Automotive Engineering - August 2021 - 23

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FEATURE
printed, reclaimed, ground and reprocessed into pellet form.
The study determined that material from post-production
parts and scrap potentially can be reused in LFAM or other
processes, such as injection molding or extrusion, at amounts
up to 100%. Insights and data from the study can help identify
a feasible path to circularity and an extended lifecycle for materials
used in AM, according to Walter Thompson, senior applications
development engineer at SABIC.
One of the challenges of reusing LFAM materials is potential
degradation from multiple heat cycles (grinding, re-pelletizing,
re-compounding, etc.). Each step adds to the cumulative
heat history, which tends to break down the polymer
chains and reduce fiber length and can affect performance.
" As adoption of large-format additive manufacturing accelOne
of the engineering cells used by the SABIC and Local Motors team
during their joint feasibility study of recycling thermoplastics scrap from
the LFAM process.
alloys. Mahle 174+ aluminum alloy, suitable for pistons in
heavy-duty diesel engines with high loads, also was adapted
to AM. In addition, a couple of plastics materials can be used
on Mahle's network of 3D printers, Geyer said. " Copper is a
material that might be used in the future, but currently aluminum
is the important material for heat exchangers, " he added.
Laser powder bed fusion is used to form the component
layer-by-layer. Mahle currently can manufacture components
up to around 30 x 30 x 40 cm (11.8 x 11.8 x 15.7 in). After the
printing process is complete, the finished parts are separated
from the base plate and finish-machined by hand.
In a joint project with Porsche and Trumpf last year, Mahle
engineers successfully produced and tested high-performance
parts such as pistons and charge-air coolers for the Porsche 911
GT2 RS. " This was one of the milestones that also led to our
decision to establish our own 3D printing center with our own
printers, " Geyer said. The project proved expected advantages
of the 3D printing process - namely the elimination of expensive
production tools and the ability to create structures otherwise
too complex to produce. Commercial-vehicle systems are
another focus of the Mahle facility.
SABIC, Local Motors study recycling
A study on the feasibility of recycling scrap thermoplastic
parts and shavings from the large-format additive manufacturing
(LFAM) process was recently concluded by global
chemical giant SABIC and Local Motors, a Phoenix, Arizonabased
vehicle startup that champions the use of AM. The joint
study explored more sustainable alternatives to landfilling
large, printed parts in anticipation of wider adoption of AM in
series production. It included analyzing the printability and
mechanical properties of SABIC's LNP THERMOCOMP AM
reinforced compound, used by Local Motors, after being
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
erates, it is essential to find sustainable alternatives to landfilling
large, printed parts, " Thompson stated. He said the study
with Local Motors " showed great potential for reusing these
materials and marks a first step in supporting reuse within the
value chain. " Added Johnny Scotello, Local Motors' director of
technical product, " Bringing value to scrap or end-of-life parts
is a difficult challenge, but the results of this study point to a
bright future for sustainable, circular products. "
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Automotive Engineering - August 2021

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