RM Technology Platform The European consolidation of Rapid

RM Technology Platform The European consolidation of Rapid Manufacturing

What is it? • A community of European stakeholders finding RM relevant to survive • “Stakeholders” can be companies, universities or branch organisations 2

Why do we need a RM-platform? • Create strong European economy with RM • RM is fragmented • There is not yet a central info place for peoples on RM 3

What is considered here as RM RM is making functional end products “directly” from CAD using Additive Layer Manufacturing technologies • In particular for “smaller” volumes or one-off products • It avoids investments of tooling • Currently hardly any dedicated RM technologies or machines; only “RP+” • Also called Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM), Direct Manufacturing, Direct Fabrication or Digital Manufacturing 4

How it all started • Nextrama • 5

Some examples of RM Dust extraction parts Pick & place unit Adjustment frame Customised rowing helmet 6

Some examples of RM Inserts Camera support 7

Some examples of RM Direction indicator 8

Some examples of RM Micro fluidic sensor systems, Rapid Micro Product Development (copyright micro. TEC) Tooth prostheses in Co. Cr alloy, solid phase laser sintering (copyright Phenix) 9

Some examples of RM Customized Tri-flange implant, Ti 6 Al 4 V, Electron Beam Melting (copyright Arcam) Hip implant, Ti 6 Al 7 Nb, Selective Laser Melting (copyright MCP-HEK) 10

RM platform objective To achieve European industrial growth & sustainability by a coherent strategy, condensed research, dissemination and exploitation of Rapid Manufacturing 11

How to achieve this? • Consolidating on European level • Achieving a coherent Vision on RM-future • Achieving the required research topics (SRA) • Making a roadmap for RM • Providing to EC for possible adoption in FP 7 • Creating consortium with the BEST parties • Initiate activities like projects; bilateral, (inter) national, funded or not 12

Platform also useful because • RM research and applications up to now fragmented, no coordination • Joined approach key to success • Together strong – To create business for companies in Europe – To compete against other regions – To apply for national, regional or EC funding 13

No strict focus on EC Organisation V Organisation W Organisation U Organisation Y Regional funding National funding Organisation X Organisation Z Organisation T Organisation R Organisation S Organisation P Organisation O investors EC Organisation N 14

Figures per Nov ‘ 06 • 145 stakeholders – 92 from industry; 63% • 22 countries; great geographical balance • Expanding continuously…. . • No doubt this is a “critical mass”… 15

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Platform pillars 17

Highlights Vision paper • Potential impact • Business implementation • Design • Materials • Processes 18

“Pictures of the future” Courtesy Siemens, Pictures of the future “further penetration of ICT, expansion of global networks, and customer demand for tailor made products” 19

Potential impact • Mega-trends: – Demand for individualization of products increases (mass customisation) – Products become more complex and life cycles shorten (pressure on cost and time-to-market – Customer-oriented services as selling argument – Environmental issues get more attention • As a result: – Mass production is moving outside Europe – Risk of tooling investment becomes show-stopper – Growth in niche markets and services 20

Potential impact • Solution: Rapid Manufacturing! – No investment risk for tooling – Perfect for mass customisation – Minimum time-to-market – Minimum waste – Knowledge based rather than labour based • Still more expensive, just like every emerging technology 21

Potential impact “new industrial revolution in the digital age” “customer-oriented service-based manufacturing” 22

Potential impact • Economic impact – Reduction of cost and time, particularly for limited volumes – Risk management for investment and stock – Localized production minimizes logistics effort – Enhanced service dimension in business – Most importantly, new sales through niche, customized and new products 23

Potential impact • Social impact – People can co-design products to their specific needs – Applications help the growing group of elderly & disabled people – Good for the environment; minimum energy consumption, reduced waste and pollution – Again: the quality of life is key term 24

Potential impact • EU policies are met • Sustainability • Quality of life • Employment • Environment • Industry must come into action • Top level support, integration in strategies • Cover complete supply chain • Integrate in market development & commercialisation • Create awareness, acceptance & adoption of RM 25

Business implementation • Looking at the complete manufacturing picture rather than focussing solely at processes, material or design • Mass production including resulting mass consumption has shaped our society • RM does not fit within these standard thinking patterns and processes • The total realisation chain will be affected 26

Business implementation • Vision on medium term – Costs of manufacturing – Implementation aspects – Education and skills programs for RM 27

Business implementation • Vision on 2020 – RM beginning to become mainstream process – Centre on improvements to business processes, quality, the impact on local manufacturing & effects on skills & employment • Zero waste manufacturing • Quality standards • Stockless manufacturing • Location and distribution • Value Chain • Integration of RM with existing manufacturing • Fuzzy logic interface 28

Design • Design will change dramatically. . • Lead times / time-to-market gets shorter • # of product variants is rising • Complexity of design is rising • Responsibilities of the designer increase • Need support of VR-FEM & automated design • Unlimited geometrical freedom • Integration of functionalities by material variations • No assembly required 29

Design • Vision on medium term • Supporting software for macro textures & textile replacements in 3 D format • Experimental CAD system for Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) • E-learning programs to fully exploit the opportunities for RM • Integration of CAD, VR and FEM to support designers • Experimental 3 D Webcam for 3 D low-level geometry scanning • Experimental topological optimisation for automatic geometry optimisation • Computational inspection of RM parts for First Time Right • Cost price calculation comparing conventional with RM 30

Design • Vision on 2020 • Free feature modelling CAD system • Product specific CAD systems • CAD for Functionally graded materials • E-learning programs • Integration of CAD, VR and FEM • CAD systems with hybrid kernels • 3 D Webcam for 3 D low-level geometry scanning • Topological optimisation • Multi objective & disciplinary optimisation • Dummy proof design systems • Computational inspection of RM parts • Technologies for capturing user characteristics 31

Materials • Materials development is main driver for RM • It is yet limiting factor for R&D • Only few technologies to use per material • Mainly few main players rule it all 32

Materials • Vision on medium term • New methods for substitution of classic materials • Prediction of the short and long term behaviour • Implementation of new energy sources • Investigation into the densification mechanisms • New purpose materials with unique selling point • Increase of industrial use of RM technologies • Integration into conventional production • Systematic approach to enable standardisation 33

Materials • Vision on 2020 • New generation of materials will be developed • Supplementation of wide range stable materials • Processes linked with unique material properties • Operating system for the cost control of material’s choice will be established • Decision methods will assist planning, visualisation and simulation of RM material applications 34

Processes • Specific advantages over conventional – Any complex shape can be made – Costs independent from complexity (. . ) – Multi materials/components without assembly – Changes to geometry affected immediately – Especially interesting for limited volumes 35

Processes • Vision on medium term • First introduced in several niche markets • Improvement into 100% solid material density • Economic manufacture (speed, cost) • Incorporation of nano-engineered materials • Use of high melting point alloys • Human spare parts in process • Sufficient and capable employment 36

Processes • Vision on 2020 • Wider RM-use, complementary to mass production • Cutting edge applications in medical area • RM to be an appealing manufacturing technology • Cutting edge applications with nano materials • Large scale implementation of RM systems 37

Status per Nov ‘ 06 • Commitment of broad range of end user industries • Commitment from high level RTDs • Good feedback from EC regarding WP contribution • Website up & running • Presented during events & meetings • Publications to inform public • Vision paper ready • SRA ready 38

Milestones 2006 • January: invitation of EC to set up platform • February: first meeting • June: agreement on Vision paper • October: agreement on SRA • November Tuesday 28 th: open RM event • December: FP 7 opens its gates…… 39

Planning 40

www. rm-platform. com • Home of RM platform stakeholders • To stimulate industry, and also RTD's • Central desk for all kind of RM info – Independent – Free of charge – European wide – Strict focus on RM, so no RP or RT or HSM 41

www. rm-platform. com 42

Coordination • The platform is managed by TNO and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft • Website moderated also by micro. TEC and U Wolverhampton Frits Feenstra, Anton Gerrits, Rudolf Meyer, Andrea Reinhardt, Tahar Laoui 43

What to find • Public area – Platform objective and info – Papers, case studies, publications, presentations • These to be provided by YOU!! – Links to events, magazines and organisations active in RM • Restricted area (stakeholders) – Vision paper, SRA, minutes, presentations, planning – Stakeholders info sheets & contact data 44

Who can join the Link area • Organisations active with RM • AND uploaded 1+ item to prove this – Paper, case study, publication, presentation 45

Who can benefit • OEM’s, end users, industry, consultancy • Companies active in RM – process, material, software, service bureaus • RTD’s – universities, students, research institutions • Dissemination organisms – branch organisations, magazines, conferences 46

Newsletter • Quarterly update of the new RM info available on the website – Events – Papers – case studies – publications – other interesting documents Subscribe at www. rm-platform. com 47

RM platform “conference” • During u. Rapid, day before Euromould – Tuesday morning of November 28 th • Objective – To inform “Europe” about the SRA – To expose the project initiatives – To inform industry and get them on board • Good to combine with u. Rapid & Euromould!! 48

Interested? www. rm-platform. com info@rm-platform. com 49