BAM research at Werner-von-Siemens Centre enters second stage of Additive Manufacturing for gas turbines
March 21, 2024
Germany’s Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, [BAM]) has announced that it is continuing its research projects focused on highly efficient gas turbines at the Werner von Siemens Centre for Industry and Science eV (WvSC) for another two years. The projects — funded by the state of Berlin and the European Union — aim to optimise the maintenance, repair and operations process of gas turbine blades and develop sustainable Additive Manufacturing solutions.
MRO 2.0: Human-machine interaction and AI
The MRO 2.0 project focuses on optimising the gas turbine blade repair process by developing automated, digitalised refurbishment process chains that enable efficiency upgrades. During the first phase of this project, demonstrators and systems for assessing the condition of the turbine blades and AM repair processes. The second phase will focus on transferring these findings into use cases and working to get resultant processes and procedures accepted by the workforce.
During Phase Two, BAM will test new methods for determining the remaining wall thickness and assessing damage near the surface of turbine blades. The methods will enable the team to analyse the condition of the used turbine blades in order to appropriately repair the part with Additive Manufacturing processes such as Directed Energy Deposition (DED).
BAM scientists are also developing virtual models (’digital twins’) of the entire process. Using AI algorithms, the team continuously analyses data on the operating conditions and behaviour of the turbine blades in use. This allows for predictions about the remaining life of components, the proactive planning of maintenance measures and the minimisation of downtime.
Ten partners are involved in the project, including Siemens Energy, several Fraunhofer Institutes and the Technical University of Berlin.
HTA 2.0: Sustainable Additive Manufacturing for high-temperature applications
The HTA 2.0 project will work towards sustainable Additive Manufacturing processes and components for high-temperature components in large gas turbines. It will build on the successful results of the first funding period, in which the processing of complex, high-temperature materials produced via Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) was characterised, and effective process monitoring techniques were developed. This allows for errors to be detected during the build process.
Currently, the team is looking into faster, more efficient Additive Manufacturing processes. These processes will then be evaluated in the context of sustainable product development in order to achieve economically and ecologically more efficient production solutions for components which will be in contact with high temperatures.
Another central research focus is on increasing the reusability of the starting material for Additive Manufacturing processes and reducing material waste. To this end, recycling strategies for both used powder and consolidated solid material from waste that comes from faulty construction processes and support structures are being developed and tested in an effort to reduce high material costs and environmental impact. Holistic life cycle analyses evaluate the economic and ecological impacts.
This project includes eleven partners, including scientific institutions, large corporations and several SMEs. BAM is contributing its expertise in comprehensive material characterisation, Additive Manufacturing processes, process observation and component inspection, as well as determining material behaviour at high temperatures.
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