LORTEK PARTICIPATES IN THE MULTI-FUN PROJECT

Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies versatility makes them most suitable for producing from unique parts up to full series production. Yet, even the mostly used Metal AM (MAM) technology, Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), is not capable of going beyond single materials, and even the range of standard alloys is rather small. The MULTI-FUN project, which Lortek is part of, aims to address those shortcomings in two ways. First, by improving performance and efficiency in metal additive manufacturing through the integration of multi-functionalities based on novel active materials and the development of new structural materials for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), including high strength aluminium alloys and low alloyed steel grades. And secondly by enabling multi-material design in geometrically complex 3D parts without being hindered by size.

The project focuses on Metal Additive Manufacturing by applying combinations of different materials, combined with the most appropriate AM technology for the deposition, to maximize the benefits. Wire and powder based directed energy deposition (DED) and material jetting are employed in new AM equipment combining different AM technologies with tailored software. The inclusion of nano-materials allows the integration of novel and breakthrough features, such as heat sink materials with the highest thermal conductivity, a high degree of integral design that makes it possible to embed electrical conductors in complex shaped metal structures, and the addition of sensing and data transfer capabilities to the equipment and software development. In addition, the integration of tailored optical fibres will enable bringing advanced thorough sensing capabilities to the manufactured parts to perform Structural Health Monitoring (SHM).

Lortek will be in charge of integrating the optical fibres in WAAM process to manufacture aeronautic parts with SHM performance.

Lortek is a private technology center, member of BRTA (Basque Research & Technology Alliance) and a cooperative member of the Mondragon Corporation. Lortek seeks for excellence in manufacturing processes as well as in their digitalization to transfer it to the industry in order to improve their competitiveness and sustainability. Lortek’s specialization fields are welding technologies, metal additive manufacturing, inspection and digital intelligence in processes, inspection and non destructive testing (NDT) and smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0.