Automotive production improves the carbon footprint of tools and machines with customized components - at the same time, ready-to-install components, so-called "engineered products", achieve an enormous increase in performance in terms of material properties.
Difference between conventional and additive manufacturing
This is shown by a case study in die casting production: The CO2 footprint of a conventionally manufactured component was compared with an additively manufactured sub-insert from Voestalpine High Performance Metals (HPM). If a conventional component is replaced by an engineered product from Voestalpine HPM, the innovative component saves 66 tons of CO2 equivalents per year. The service life is extended by 150%. The "sub-insert" component is used in the study in the die-casting process for the production of 600,000 aluminum vehicle parts per year. As extremely high temperatures prevail in the die-casting cell, the sub-inserts are among the critical components in the manufacturing process.
Additive manufacturing gives design freedom
Modern additive manufacturing opens up new possibilities for temperature control in the engineered product: specially integrated channels ensure homogeneous cooling, while sensors simultaneously monitor production in real time. This ensures greater efficiency and quality. The bottom line is that the service life of the material is increased by 150%.
Better sustainability balance
The new longevity has a positive effect on the use of resources and significantly improves the sustainability balance. In the case study, only 10 sub-insert components are required per year instead of the previous 25. 160 MWh are saved in energy consumption per year - that equates to 23,000 euros less in costs. The installation of the customized sub-insert also has a positive impact on the CO2 balance.
Product transparency requirements
"The major players in the automotive industry are increasingly reducing their CO2 emissions. This has significant consequences: in future, the requirements for product transparency in terms of carbon footprint will increase. We assume that the demand to reduce emissions will also affect suppliers in the value chain. This is why solutions are needed that support this development - Voestalpine's High Performance Metals Division already offers such solutions today and is driving them forward together with our customers as part of our inSPire sustainability concept," says Reinhard Nöbauer, Member of the Management Board of the High Performance Metals Division.
Engineered products ready for immediate use
As the case study shows, customized engineered products are able to make a significant contribution to reducing companies' CO2 emissions. Voestalpine HPM focuses on processes involving die casting, plastic injection molding and food processing. The parts are custom-designed and manufactured by Voestalpine, undergoing all the necessary production steps. They can be used immediately in a tool, machine or assembly.
To the High Performance Metals Division
The High Performance Metals Division of the Voestalpine Group focuses on the production and processing of high-performance materials and customer-specific services such as heat treatment, high-tech surface treatment and additive manufacturing processes with increasing use of digital technologies. The division is one of the leading suppliers of high-speed steels, valve steels and other products made of special steels, powder materials, nickel-based alloys, titanium and, if required, ready-to-install components also based on additive manufacturing technologies. The division has set itself the goal of integrating all aspects of sustainability into its daily work. (bt)
Information in this article was originally posted by: Industrieanzeiger