From 1 to 5 April, the BAM will be at the Hannover Messe 2019 to present research on safety in additive manufacturing. BAM’s expertise ranges from the characterisation of source materials and component testing to the standardisation of processes. The goal is to transfer the research results to industrial application.

“As the centre of excellence for safety in technology and chemistry, BAM is working to further develop additive manufacturing processes along with partners from industry and research,” explains BAM president Prof. Dr. Ulrich Panne. “We are ensuring safety in additive manufacturing and making a substantial contribution to putting this technology into practice.”

At the Hannover Messe 2019, BAM scientists will present current research work under the slogan “We Add Safety to Additive Manufacturing.” This research focuses on the following questions:

  • How can we develop reliable process monitoring in order to avoid complex component testing?
  • How can we predict how durable additively manufactured parts are if they were to be used in gas turbines, for example?
  • How can we use innovative materials and further develop additive manufacturing processes for the construction sector, for example, for the production of complex spare parts for infrastructure systems?

BAM’s expertise within additive manufacturing ranges from the characterisation of source materials and component testing to the standardisation of processes. BAM has many years of experience, for instance, with welding processes and non-destructive testing. This knowledge will be used to further develop additive manufacturing processes and the safe use of additively manufactured components.

Additive manufacturing processes are versatile and enable customized manufacturing of complex components, which can be produced in small quantities as needed. Additive manufacturing provides potential for innovative application in various industries, from mechanical and plant engineering to aerospace, automotive and medical technology to construction.

BAM will also present the project Thermofas at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) stand. The project focuses on using thermography to assess the quality of fibre composites for the wind energy industry.

Rotor blades from offshore wind turbines are exposed to extreme stress and therefore need regular maintenance. Up to now, industrial climbers conduct a visual inspection of the rotor blades by knocking on them to determine any structural faults. Active thermography can be used to check for deep-set faults in a quicker fashion and does not require any contact. BAM aims to develop thermographic methods further so that they can be used effectively and reliably in practice.

Visitors can receive comprehensive information about BAM’s research on additive manufacturing at stand C51 in the Research & Technology area in hall 2. BAM is also presenting its commitment to promoting spin-offs.

BAM will provide information on the quality assurance of offshore wind turbines in the same hall at the BMWi trade fair stand (hall 2, stand C28).

More information about BAM at the Hannover Messe 2019 can be found at www.bam.de/hannovermesse-en

The publication “Additive Manufacturing at BAM – Safety in Focus” provides an overview of the wide range of our research in this area: www.bam.de/am-broschuere