Pro­ject launch "EnERU": De­vel­op­ment of more en­ergy- and re­source-ef­fi­cient man­u­fac­tur­ing routes for form­ing tools for stain­less steel tube pro­cessing

The research project "Development of more energy- and resource-efficient manufacturing routes of forming tools for stainless steel tube processing", funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) in the "Technology Transfer Program Lightweight Construction (TTP LB)", started on August 1, 2021. Over a project period of two years, the project volume is around 300,000 euros. The funding program is coordinated by Project Management Jülich (PTJ).

Securing climate protection is one of the central social challenges of our time. In order to limit the emissions of climate-damaging gases, and thus to preserve our environment for future generations, the German government sealed the ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 with a resolution of the Federal Cabinet in 2019. In addition, greenhouse gas neutrality is to be achieved by 2050 [Deu19]. Many different approaches are being used to achieve this goal. One promising one is CO2 savings through increased resource efficiency and material substitution. The manufacturing industry can make a major contribution here by, for example, optimizing and substituting existing energy- and resource-intensive processes and process technologies. WAFIOS, as part of the manufacturing industry, has specialized in the production of machines for wire and tube forming with the core competence bending of stainless steel tubes.

The existing process routes for tools optimized for this application offer a high savings potential from an ecological point of view due to the high energy and resource input. This is where the project comes in by developing a more efficient manufacturing route for said tools to minimize the use of energy and resources. By substituting previously used materials and using laser metal deposition (LMD), the identified potential for energy and resource savings will be tapped.

This research project is treated in the context of industrial research with the aim of demonstrating the project results in the form of a functional prototype with a high degree of innovation. The primary aim of the project is to develop and demonstrate processes and technologies for the production of tools for stainless steel tube forming and finally to validate them by testing them on a functional sample. The production and application of the parts must be particularly attractive from a financial point of view, as they are used in cost-driven industries such as the automotive supply industry. The goal is to increase efficiency in production with simultaneous cost savings and lower operating costs due to extended replacement cycles.

Project partner: WAFIOS AG

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