HYBDED | Hybrid manufacturing of mechatronic components

The video shows the cold gas spray cell of Fraunhofer IGCV, which was extended by an additional multi-axis robot. During the interruption of the cold gas spraying process, the robot with the HYBDED front end removes a temperature sensor from the component magazine and places it on the build plate.

Compared to powder bed-based processes (e.g., laser beam melting), Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes are characterized by higher deposition rates and larger feasible component dimensions. Representatives of these processes are, for example, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) or Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM).

For companies, especially in the automotive, aerospace, and medical industries, additive manufacturing promises a wide range of new applications, and spare parts, in particular, can be reproduced quickly and easily.

With the integration of sensors into components, data can be collected at positions that were previously inaccessible or very difficult to access. Research is currently being conducted at Fraunhofer IGCV  to integrate PT100 temperature sensors into cold gas sprayed components. In addition to the optimal connection of the sensors, the focus is on the subsequent automation of the integration process (see video).

The HYBDED sub-project focuses on additive manufacturing using cold gas spraying, enabling a high order rate and thus short production times. The research project aims to insert sensors, and other mechatronic components into cold gas sprayed components in an automated and process-safe manner. To this end, the cold gas cell from the sister project FASTMULT is being expanded to include an additional industrial robot. This can be used to insert mechatronic components into the parts and overmold them. In addition to the gripper and monitoring technology, the module also has a milling spindle for preparing the required cavities to insert the components into the component in a process-safe manner.

One hurdle in the in-process integration of mechatronic components in cold spraying is the great mechanical stress on the components caused by the spray jet. For the successful integration of the components, they need to be prepared. For this purpose, a process concept (see figure 3) was developed, currently being qualified at Fraunhofer IGCV.