RESEARCH NEWS
Roll embossing for future bipolar plate production
EOS M290 pure copper metal 3D printing ( parts designed in nTop ).
Launch of new AM Centre of Excellence
The University of Wolverhampton ( UK ) and 3D printing global specialists EOS and AMCM have joined forces to launch a new UK Centre of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing ( AM ). The partnership will provide access technology from EOS and AMCM and specialises in the development of advanced materials and processes for demanding applications in industries such as space , automotive , aerospace , electronics and quantum computing .
Partially funded by the UK ’ s Regional Innovation Fund ( RIF ), the Centre will be based in the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills ( ECMS ) at the University of Wolverhampton ’ s Springfield Campus . The Centre will be a hub for knowledge exchange and research commercialisation activities , catering for local , regional and global customers in a wide range of sectors . The University of Wolverhampton ’ s Additive Manufacturing Research Group and its spin-off company , Additive Analytics , will lead material and process development activities .
“ Industries ranging from automotive and electronics to quantum computing and aerospace are already expressing interest , highlighting the broad applicability of copper AM for thermal management and electrification , due to its exceptional thermal and electrical properties . Whilst copper has desirable properties , it is challenging to laser process it , hindering its widespread adoption in AM . The work of the consortium aims to address this by leveraging cutting-edge technologies , processes and expertise to drive efficiency and reduce material waste ,” said the University of Wolverhampton .
Future projects will investigate the integration of laser process data and machine learning , and artificial intelligence technologies for efficient material and laser process development . n
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Climate-friendly fuel cell systems , which are set to power machines such as vehicles in the future , are still rare and expensive . There are several reasons for this , including the complex and costly process used to produce bipolar plates ( a key component in electrolysers and fuel cells ) which are needed for many hydrogen systems .
The Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU ( Germany ) has now taken a major step towards lower costs and mass production of bipolar plates by introducing an innovative system for roll embossing : BPPflexRoll . The Fraunhofer researchers presented one component of the system at the joint Fraunhofer booth at Hannover Messe 2024 this April .
Higher speeds and lower costs
Researchers at Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz , in partnership with Profiroll Technologies GmbH , have now developed a prototype system for roll embossing : BPPflexRoll . The production line is up and running at Fraunhofer IWU . It is already equipped with control technology and an operating concept that aligns with an industrial facility on key points . The system consists of three roll stands and requires an installation footprint of 4,500mm x 3,300mm .
“ The main advantage of this method is the high process speed which leads to a substantial increase in unit quantity output , economies of scale and ultimately significantly lower costs ,” commented Fraunhofer IWU .
Roll embossing of bipolar plates using BPPflexRoll . In the newly developed technology , the structure of the bipolar plate is embossed by a pair of rollers . Image : © Fraunhofer IWU .
One of the reasons that metallic BPPs are so expensive is that they are produced in discontinuous batches .
“ Each bipolar plate consists of two stainless-steel halves . Structures for the gas flow and heat dissipation are embossed onto the halves in a discontinuous forming process , and then they are joined together . Our roll embossing system has the potential to replace these discontinuous process chains or production steps with a continuous process . With no stops and starts , this process will allow for high unit volume output ,” explained Stefan Polster , head of the Sheet Metal Processing and Tool Design Group at Fraunhofer IWU .
“ One major advantage of roll embossing is the higher process speeds involved . As many as 120 BPP half plates can be produced every minute ,” added Robin Kurth , group manager for forming machines at Fraunhofer IWU . The researchers hope that this shift in production methods will cut the costs of manufacturing BPPs in half .
In the newly developed technology , the structure of the bipolar plate is embossed using a pair of rollers , with the wafer-thin metal band running continuously between them . One of the forming rollers is defined as the punch , the other as the die . Since the rollers used to form the flow channels have approximately only one line contact with the workpiece , step-by-step forming can reportedly reduce the process forces by a factor of ten on average compared to conventional embossing . That results in smaller , lower-cost machine technology . Flexibility is another benefit : the number of roller sets required can be adjusted individually , depending upon the geometry of the bipolar plates .
With the new pilot system , the researchers at Fraunhofer IWU are also taking an important step towards cognitive forming machines , which can use sensors and smart algorithms to monitor and control themselves .
“ Unlike previous systems , in the future we will monitor the quality of the BPP in real-time by capturing , consolidating and analysing the process parameters with sensors ,” Kurth said . The data will then be processed and made usable via cloud solutions . The first bipolar plates produced with the facility are already being tested in fuel cells at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg , Germany . n
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