Yann Queudeville

Decision and Design Methodologies for the Lay-Out of Modular Dies for High-Pressure-Die-Cast-Processes

Within the project “Decision and design methodology for the lay-out of modular dies” which is part of the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries”, established and financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the main objective is setting guidelines for cost-effective and high quality high pressure die casting (HPDC) moulds. The strong increase in product variants and the growing demand for individualised products results in a growing complexity of all related products. The main objective of this project is bridging the existing gap between individual manufacturing and mass production. A new perspective on the value creation chain of HPDC-dies has to be established. First of all, the methodology for the lay-out of modular dies consists in an analysis of the already produced die cast moulds. For the development of modules, standard parts, and different die types, a wide range of HPDC-dies will be compared with each other and subsequently clustered along specific criteria such as size or number of core sliders. Another step consists in optimising setting-up time and maintenance. The as-is state in different companies will be examined. With this knowledge, new concepts will be developed, keeping a modular configuration of the different parts involved in mind. Concepts for modular core sliders, guides and ejectors will be developed and will be investigated for further use. Based on this information, the decision and design methodology for the lay-out of modular HPDC -dies will be examined and developed throughout the process.

Design methodology for modular tools

Serving individual customer needs at reasonable prices can be a profitable target market in high-wage countries. The dilemma between scale and scope-oriented production is one major research topic within the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries” at the RWTH Aachen University. One main objective of this project is to bridge the existing gap between individual manufacturing and mass production. Modularization is a widely accepted approach in tool-based manufacturing processes. In this paper, we propose a flexible design methodology for modular tools and dies. The methodology will assist the design engineer in setting up a series of modularized tools in a conceptually closed manner. The described methodology covers modularization in a broad sense, i.e. it includes hardware modularization as well as modularization of the construction process. The methodology consists of three phases: initiation, analysis and design phase.

Processing of High Pressure Die Casting Alloys and Engineering Polymers to New Hybrid Metal/Plastic Products in a Combined Process

Within the project “Advanced Processes for Hybrid Metal/Plastic Products” which is part of the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries”, established and financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG), new hybrid processes for the production of metal/plastic-composites will be developed. The activities of the Foundry Institute focus on the processing of structural parts with excellent mechanical properties and special integrated functions by combining two original mould operations. In the long term, the metal/plastic-composites are to be produced in a single step process, using one mould and one machine. Beside the combination of the two processes, high pressure die casting and injection moulding, preliminary test geometries will be manufactured in separate moulds. The operation using the two moulds consists in the production of the aluminium metal part in a pressure die casting mould, and subsequently the injection of the plastic component into an injection mould. The basics needed to define the adhesion mechanism between metal and plastic were investigated under experimental conditions in order to determine appropriate results for tests, carried out under the process conditions of high pressure die casting. It is proposed to find and to develop new concepts to join these two different materials. The best bonding mechanism will be chosen to obtain the first metal/plastic hybrid products in the so-called One-Step-Process. A selection of promising results concerning the bond strength of different joining concepts under application terms are presented in this paper.