IDEA Project Partner
IDEA is intended to increase productivity in metal additive manufacturing.
Siemens is taking on the role of project management for the 'Industrial implementation of Digital Engineering and Additive manufacturing' project – otherwise known as the IDEA project – from the German Ministry of Education and Research Grant.
The three-year initiative aims to “further industrialise additive manufacturing for Germany’s industrial sector” by approximately halving the development and production times for complex metal components made with powder-based 3D printing.
IDEA brings together 14 partners across AM hardware and software suppliers, along with end-users and support from a number of German research institutes. Partners include: ALLMATIC, BCT, Jenoptik, ModuleWorks, Siemens Digital Industries, EOS, TRUMPF, Liebherr-Aerospace, MBFZ toolcraft GmbH, MTU Aero Engines, Siemens Gas and Power, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT), and the RWTH Aachen University with its Machine Tool Lab (WZL) and its School of Digital Additive Production (DAP).
The overall goal is to link together the individual process steps within AM using digital twin technology to improve productivity through simulation, the application of a modern production control system, and end-to-end recording of production data. The initial development and implementation process will be followed by a validation process to measure how well targets have been achieved based on manufacturing demonstrator components in two pilot lines at Siemens gas turbine factory in Berlin and MBFZ toolcraft GmbH in Georgensgmünd. The pilot lines are said to take into consideration the requirements of both SMEs and large manufacturers.
“Within IDEA, Siemens is taking a clear leadership role in helping to shape the industrialisation of additive manufacturing,” Markus Seibold, head of Additive Manufacturing at Siemens Gas and Power commented. “In an interdisciplinary industrial partnership, we can work faster and more efficiently than any company can do in isolation.”
The project forms part of the Line integration of additive manufacturing processes (LAF) funding initiative created by the German Ministry of Education and Research under the Photonic Research Germany program. The grant funds amount to just under 14 million EURO.
