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█ Automotive: Powder-bed-based laser melting with metals (LaserCUSING ® )

NextGen spaceframe combines light-weight construction and flexibility

Technology example: Functionally integrated, bionically optimized lightweight vehicle structure manufactured flexibly with EDAG, BLM, LZN and Concept Laser

New potential for lightweight construction and greater flexibility in the manufacture of automobiles

PR 4-2016 Words: 1,233 | Characters : 6,948

document.docx Page 1 of 14


Lichtenfels (Germany), April 11, 2016: Manufacturers are currently required to integrate the increasing number of drive concepts and energy storage systems into vehicle structures. The vehicle bodies of tomorrow, particularly in view of alternative drive systems in small series with lots of different versions, will not only need to be lighter, but above all will also require a highly flexible design. The consequence is an increasing number of vehicle derivatives which demand adaptable bodywork concepts that are economical to manufacture. In the foreseeable future, additive manufacturing could offer entirely new possible approaches.

The EDAG concept car “Light Cocoon” is a compact sports car with a bionically

designed and additively manufactured vehicle structure, covered with an outer skin

made from weatherproof textile material. The EDAG Light Cocoon was unveiled in

March 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show and in September 2015 at the International

Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. The “EDAG Light Cocoon” is intended to polarize

opinions among designers and breaks open existing thought patterns in vehicle design.

The bodywork structure embraces bionic patterns and translates them into a lightweight

bodywork structure. A concept car that highlights sustainable approaches and at the

same time embodies the technological potential of additive manufacturing.

Technology example: NextGen spaceframe combines lightweight construction and flexibility: Functionally integrated, bionically optimized lightweight vehicle structure manufactured flexibly In a joint project, EDAG Engineering GmbH (Wiesbaden, DE), Laser Zentrum Nord

GmbH (Hamburg, DE), Concept Laser GmbH (Lichtenfels, DE) and the BLM Group




(Cantù, IT) created the bionically optimized spaceframe produced by hybrid

manufacturing to highlight a new way in which a bodywork concept that is adaptable and

can be manufactured flexibly can be delivered in order to make the increasing range of

different vehicles manageable thanks to the large number of different drives and load

stages. Additively manufactured bodywork nodes and intelligently processed profiles are

combined. Thanks to additive manufacturing, the nodes can be configured to be highly

flexible and multifunctional so that, for example, different versions of a vehicle can be

produced “on demand” without any additional tooling, equipment and start-up costs.

Steel profiles are used as connecting elements. They too can easily be adapted on an

individual basis to the specified load levels by providing them with different wall

thicknesses and geometries.

The NextGen spaceframe in detailThe NextGen spaceframe is a combination of additively manufactured 3D nodes and

intelligently processed steel profiles. The nodes can be manufactured on site for the

particular version “just in sequence” (JIS), along with the profiles, which are cut to the

appropriate shape and length initially using 3D bending and then by employing 2D and

3D laser cutting processes. The focus is on joining together individual components to

create a hybrid structure in order to produce topologically optimized structures that are

not yet possible at present. The method used is laser welding, which is characterized by

intricate welded seams and low thermal input. The components are welded together

with a fillet weld on the lap joint. The geometric basis for this is the complete shoeing of

the profiles all the way round, and this is also produced on demand via additive

manufacturing through 3D measuring of the profiles. This joint enables circumferential

welding to produce a connection over a long length along with excellent prepositioning

of the components. The profiles are automatically aligned and fixed in place by the




node. A high-brightness laser with robot-guided optics is used. In addition, the laser

techniques used to produce profiles and nodes can largely be automated in assembly.

This concept offers great potential when it comes to the manufacturing cost structure

and the possibility of saving time.The additively manufactured nodes can be adapted to

reflect each load stage, e.g. by incorporating additional stiffening elements to cater for

high load requirements. This means that each version is designed for the optimum

weight and function. The hybrid design spans the required distances of the structure

with the profiles, while the nodes are used to connect the profiles together. Both

elements were optimized using CAE/CAD and guarantee the requirements that are

demanded of a bodywork structure. In the present case, as well as playing a

coordinating role, EDAG Engineering GmbH was responsible for devising and

optimizing the spaceframe concept, Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH did the laser welding,

the BLM Group undertook the 3D bending and laser cutting, and Concept Laser GmbH

performed the additive manufacturing of the nodes. The project could only be

implemented successfully thanks to the interdisciplinary collaboration between the

complementary partners and the high level of expertise of the individual technology

specialists in their specific disciplines.

Production of the additively manufactured NextGen spaceframe nodesThe LaserCUSING process from Concept Laser generates components in layers

directly from 3D CAD data. This method allows the production of components with

complex geometrical shapes without the use of any tools. It is possible to produce

components which it would be very difficult or impossible to fabricate by conventional

manufacturing. With this type of design, the nodes cannot be manufactured by

conventional steel casting. In order to be able to guarantee a fault-free structure, a

support structure should be provided on planes with an angle of less than 45° in relation




to the build platform. As well as providing simple support, the support itself absorbs in

particular internal stresses and prevents the components from warping. Due to the

complex geometry of the nodes, clean support preparation is the absolute basis of

successful production. After preparing the support, the component is virtually cut into

individual slices. Once the data has been transferred to the LaserCUSING machine, the

corresponding process parameters are assigned, and the build process is started. The

nodes were manufactured on an X line 1000R machine from Concept Laser which has

the appropriate build envelope (630 x 400 x 500 mm3) for such projects and operates

with a 1kW laser. Only the new X line 2000R (800 x 400 x 500 mm3), likewise from

Concept Laser, has a larger build envelope for powder-bed-based laser melting with

metals and it is also equipped with 2 x 1kW lasers.

Verdict: Digital 3D manufacturing strategy with laser technologies The spaceframe concept combines the advantages of 3D printing, such as flexibility and

the potential for lightweight construction, with the efficiency of proven conventional

profile designs. The laser plays the key role in both technologies. The topologically

optimized nodes enable the maximum lightweight construction that is possible at the

present time, and a high degree of functional integration. Both the nodes and the

profiles can be adapted to new geometries and load requirements without any additional

outlay. This means that they offer the possibility of designing every single part to cater

for the level of loading, and not dimensioning the components to reflect the greatest

motorization or load stage, as was previously the case. The basic idea then is to have a

node/profile design which can be optimally customized to reflect what the particular

model requires. The result is a spaceframe structure with an optimized load path. By

employing processes which do not involve much use of apparatus or tools, it will be




possible in future to manufacture all bodywork versions economically and with the

greatest possible flexibility.

Print approved – ask for copy

Captions ████████████████████████████████████████████

Caption 1: The “EDAG Light Cocoon” concept car, which was unveiled by EDAG at the

Geneva Motor Show in March 2015 and at the International Motor Show (IAA) in

September 2015 in Frankfurt, is a visionary embodiment of a compact sports car with a

completely bionically optimized and additively manufactured vehicle structure that is

combined with an outer skin made from weatherproof textile material and a variable light

design.

Captions 2a+b: Technology example: NextGen spaceframe: Functionally integrated,

bionically optimized lightweight vehicle structure manufactured flexibly: the bionically

optimized spaceframe concept produced by hybrid additive manufacturing highlights a

new way in which an adaptable and extremely flexible production concept can be

implemented to produce bodyworks that are designed to be suitable for different load

stages.

Captions 3a+b: The NextGen spaceframe nodes can be configured to be highly

functionally integrated thanks to additive manufacturing. Laser-additive manufacturing

has been linked to the profiling and bending and end processing of profiles by laser. The

basis for this is a load stage concept with bodywork versions that are precisely designed

using CAE and customized additively manufactured node structures.




Caption 4: Additive manufacturing of the NextGen spaceframe nodes on an X line

1000R from Concept Laser (build envelope: 630 x 400 x 500 mm3),

Caption 5: The successor to the X line 1000R, the X line 2000R from Concept Laser

(build envelope: 800 x 400 x 500 mm3), equipped with two lasers producing 1kW.

Picture credits █████████████████████████████████████████████

EDAG Engineering GmbH: 1; 2a+b; 3a+b

Concept Laser GmbH: 4; 5

Events ███████████████████████████████████████████

Future Car Body 2016, Bad Nauheim (Germany) June/07-June/08/2016

About the partners ██████████████████████████████████████

Concept Laser GmbH:

In 2001, one year after Concept Laser GmbH was founded as a startup by CEO & President

Frank Herzog, the company unveiled the world’s first industrial laser melting machine. Today,

the pioneer’s LaserCUSING process has provided him with more than 50 granted patents and

100 patent applications. 3D metal components are produced in a digital process chain which

could not be produced, or would be very difficult to produce, using traditional machining

methods. With more than 550 machines installed, Concept Laser is one of the key drivers of

powder-bed-based laser melting with metals, which is also referred to as a “green technology.”

Today, the aerospace industry, automotive industry, medical technology and other industries




focus strategically on 3D metal printing as the production strategy of the future and an

embodiment of "Industry 4.0." Finally, founder and CEO Frank Herzog was hailed as the “Best

CEO in the Additive Manufacturing Industry,” and as a finalist for the German Future Prize 2015

he belongs to the “Circle of Excellence” in Germany.

EDAG Engineering GmbH:EDAG Engineering GmbH is a globally leading and independent development partner to the

automotive industry and develops solutions that are ready to go into production to support the

mobility of the future. The range of services that the company offers includes the responsible

development of vehicles, derivatives, bodies, modules and the production facilities as well as the

modeling, prototyping and the production of molds and body systems. The competence centers

for “lightweight construction,” “electric mobility,” “light and vision” and “networking / Car IT” make

industry-relevant contributions to innovation that enable new technologies to be implemented

rapidly into large-scale automotive production. In 2015, EDAG was predicted to generate sales

of 675 million euros and employs around 7,900 employees around the world.

Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH:As a competence center for laser technologies, Laser Zentrum GmbH (LZN) sees itself as a link

between fundamental research and industrial application and it provides companies with real

impetus for the future that allows them to enhance their competitiveness in a sustainable way.

The research, development, and consulting activities cover the entire process chain from the

feasibility analysis right through to the quality-assured component. LZN works with companies

from the automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft construction, medical technology, toolmaking and

mechanical engineering sectors. The components are developed, optimized and implemented

from titanium, steel, stainless steel, aluminum and composite materials based on the principle of

“Engineering in Light – Photonic Solutions for Resource Efficient Products”.

For example, working with Airbus and Concept Laser as project partners, a new production

technique was developed for manufacturing a component from metal using 3D printing




processes - a cabin bracket made of titanium for the Airbus 350 XWB. This project entitled “3D

printing – a manufacturing revolution is taking off” persuaded the jury thanks to the level of

innovation and commercial application and was nominated for the German Future Prize 2015.

BLM Group:BLM GROUP is well known worldwide as a leader in tube processing automatic systems for 2D

and 3D laser cutting, sawing, bending, end-forming and measuring. “We are Tube” and “All in

One” are slogans of BLM to emphasize the knowledge and the experience in the entire tubular

parts production process. The goal is to make this process simple and cheap for customers in

any specific business sector: automotive, internal and external furnishings, civil and industrial

heating and conditioning, agricultural machines, industrial vehicles, motorcycles, buildings,

mechanics and many others. Ideation, design and production of systems from BLM is

completely made in three companies of the BLM Group in Italy: BLM S.p.A., Adige S.p.A. and

Adige-Sys S.p.A.. The BLM Group have actually more than 500 employees and is present in

many countries worldwide with our subsidiaries and service centers. Innovation, meaning the

creation of added value for customer, is a constant goal during development of new products

and solutions. That’s why BLM Group constantly invests a relevant part of its turnover in R&D

and participates to projects with a high level of innovation.

Contact ███████████████████████████████████████

Concept Laser GmbHAn der Zeil 8

D-96215 Lichtenfels

Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 9571 / 1679-0

Internet: www.concept-laser.de



http://www.concept-laser.de/


Press contact:Daniel Hund

Phone: +49 (0) 9571 / 1679-251

E-mail: [email protected]

LaserCUSING® background information ██████████████████

Key word: LaserCUSING®

The patented LaserCUSING® process from Concept Laser is used to create high-

precision mechanically and thermally resilient metallic components. The term

"LaserCUSING®," coined from the C in Concept Laser and the word FUSING, describes

the technology: The fusing process generates components layer by layer using 3D-CAD

data.

In this process, fine metal powder is fused locally by a high-energy fiber laser. The

material solidifies after cooling. The contour of the component is created by redirecting

the laser beam using a mirror redirection unit (scanner). The component is built up layer

by layer (with a layer thickness of 15 – 500 μm) by lowering the bottom of the build

chamber, applying more powder and then fusing again.



mailto:[email protected]


Source: Concept Laser GmbH

What makes systems from Concept Laser unique is stochastic control of the slice

segments (also referred to as "islands") which are processed successively. This

patented process ensures a significant reduction in stresses when manufacturing very

large components.

Concept Laser at a glance ██████████████████████████

Concept Laser GmbH from Lichtenfels, Germany is today, unlike almost any other

company, one of the real pioneers and key drivers of powder-bed-based laser melting

with metals. The technology driver here is the patented LaserCUSING® process, also

referred to as 3D metal printing, which over the course of 15 years has evolved the

additive manufacturing of 3D components from a rapid technology to the stage of

industrial series production.

When Frank Herzog founded Concept Laser GmbH back in 2000 in Lichtenfels, a metal

laser melting machine was an entirely unknown quantity in the market. How is a 3D




geometry created from metal powder using a laser? What does 3D printing mean or a

digital process chain for the manufacturing of the future?

The answer was industrial machine technology: Concept Laser unveiled the first

machine of this type in 2001 at Euromold in Frankfurt. With more than 50 patents

granted today and over 100 patent applications, Frank Herzog and his workforce of

more than 170 employees continue to champion and develop the LaserCUSING®

process. The company caters for the global market for laser fusing machines across all

different sectors from sites in Germany, the USA and China and through a network of

more than 35 distribution and service partners.

Concept Laser's high quality standards, expertise in processes, applications and

materials deliver reliable and cost-effective solutions which prove their effectiveness in

everyday production and are primarily aimed at reducing part costs. In addition to

commercial aspects, the process offers a large number of other benefits compared to

conventional methods of production: The parts are lighter, the designer has new

freedoms, the topology and geometry are optimized, additional functions can be

integrated, and less raw material is required. What this means is parts that were

previously manufactured using machining processes are now being redesigned to fully

exploit the new potential offered by additive manufacturing.

Concept Laser offers a range of small machines (50 x 50 x 80 mm3) right through to the

machine with the world’s largest build envelope (800 x 400 x 500 mm 3). Machines from

Concept Laser that are equipped with multilaser technology are among the fastest,

safest and highest-quality laser fusing machines in the world. More than 550 installed

machines and prestigious references and projects of this Franconian “hidden champion”

around the globe send out a clear message and symbolize an outstanding technology

for the future sealed with the endorsement “Made in Germany”.




For example, today the aerospace industry, automotive industry, medical technology,

dental technology, toolmaking and other sectors focus strategically on 3D metal printing

as the economical and high-quality production strategy of the future that embraces the

notion of "Industry 4.0.”

Prizes & awards ██████████████████████████

2001 Presented with the EuroMold Silver AWARD for the M3 linear

LaserCUSING® machine

2008 Presented with the Bavarian Innovation Prize for the M2 cusing


2012 Presented with the EuroMold Bronze AWARD for the X line 1000R


2014 BAVARIA’S BEST 50 prize-winner

2014 Finalist in the “Large Companies” category for the German Industry

Innovation Prize in the shape of Frank Herzog, President & CEO of

Concept Laser GmbH

Project: “The first 3D-printed titanium component on board the A350 XWB”




2015 The “European CEO of the Year Additive Manufacturing” award was

presented to Frank Herzog, President & CEO of Concept Laser GmbH

2015 Nominated for the German Future Prize – Prize awarded by the German

President for technology and innovation

Project: “3D printing in commercial aircraft engineering – a manufacturing

revolution is taking off” in the shape of Frank Herzog, President & CEO of

Concept Laser GmbH

2015 FOCUS Growth Champion

2016 Winner of the International Additive Manufacturing Award with the QM

Meltpool 3D quality monitoring tool, which was developed in-house

The art of LaserCUSING® by Concept Laser



Documents

PM Concept Laser EN€¦ · Web viewPR-Concept Laser-EDAG Spaceframe-4-2016-final_EN.docx. ... and industrial application and it provides companies ... C in Concept Laser and the