly attractive technological, economical, and environmental benefits To make this project successful, experts from renowned universities and world-leading companies in the disciplines of production technology, laser systems, process development/monitoring/control, and modeling, as well as powder production for advanced multi-material powders, join their efforts in close multi-national cooperation.