Quantal relies on INEGI to reinforce structural integrity of 3D-printed components

Additive manufacturing is a present and future commitment of Quantal, a company specialized in the production of metalworking parts for the automotive and capital goods industries. That's why it teamed up with INEGI to create post-treatment solutions that are effective in mitigating structural integrity problems in 3D-produced components.

"Although additive manufacturing - also known as 3D printing - has been explored for some years, the technology suffers from intrinsic problems that affect the structural integrity of the manufactured components", explains Daniel Braga, responsible for the project at INEGI.

"Limited durability restricts the generalization of 3D printing applications in the industry, so it is urgent to ensure the durability of components, especially when subjected to complex environments and loads, as in the automotive industry", he adds.

The partnership between Quantal and INEGI was born with the aim of optimizing the metallic additive manufacturing process, but also to stimulate the industrial adoption of these technologies.

To this end, the solutions will involve the optimization of manufacturing and post-treatment processes, namely the determination of the ideal parameters for processes such as Laser Melting Deposition (LMD), and surface treatments such as Laser Shock Peening (LSP), mechanical and thermochemical treatments. 

To guarantee the quality of the 3D printing, the Institute's specialists will also study the surface properties and 3D geometry of the components, using non-destructive inspection techniques. The evaluation of the structural integrity resulting from the developed processes, in terms of fatigue and corrosion resistance, is also a priority.

The STREAM - Surface TREatment for Additive Manufacturing project is led by Quantal, with the participation of INEGI, as well as RTI and PROINNO, both from the Czech Republic. The STREAM project is part of the SMART Eureka European cluster.