Abstract
SCULPTROL will exploit a novel sustainable and cost-effective process chain based on rolling to generate sculptures on metal sheets for multi-material bonding. The sculptured surfaces are known to provide enhanced functionalities in terms of bonding strength between multi-materials due to the adhesive/mechanical interlocking generated at the contacting interfaces by protrusions. In the frame of the technologies at present developed with this aim, like those based on electron beams or additive solutions, SCULPTROL represents a pivotal opportunity to overcome their main drawbacks, offering a cost-effective, sustainable and robust solution easily scalable to mass production or to large-sized high-value components. Indeed, sculpturing will be generated by rolling, a forming process for its nature designed for high production rates and ease of operation, further avoiding the requirement for additional manufacturing steps to generate the protrusions/pins and thus promoting cost and emission savings if compared to competitive solutions. Rolls will be laser worked in order to create designed shaped cavities (intrusions and/or high aspect ratio holes), targeted to the specific application, that will be replicated in the positive form of protrusions/pins to the forming material as effect of the imposed thermomechanical deformation. Tools will be laser worked since it is known to be a clean technology with almost no chemical residual and pollution In the frame of multi-materials, the most promising combinations for hybrid structures in several sectors (aerospace, automotive, electrical and packaging, etc) are Metal-Metal and Metal-Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRC) and these will be the survey areas of SCULPTROL project. More in detail, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, magnesium alloys and their combination will be investigated for the metal side, while pre-preg fabrics (carbon and glass epoxy) and pre-preg carbon-epoxy SMC for the metal/FRC one. Different designs of sculptures will be preliminarily assessed by means of accurate numerical (FE) models aimed at the twofold purpose of testing their under-in-service-loads mechanical strength and their formability during rolling. In the next step of the project, three or four of the most promising sculptures’ designs will be generated on sheets under a carefully monitored process. Given the K-role of the protrusions, the project will furthermore provide the development of a protocol aimed at ensuring the robust metrological control of their geometry. Bonding of sculptured sheets to metal through roll bonding or to FRC through hot press moulding will provide specimens for joint performances’ evaluation and FE validation to be compared also with non-sculptured joints. As final outcome of the project, Metal-Metal and Metal-FRC demo-cases will be then produced in close cooperation with Italian companies. issues thus not affecting the green connotation of the project and the final cost.
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Lorenzo Donati
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale
Coordinatore:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Contributo totale di progetto: Euro (EUR) 197.488,00
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 67.860,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
28/09/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
