Efficient Material Hybridization by Unconventional Lay-up and Forming of Metals and Composites for Fabrication of Multifunctional Structures

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The main goal of LAY2FORM is to develop a new advanced and highly integrated manufacturing process for forming of layered metal/ thermoplastic-matrix composite hybrid materials, suitable to highly dynamic and competitive manufacturing environments, such as those of the automotive sector. Unconventional technologies (laser and Ultrasound-US) will be integrated into the manufacturing route, for material modification, adhesion, shaping, spot welding and consolidation, as well as for end-of-life material disassembly. The innovative integrated process will be assisted with simulation, cognitive automation, decision support, real-time control and advanced in-line NDT techniques, in a fully automated multi-stage manufacturing system. Efficient multi-material co-processing is the main priority, and the forming of metal foil / carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic hybrids will be demonstrated in industrially relevant conditions, where dissimilar materials will be robotically laminated and press-formed
AIMEN will contribute on the development of novel algorithms specifically designed for multistage manufacturing. This novel and modular control module could transfer to other manufacturing processes and/or application domains. Also, it will play a major role on the investigation of innovative bonding strategies and laser trimming for multimaterial design, that will strengthen its capabilities on this field, allowing the technology transfer to new sectors/ domains. Finally, AIMEN will implement novel in-line inspection techniques of composite-metal components (i.e. thermography and speckle) which will increase knowledge in defect detection and characterization. AIMEN will use this know-how in the designing of new joining techniques providing a feasible interface quality control.

• Sectors: Automotive
• Financing programme: Horizon 2020
• R&D&i: Laser assisted processing, Multimaterial systems, Thermoplastic composites
• Leader: INEGI
• Partners: AIMEN Centro Tecnológico, ESI GROUP, FAGOR Arrasate S. COOP., RESCOLL Société de Recherche, MASSGE Mondragon Assembly Gmbh, V2i S.A., INAPAL Plásticos S. A., TREELOGIC Telematica y Logica Racional para la Empresa Europea S.L., MECASONIC España SA
• Acronym: LAY2FORM
• Ambit: International
• Web: http://lay2form-project.eu/index.asp