SPS-KOBO extrusion PL

Existing INOP pilot line consists of spark plasma sintering machine HP D 25-3 (FCT Systeme GmbH) and hydraulic KOBO press of 2000t capacity equipped with special accessory for die rotation. The INOP facility is equipped with SPS machine (national Project FNiTP, 2011) for SPS technology of nanostructured components manufacturing developed within FP6 Bearing and FP7 Pilotmanu projects.

KOBO extrusion system is installed in INOP facility for manufacturing of various profiles of Al alloy based nanostructured MMCs for automotive and aircraft industries (national Project Nanomet). The SPA technology modified within Pilotmanu Project allowed to take into account the self propagation high temperature synthesis reactions (during SPS) and find the regimes of ductile Cu based MMC structure formation. The cold KOBO extrusion process of SPS allows to obtain profiles at ambient temperature due to development of effective dynamic softening processes at the nanoscale. The upgraded pilot line will allow to produce: i) the light weight Ti based composite bearing rings for aircraft/automotive industry with SPS of nanostructured High energy ball milling (HEBM) composite powders made by MBN, and ii) Al alloy (AA6061 and AA7075) based composite profiles with SPS-KOBO extrusion for further production of aircraft and automotive fasteners and suspension/frame elements by cold forging. Typical fastener alloys are 2024-T4 and 6061-T6 (cold-formed bolts, screws, rivets, machine-screw nuts). Additionally, AA7075 HEBM powders will be applied.




MAIN INNOVATIONS during LightMe Project

Installation of monitoring system for more efficient control of process parameters. Use of higher strength tools and dies (e.g. graphite and ceramic materials) leading to enhanced dimensional accuracy and decrease of production cost. A replacement the graphite foil of high thickness (400 μm) with tungsten foil of low thickness (25 μm) will allow to achieve a higher dimensional accuracy of the sintered parts.

Application of monitoring system for the external die temperature & modification of software of temperature control will allow to improve the quality of sintered products. New designs and tool assembling and disassembling modules of SPS and KOBO will increase the SPS-KOBO PL productivity. The target materials of SPS-KOBO pilot line are pre-alloyed aluminium and titanium alloys reinforced by nanoparticles such as SiC, BC4 etc.