Italian 3D printer OEM Prima Additive has collaborated with automation and robotics firm Comau to develop a high-speed brake disc coating system for automotive manufacturer Stellantis.
The new Rapid Coating Process cells combine advanced laser systems, robotic arms, powder management, and directed energy deposition (DED) 3D printing technology. They can quickly cover a raw metal brake disk with a thin layer of resilient metal material, making the component more resistant to wear.
According to Prima, the 3D printing-based coating process can reduce brake disk degradation-related pollution emissions by 80%. This addresses the growing demand from automotive manufacturers working to meet sustainability targets. Notably, the European Union’s (EU) Euro 7 standard requires a 27% reduction in particle emissions from brake discs by the end of 2026.
Prima Additive’s CEO, Paolo Calefati, called the laser-based brake disc coating systems, “the most profitable and sustainable cases of laser additive manufacturing/laser cladding technology applied in mass production for automotive.”
He added that the solution improves the performance of automotive brake discs while promoting sustainability by “reducing the overall environmental impact of motor vehicles.”
The first of the DED-based coating cells was presented to Stellantis during the company’s Factory Booster Day, held in Turin (Italy) on September 18.
3D printing eco-friendly brake disc coatings
According to Prima Additive, 21% of combustion vehicle-based particulate emissions come from the brake discs. When the brake is applied, material is eroded and released into the atmosphere as particles with a diameter of less than 10μm.
The Euro 7 standard regulations, which govern the emissions of road vehicles in the EU, will introduce new brake emission standards that will come into force in July 2027. In addition to the required 27% reduction in brake disc emissions, the Euro 7 standard requires an overall reduction in automotive polluting particulate emissions of 13%.
The new automated RC cell integrates Comau’s robotic arms with Siemens SINUMERIK Run MyRobot software. This enables direct control over robot arms without external or embedded robot controllers.
Prima Additive claims that its Rapid Coating process can 3D print high-quality and repeatable two-layer brake disc coatings using 430L steel and TiC titanium carbide.
The speed offered by the DED-powered process reportedly significantly shortens coating times. This is achieved by only partially melting the base metal, and melting the powder as it passes through the laser beam by slightly shifting the powder spot away from the base metal.
The brake disc coating system has also been designed to optimize flexibility. The cells are equipped with adjustable grippers that can handle different disc sizes, ranging from cars to trucks, to address evolving application requirements.
“This robotized solution represents a great example of innovation, led by two Italian companies who have developed advanced technologies to meet important sustainability targets”, commented Comau CEO Pietro Gorlier.
He noted that the companies are working to meet the growing demand globally for turn-key solutions that can reduce particle emission pollution to meet recent regulations. “We are confident there is significant market potential for this type of solution,” he added.
The new Rapid Coating system is set to be deployed at Stellantis’ France-based Septfonds plant by the end of the year. This makes the company one of the first automotive manufacturers to launch a fully automated production line for the hard coating of brake discs in compliance with Euro 7 standards.
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Meeting sustainability targets with AM
Additive manufacturing is being increasingly adopted as a tool to reduce emissions and comply with sustainability targets.
One notable case study is that of Aerospace manufacturer GE Aerospace’s landmark 3D printed LEAP fuel nozzle tips. Introduced in 2016, the company has 3D printed over 140,000 nozzles to date, a significant milestone in high-volume 3D printing for aerospace. The components offer various sustainability advantages, valuable for commercial aviation firms needing to minimize their emissions.
Notable, 3D printing the nozzles reduces the number of components from 20 to a single piece. This cuts material usage by up to 75%. What’s more, they reportedly increase fuel efficiency by 15%, due to their optimized design that improves fuel mixing.
However, it is important to note that additive manufacturing is not the panacea for green manufacturing. The carbon footprint produced by AM’s raw material requirements and energy consumption is not negligible.
During a talk at TCT 3Sixty 2023, Dr. Phil Reeves sought to challenge the 3D printing hype and present the empirical truth surrounding the sustainability of additive manufacturing.
Reeves called sustainability a “bandwagon” that industries, including 3D printing, hitch onto without addressing the key issues. He believes the focus should be shifted to the most pertinent environmental concerns, including global warming, raw material consumption, water usage and wastage, landfill contribution, and hazardous waste production. According to Reeves, additive manufacturing should specifically address these aspects, instead of merely promoting convenient claims.
AM Summit 2023, Scandinavia’s largest additive manufacturing conference, saw Michael Hauschild (PhD), Head of DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability, echo this sentiment. He decried the greenwashing of 3D printing, demanding more clarity on where its true value lies.
“I’ve heard so much sustainable this and that here, and nobody has a clue whether it’s actually sustainable or just more sustainable than something else, and this is exactly the problem,” argued Hauschild.
Life cycle analyses (LCA) are therefore a key tool for determining where the use of additive manufacturing outweighs the environmental costs.
The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) conducted an LCA last year highlighting the significant environmental benefits of binder jetting over traditional metal casting techniques.
This was conducted in collaboration with the Yale School of the Environment, 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal, and US-based “climate innovator” Trane Technologies. The team analyzed the production of a steel scroll chiller in an HVAC system from Trane.
Producing this part with binder jet 3D printing reportedly reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 38%, compared to a conventional casting process. This reduction was primarily driven by reduced energy demand during the manufacturing phase.
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Featured image shows the Rapid Coating technology DED 3D printing process. Photo via Prima Additive.