Topography-optimized, light-weight and resource-efficient components are required by aerospace industry which usually make the component too complex to be manufactured by conventional processes. Additive manufacturing process offers the solution to build complex and customized parts using powder material. At the same time, it is required to manufacture components which are defect-free. Currently there is no high-strength aluminium alloy being processed by additive manufacturing. Therefore the goal of the project is the development of additive manufacturing process for quality assured high strength aluminium alloy EN AW-7075. The aim is to develop an efficient test methodology (RAPID-SLM) to reliably predict the fatigue life of additive manufactured components. It will take into account the influence of process-induced defects and their distribution on the resulting fatigue life and will propose process-optimization accordingly.

Duration: 2015 until 2017

Consortium: 2 Universities, 2 Industrial Enterprises