Surface structuring and condition monitoring

problem

Production at the high-wage location in Germany – to the same extent as in Saarland – is only competitive in an international comparison if innovative products are produced from an economic point of view in such a way that non-value-added costs are significantly saved or even completely avoided.
Since this is not the case consistently, the production of high-stress precision parts, for example, leads to high additional costs.

objective

The aim of the project is to produce a clear feedback to the processing result with signals that are available in sufficient strength, by using the signals processed for an online control of manufacturing processes. Optimum machining parameters can be applied within a narrow tolerance range so that processes can be mastered, production costs reduced and competitiveness increased.

approach

Pulsed electrochemical ablation Pulse Electrochemical Machining (PECM) and spark erosive ablation Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) makes it possible to produce workpieces with tight geometrical shape and position tolerances in a targeted manner and in series.

The flow dynamics, electrical and chemical processes closely coupled in the PECM process pose a major challenge for tool design and simulation. Accordingly, one task of the project is to validate the resulting computer-aided models in experiments, to improve them in an iterative process and to use them for process optimization.

In the field of EDM, the generated surface is significantly influenced by the electrode geometry and the processing parameters due to the statistical process behavior. The task of this project is to determine the electrode geometry and process parameters required for the generation of certain surfaces and to validate them in tests.
Condition monitoring by means of in-process measurements of the process and machine as well as process control and optimization derived from this form a further focus of research.

Recovery concept

Scientific research focuses on the investigation, evaluation and expansion of production-related possibilities at production-ready systems.
In addition to the consideration of the respective process, tool design, parameter constellations, boundary conditions and data return for optimization are also included.
The starting point of the investigations is the measurement of machine and process data. Using the data obtained, the modelling of machine and process functions is advanced using the finite element method (FEM) in computer-aided models.
Category: Manufacturing processes and automation

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