What is the future of advanced manufacturing?

Once again, the Tekniker technology centre will participate in this year’s edition of the CMH Conference, a benchmark event on advanced manufacturing organised by the Association of Machine Tool Manufacturers (AFM) to be held from 25 – 27 October at the Gizpuzkoa Science & Technology Park.

Tekniker, a key actor as regards the development of advanced manufacturing technologies and a member of the Scientific Committee of the conference, represented by Javier Arzamendi, Deputy Director for Technology at Tekniker, will play an outstanding role by giving four presentations.

Over three days, several disruptive solutions that are remodelling the manufacturing industry will be explained, namely AI, 5G and quantum computing. Discussions will also address issues such as robotics and automation and innovative concepts such as "Machine as a Service", "Pay per Use" and "Parts as a Service".

The 23rd edition of the event, that will officially be opened by the President of the Basque Government, Mr Iñigo Urkullu, has been divided into two sections: one focused on dissemination actions and the other on a scientific-technological approach aimed at a specialised audience with an outstanding participation of Tekniker researchers.

Advanced aluminium parts

From 9:00 to 11:00 on Thursday October 26, the programme features three of the four lectures to be given by Tekniker. The first paper, “Hybridising hydrosolidification processes and laser metal deposition on Al5356 aluminium”, will be given by the researcher Carlos Soriano who will present the results obtained in a joint project carried out with Azterlan focused on combining casting and additive manufacturing technologies that use metallic aluminium wire.

Objects with improved properties

The researcher Josu Leunda, on the other hand, will deliver a lecture in Basque entitled “Hybrid lathe with high-speed laser cladding” (“Abiadura handiko laser cladding-arekin hornituriko tornu hibridoa”) describing a solution used to repair or improve the surface properties of cylindrical components developed in collaboration with Geminis Lathes.

3D printing in electromobility

After the second presentation, another Tekniker researcher, Ander Trinidad, will give a paper with the title “A comparative study of 3D printing for polycarbonate without reinforcements and reinforced with carbon fibres”, in the course of which he will explain the results of research actions that have explored the use of polycarbonate in 3D printing and compared components from the electromobility sector with no reinforcements and others reinforced with carbon fibres.

Robotic precision

Tekniker’s participation in the cycle of lectures will end on Thursday at the 11.30 – 13.30 session with the paper “Self-calibration based on on-board viewing in robotics: Making the most of virtual metrology commissioning and digital twins” that will be given by the researcher Ahmed Brahim together with Pablo Puerto, two experts from the Ideko technology centre.