DirectSpare: A European Approach

for Spare Parts on Demand

Karel Brans – MaterialiseAM Conference Loughborough 2011

DirectSpare

Content

• Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

• Identification of Barriers and Research Objectives

– Selection of Case Studies

– Design

– Materials

– Processes

– Quality Assurance

– Business Models

• Demonstration

• Conclusion

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

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Web

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

The impact of the DirectSpare concept

Warehouses stacked with

spare parts...Software Databases!

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

The impact of the DirectSpare concept

Ordered spare parts

transported around the globe...Local production of spare

parts at customer site!

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

The impact of the DirectSpare concept

Millions of unused spare parts

being reduced to scrap...Only on demand production

of required parts!

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

The impact of the DirectSpare concept

Obsolete equipment

because of unavailability of

spare parts...

Reverse engineered spare

parts, produced by AM!

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

The impact of the DirectSpare concept

Manufacturing at low wage

countriesManufacturing in Europe

Production of Spare Parts for Europe

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DirectSpare

Spare Parts on Demand, the Dream

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Web

Local

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers – Project Structure

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Prototypes Spare Parts

Product Life Cycle

Demand

Part Selection Design

DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

DESIGN

AM materials are different

The original part has failed

► AM spare parts need to be redesigned How can redesign costs be minimized?

What if only a damaged original part is available?

How to collect design specifications?

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers – Project Structure

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Prototypes Spare Parts

Product Life Cycle

Demand

Part Selection MaterialsDesign

DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

MATERIALS

Selected cases reveal limitations in AM material

Both polymer and metal

Improved properties open wide range of possible

new applications for spare parts

► New AM material is required How to optimize without starting from scratch?

Focus on which properties?

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers – Project Structure

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Prototypes Spare Parts

Product Life Cycle

Demand

Part Selection Materials ProcessesDesign

DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

PROCESSES

Coping with new materials

Fulfill high requirements for spare parts

► AM processes need to be modified Which part properties to focus on?

How to evaluate the process?

...

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers – Project Structure

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Prototypes Spare Parts

Product Life Cycle

Demand

Part Selection Materials Processes Business ModelsDesign

DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

BUSINESS MODELS

Not just replacing traditional manufacturing by AM

Complete business model and supply chain

change

► New Business Models are required What are the different business model scenarios?

Maximizing the gains of manufacturing with AM?

Which investments and how do they pay off?

Costs for switching to AM?

Should you partner or go for it alone?

...

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers – Project Structure

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Prototypes Spare Parts

Product Life Cycle

Demand

Part Selection Materials Processes Business Models QADesign

DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Functional parts are made

Repeatable quality must be guaranteed

Traceability and certification are required

► New Quality Assurance guidelines and

methodologies are required What are the main quality parameters?

How can we guarantee quality at an acceptable

cost?

Which quality guidelines can we formulate?

...

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DirectSpare

Identification of Barriers - R&D Objectives

A project Structure to tackle these challenges

General AssemblyChaired by Project CoordinatorPresent: All Partners

EIIGPresent: External Industries

Steering CommitteeChaired by SME (BPO)Present: All SMEs + Project Coordinator

WP7: Dissemination and Exploitation

Inspire

Management BoardChaired by Project CoordinatorPresent: All WP leaders + Project Coordinator

WP1: Case Studies

FCUB

WP2: Design and Simulation

BPO

WP3: Material Development

EVO

WP4: Process Development

EOS

WP5: Business Model, ICT and TQM

FHG

WP6: Demonstration

+90

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DirectSpare

CASE STUDIES

Application driven project: Case Study Selection

Automotive Aerospace Domestic

Appliances

Energy Industry

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DirectSpare

Application driven project: Case Study Selection

Automotive

Front Grill

Aluminium (Al99,9 Mg 0,5 F10)

Obsolete tools

24h delivery time within EU

Head Light Cover

Plastic (PP Copolymerisat)

Running out of stock, tools

24h delivery within EU

CASE STUDIES

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DirectSpare

Application driven project: Case Study Selection

Aerospace

Command Support

Composite + coating (+inserts)

No CAD file, Obsolete tools

Red Gimbal

Composite (using moulds)

Running out of stock

Actual delivery time > 2 weeks

CASE STUDIES

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DirectSpare

Application driven project: Case Study Selection

Domestic Appliances

Energy Industry

Drive Pedestal

Polymer (PA) + Rubber (NR)

AM is alternative, avoiding assembly

Heat Shield

Metal (Inconel 939, cast)

AM is alternative

CASE STUDIES

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DirectSpare

CASE STUDIES

Which Parts are potential DirectSpare parts?

RM-Part ?Engineering

Constraints

Material

Constraints

Process

Constraints

Economic

Constraints

Product Quality

Constraints

RM-Part feasible ! RM-Part not feasible

Ecological

Constraints

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DirectSpare

DESIGN

Design Scenarios

Pre-production

Spare part design

Flexible Pre-production

Spare part design

Post-production

Spare part design

Parallel engineering original and AM spare part “Independent” Engineering

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DirectSpare

DESIGN

When no 3D file is available

Scan the damaged original part

Back to

CAD?

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DirectSpare

DESIGN

When no 3D file is available

Advanced

hole filling

tools

Sketching

tools on STL

files

Wrapping

tools = “1 click

fix + offset” + macros

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DirectSpare

DESIGN

Automating redesign for AM spare parts

Test Case Specifications:•Composing specs is important, but difficult.

• “Obvious” things are ignored.

•Often, specifications are unknown.

•There is no “generic” specification sheet.

• Expensive process!

Proposed Solution: “Copy part method”:•The original part was designed according to specs

•Copy its behaviour to the AM Spare part

•Derive typical properties such as:Mass

Stiffness (in x, y, z)

Strength (in x, y, z)

Natural Frequencies.

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DirectSpare

DESIGN

Application of new methods and state of the

art engineering on test cases

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MATERIALS

Which properties to focus on?

Polymers (PA based):

1. Elongation at break

Metals:

1. High Temperature: Hastelloy X

2. Aluminium

Optimising PA

powder

composition

Post treatment

of PA powder

Optimisation of

powder composition

and morphology

Optimisation

of process

and post

treatment

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DirectSpare

MATERIALS

Optimizing powder material

SEM image showing particle shape and size of the new Evonik PA

Increased elongation at break measured

Processing Challenges:• Sinter behaviour (DSC measurements)

• Formation of agglomerates

• Sticking to blade

• ...

Analysis of composition, morphology and flowability of EOS AlSi10Mg powder

PA based

Al based

Processing Challenges:• Residual stresses

• Surface finish

• ...

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DirectSpare

MATERIALS

Post Treatment of PA Parts

1. Influence physical ageing: rejuvenation by

• Heat treatment resulting in rejuvenation.

• Swelling in liquids

2. Improve cohesive strength by:

• Application of 4 different filling materials.

• Exposure to gamma radiation to crosslink

amorphous material

Specimens to evaluate dimensional stability

Objective:• Increase ductility

• Maintain dimensional stability

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DirectSpare

PROCESSES

Laser Sintering of Hastelloy X

Optimization of process parameters ( + post processing routines)

Scan speed (mm/s)

Ha

tch

dis

tan

ce

(m

m)

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DirectSpare

PROCESSES

Laser Sintering of Aluminium

Optimization of process hardware: preheating

Optimization of process parameters

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DirectSpare

PROCESSES

Laser Sintering of Aluminium

Optimization of process hardware: preheating

Preheating

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DirectSpare

PROCESSES

F-Cubic Metal Printing Process Optimization

Goal: To investigate if AM can produce parts equal to

traditional processes (MIM, machining) considering:

• Surface finish

• Dimensional accuracy

• Material properties

• Cost

Approach• New printer with linear

encoder for better print

accuracy

• New device to add

powder to the platform

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DirectSpare

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Identification of quality parameters

Resulted in long list of recommendations

Cost calculations of recommended procedures (focus on material analysis and

automatic finishing)

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DirectSpare

QUALITY ASSURANCE

AM Data Management and Tracking

Data management system

Magics Link

Shop

Online Shop

ConvertFix

Label

...

Plugins

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CRM

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Web

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DirectSpare

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Standards and certification

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DirectSpare

Aspects

High Low

Volume

As Is Improved

Product

Multiple RM only

Manufact

On stock On demand

Supply strat

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3 scenario’s

BUSINESS MODELS

Identification of scenarios

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DirectSpare

BUSINESS MODELS

Customer

Demand &

Intake

Engineering

Manufacturing

Assembly Service Use Aftersales

Layering Processing Finishing

Volume & Cost Topics

Product requirements

Process requirements (incl. warehousing & transportation. IT issues))

IPR/Liability issues

Environmental impact

Number of stakeholders

Quantifying DirectSpare impact on Business Models

1. Currentsituation and

scoping

2. Alternativesolutions

3. Technical feasibility

• Long list alternatives

• AM possibility• Set up Techni-

cal feasibility

• Market issues & requirements

• Project Set Up& timing

• SWOT

•Short list alternatives

• AM solution•Set up Commer-cial feasibility

4. Commercialfeasibility

• Business Case• Supply chain• Partners and

investmentsrequired

5. Actionplan

• Roll out

• Activities:

• Market research• Customer demand• Current design

production and marketplaces

• Legal issues• Environment• Patents

• Activities:

• Solution long list • Selection criteria• Outsider input

• Visualisation of solution

• Highlight plan with milestones

• Go/no go planning

• Activities:

• Benefit/constraint• Physical principles• Function & process

• Data capturing• Decide on solution

• Determine technical feasibility

• Activities:

• Sketch proposed supply chain

• Research benefits

over alternatives• Make business &

investment plan• Determine com-

mercial feasibility

• Activities:

• Select marketplace and business model

• Contract partners• Agree on

introduction plan• Secure investment

Week1 Wk 3 Wk 5 Wk 8 Wk 11 Wk16

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DirectSpare

Conclusion

• DirectSpare, the Dream

• The Impact of DirectSpare

• Identification of Barriers and Research Objectives Selection of Case Studies

Design

Materials

Processes

Quality Assurance

Business Models

• Demonstration

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DirectSpare

DEMONSTRATION

Example, Red Gimbal

Movie of First test flight new Flying Cam Helicopter

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DirectSpare

Danke!

Merci!Bedankt!

Tack!

Teşekkür Ederim!

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