C2C{Network

Study visit Fablab Leuven – July 13, 2010

Additive production technology and sustainability: challenges and opportunities

Prof. Karel Van Acker, K.U.Leuven Materials Research Centre

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context: Plan C

Flemish Transition Network Sustainable Materials Management

visionary leitbild20xx

strategic visions

2030closing

the circletailor-made

materialsservice

economyconscious

societygreen

plastics

2009

experiments

phase 1

phase 3

phase 2

lear

ning

& u

psca

ling

• Long term vision as framework for short term actions• Room for high risk experiments in niche sectors• System innovation approach• Active role of all relevant actors

context: Plan C

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knowledge/controlmaterial flows

extended materials

responsibility

reverse logistics

design for cycle

closedmaterial loops

tech

nosp

here b

iosp

here

biomimeticmaterials

biobasedmaterials

2030 smaller transparant material cycles

2008

uncontrollable, obscure, global material flows

1:1production

1000:1 production

revaluelocal production

neighbourhoodlabs

bottom-upproduction

just-in-needproduction

modularproduction

Material wasting production

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mining production use phase End-of-Life

resources waste

production

• e.g. aerospace industry– classical machining

• buy to fly ratio up to 15:1• cooling lubircants (Germany: 75 ktonnes/yr)

– casting• energy consumption of holding molten materials• tooling

– molding• tooling• cooling and mold release components• design restrictions

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what is additive manufacturing?(3D printing, rapid manufacturing)

• polymers– Stereolithography (e.g. photopolymers)

– Selective Laser Sintering (e.g. nylon powder)

– Fused Deposition Modelling (e.g. extrusion of ABS)

• metals/ceramics– Selective laser sintering/melting– 3D fibre deposition

Materials used

• General:High density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), unplasticised polyvinylchloride (UPVC), ABS, polylactic acid (PLA) and polycapralactone (PCL)steel, titanium, aluminium, …

• Can the materials cycle be closed?

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Materials used

• Can the materials cycle be closed?– process waste can be recycled

– use of bio-based materials• PLA• starch• sugar, clay

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Materials used

• Can the materials cycle be closed?– process waste can be recycled

– use of bio-based materials• PLA• starch• sugar, clay

– use of recycled materials• glass

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Strenghts of additive production

• material effectiveness• use of biobased and recycled materials – underway• waste/emission minimisation during production

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11source: ATKINS rapport, Loughborough University, 2007

Strenghts of additive production

• material effectiveness• use of biobased and recycled materials – underway• waste/emission minimisation during production• freedom of design

– further reduction of material need+ very complex geometries possible

– make use phase efficiente.g. complex lightweight constructions

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Strenghts of additive production

• material effectiveness• use of biobased and recycled materials – underway• waste/emission minimisation during production• freedom of design• repair of components• transport of bytes instead of materials

reduce logistical requirements by shortening the supply chain and minimising the need for waste material disposal or recycling;

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Strengths of additive production

• material effectiveness• use of biobased and recycled materials – underway• waste/emission minimisation during production• freedom of design• repair of components• transport of bytes instead of materials• economic– stock can be reduced to low value raw material– local production, since labour cost is not decisive

• social– personalised products – more added value ??– you can make almost everything yourself Fablab

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Weaknesses of additive production

• Energy consumption• Technological drawbacks

– slowness– poor surface precision– cost

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Weaknesses of additive production

• Energy consumption• Technological drawbacks• Closing the loop

– there is a huge potential to use this technology for C2C,however still a lot of research has to be done

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Weaknesses of additive production

• Energy consumption• Technological drawbacks• Closing the loop• Potential rebound effect

3D printing = gadget printing?

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Weaknesses of additive production

• Energy consumption• Technological drawbacks• Closing the loop• Potential rebound effect

3D printing = gadget printing?

• Need for new business models

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www.additivemanufacturing.be

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A system innovation approach

To conclude

• material effectiveness• use of biobased and recycled

materials – underway• waste/emission minimisation during

production• freedom of design• repair of components• transport of bytes instead of materials• economic– stock can be reduced to low value raw

material– local production, since labour cost is not

decisive• social– personalised products – more added

value ??– you can make almost everything yourself

Fablab 21

• Energy consumption• Technological drawbacks• Closing the loop• Potential rebound effect

3D printing = gadget printing?• Need for new business models

To Conclude

Additive manufacturing bears the opportunity to be a truly supportive technology for C2C, BUT also to be a new source of unsustainable production

The transition of production technologies towards this (and other kinds of) personalised production is ongoing

How will we make this transition growing into a sustainable direction?

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Prof. Dr. ir. Karel Van AckerK.U.Leuven Research & Developmentc/o department MTMKasteelpark Arenberg 44BE-3001 Leuventel. +32 16 321271 e-mail: Karel.VanAcker@lrd.kuleuven.be

Prof. Dr. ir. Ignaas Verpoest chairman Leuven MRC

department MTMKasteelpark Arenberg 44

BE-3001 Leuven+32 16 321306

ignaas.verpoest@mtm.kuleuven.be

contact: www.leuvenmrc.be

realisations @KULeuven

Quality control by industrial X-ray CT

Production of metal components by SLM