#	Pagina
attuale pagina	/open-h2020/projects/211767/results.html

Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SUPREME (Sustainable and flexible powder metallurgy processes optimization by a holistic reduction of raw material resources and energy consumption.)

Teaser

Summary

SUPREME aims at optimising powder metallurgy processes throughout the value chain. It focuses on a combination of fast growing industrial production routes and advanced ferrous and non-ferrous metals. By offering more integrated, flexible and sustainable processes for powders manufacturing and metallic parts fabrication, it enables the reduction of the raw material resources (minerals, metal powder, gas and water) losses while improving energy efficiency and thus carbon dioxide emissions, into sustainable processes and towards a circular economy.
To achieve this goal, an ambitious cross sectorial integration and optimisation has been designed between several powder metallurgy processes; gas and water atomisation as well as mechanical alloying for metal powder production, laser based additive manufacturing and near-net shape technologies for end-parts fabrication. A consortium of 17 partners has been gathered on this purpose under the coordination of CEA-LITEN, which is a major European research institute and a driving force behind the development of sustainable energies and Powder Metallurgy technologies.
SUPREME is a H2020-SPIRE funded project, which EU contribution represents almost â‚¬8m for 17 partners. The innovations resulted from the close cooperation between research and technology organizations and companies aim a transfer to the market to have significant impact on wealth and jobs creation.
The Consortium sees a mix of organisations covering the full value chain from mineral to end parts applications: ASL (UK), CEA (France), CRF (Italy), Dellas Srl (Italy), EPMA (Belgium), GKN (Germany), IPC (France), IRIS (Spain), MBA (Spain), MBN (Italy), Outotec (Finland), Prismadd (France), Prodintec (Spain), Renishaw (UK), RHP (Austria), Tecnalia (Spain) and TWI (UK).
Its overall objective is to optimize the sustainability of powder metallurgy processes and hence to contribute to the goals of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in terms of resource and energy efficiency improvement. More specifically, the great value added of this consortium is not only its ability to cover the full value chain from raw materials to a broad set of end parts applications (from aeronautics to medical), but also to address several key process industries: minerals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. SUPREME is also contributing to achieve the objectives of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Raw materials, and more generally to foster the transition to a circular economy in Europe.

Work performed

Regarding mineral processing, an Iron ore mine in Kiruna (Sweden) has been selected for the first demonstrator. Stability of the grinding process results, throughput and electricity consumption have been collected for evaluating the future improvements. On-belt particle size and on-line mill charge analyzers have been shipped to Kiruna.
Regarding powder production, most of the expected gas- (GA) and water-atomized (WA) powders have been delivered to partners. A new gas atomizer (second demonstrator) has been commissioned in September 2018. Yield and energy consumption per kilogram of atomised powder of current gas atomizer for 316L powder has been done for later comparison with the new atomiser. A WA High Carbon Steel powder has been chosen for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process and fully characterized. A Cobalt-free powder composition has been selected for Metal Injection Molding (MIM) and produced by ball milling with good sphericity. Small scale sintered parts showed good mechanical properties and diamond retention.
Regarding 3D metal printing, a high power laser is currently being set-up in a Renishaw AM250 L-PBF machine (third demonstrator - part 1). Regarding Plasma Metal Deposition (PMD) process, yield has been optimized for three alloys by adjusting parameters. Deposition rate was increased from 1.5 kg/h to 3 kg/h. For the L-PBF powders re-use study, protocol, machines and characterization routes have been defined for 3 partners. Optimized L-PBF parameters in a machine with high temperature platform (third demonstrator - part 2) allow to reach a 99.36% density on Hard C Steel cubes without cracks.
Regarding MIM process, raw materials have been fully characterised; feedstocks preparation and characterisation activities are ongoing for 17-4 PH alloy. For the Co-free alloy, binder development is almost finished; feedstock development and water debinding trials are ongoing. Regarding the Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) process, most of the Inconel 625 powders have been fully characterised. First HIPped samples have been produced with two powders PSD.
Seven use-cases out of nine have been selected: a gang saw blade tool for cutting stones (Co-free material by MIM); a bracket used as a motor support for aeronautics (Inconel 625 by L-PBF); 2 medical implants (316L by L-PBF and MIM) and 2 medical tools (17-4PH by L-PBF and MIM); an automotive engine mount (Hard C Steel by L-PBF), corresponding to the fourth demonstrator. For mold (Tool steel by L-PBF) and automotive (Steel by PMD) parts, use-cases selection is ongoing.
Regarding quality and process control, the production route and specific processes to be monitored have been selected. Demonstrators are: (i) iron ore grinding process, (ii) gas atomization process, (iii) 3D metal printing of topologically-optimized automotive part with low-power L-PBF machine, and (iv) 3D metal printing of the same component with high power L-PBF. IRIS collected information for each process of the current production route and, where possible, baseline values for the Key Process indicators (KPIs).
The project was promoted through various means (logo, leaflets, poster, public website, EPMA newsletter, SUPREME Newsletter, Conferences & Exhibitions); a Lecture presenting the project was given at EuroPM 2017.

Final results

Results beyond the state of the art are: (i) Hot pressed and sintered Co-free cutting tools parts showed good mechanical properties and diamond retention; (ii) Tensile and hardness properties of a steel alloy obtained by PMD are comparable to the ones of the corresponding wrought alloy; (iii) Hard C Steel cubes with density higher than 99.3% without cracks where obtained by L-PBF starting with a water-atomized powder.
Expected results until the end of the project are numerous; for, at least, the four demonstrators mentioned previously, the aims are to quantify material and energy efficiency improvements and to track impacts on productivity and CO2 emissions.
Potential impacts are: (i) 25% reduction in yield losses when compared to the current practice; (ii) 10% improvement in energy efficiency; (iii) Adoption of the new technological improvements for enhanced resource efficiency in industrial processes; (iv) regarding direct environmental impact, use of Fe based material instead of Cobalt will improve the working conditions and reduce the European industry dependence to critical metals; (v) in the automotive and aerospace sectors, enabling lighter weight and higher strength structures will significantly contribute to the reduction of vehicle and aircraft weight and, by this, will contribute to the reduction in fuel and electricity consumption, hence less carbon dioxide emissions. A reduction in energy consumption during the powder manufacturing process will also have a direct impact on the intrinsic energy content of the finished part.