AF&M-lab

Lab full name

Advanced-Forming-Manufacturing Laboratory

ERC 2nd Level Code

PE8 Products and Processes Engineering

ERC 3rd level Code

PE8_7 Mechanical and manufacturing engineering

PE8_8 Materials engineering

PE8_9 Production technology, process engineering

Research Activities

The AF&M-lab is part of the network of laboratories of the research group on Materials and Innovative Technology (“SMATIgroup”) whose member operate in the scientific area Manufacturing Systems and Technologies (ING-IND/16). The above mentioned network of laboratories is composed by the laboratory of: Physical Simulation of Manufacturing processes (PhySiMaP-Lab), Optimization of Manufacturing Processes by Numerical Simulations (ManOnSim), Metallography and Microscopy (OMM) and Thermo-Physical Characterization of Post-Formed Polymers. All the laboratories are located in Viale Japigia 182 – Bari – Italy (DMMM)
The AF&M-lab is equipped with facilities suitable for the investigation of conventional and innovative sheet metal forming processes.

Using a numerical-experimental approach based on the mechanical and deformative behavior (using the facilities in PhySiMaP-Lab and OMM-lab) and on the Finite Element simulations (using the facilities in ManOnSim), in the AF&M-lab can be investigated innovative manufacturing processes characterized by the use (even combined) of laser sources, flexible media (pressurized gas or oil) and warm/hot working conditions, like:
Sheet Hydroforming, in cold (SHF) and warm (WHF) condition;
HydroMechanical Deep Drawing (HMDD);
SuperPlastic Forming (SPF);
Warm Deep Drawing (WDD);
Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF).
The investigated materials are: deep drawing steels (HMDD), aluminum alloys (SHF, WHF, WDD, SPF), Magnesium alloys (WDD, SPF), Titanium alloys (SPIF, SPF).
Currently in the AF&M-lab are conducted research activities financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research Government and by private companies aimed at investigating: (i) the SPF process for producing highly customized biomedical Titanium prostheses; (ii) the warm forming process for producing parts for railways applications; (iii) the adoption of tailor heat treated blanks for stamping complex shaped aluminum components at room temperature .

Department

DMMM

Contact Person

Gianfranco Palumbo

gianfranco.palumbo@poliba.it

Companies and Institutions

Fontana Group (attivo un Accordo Quadro dal 2015)

Omer spa (attivo un Accordo Quadro dal 2016 ed una convenzione di dottorato)

Master / MasterLab (attivo un Accordo Quadro dal 2016)

Centro Sviluppo Materiali, Roma (attivo un Accordo Quadro dal 2016)

Gigant, Bologna (attivo un Accordo Quadro dal 2016)

Nuovo Pignone - Bari

Enginsoft, Mesagne (Brindisi)

Calabrodental / Tecnologica, Crotone

Ceramed, Loures (Portugal)

Università degli studi della Basilicata

Politecnico di Milano

Università della Calabria

Università di Bologna

CNR-IFN UOS Bari

University of Mugla, Turkey

Institute for Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Science

University West, Sweden

University Medical Center, Utrecht (The Netherlands)

Facilities

Electro Hydraulic combo press machine (4000 kN) for warm Hydroforming (max pressure: 350bar; max temperature: 300°C) and Superplastic Forming (max pressure: 30bar; max temperature: 1000°C)

Electro Discharge Machine Agie Charmilles (plunge type) for die manufacturing

Nabertherm Furnace for thermal treatments using inert gas (max temperature: 1280°C)

Micrograph facilities for specimen preparation

Microscopes multi-zoom Nikon AZ100M equipped with an image acquisition and data analysis system (Camera Nikon DS-Fi1 with software NIKON ELEMENTS D)

Inverted Metallurgical Microscope Nikon MA200 equipped with an image acquisition and data analysis system (Camera Nikon DS-Fi1 with software NIKON ELEMENTS D)

Micro Harness tester HighWood (Vickers/Knoop)

Roughness tester Mitutoyo SJ 401

Multi processors workstations (2 x equipped with an image acquisition and data analysis system (Camera Nikon DS-Fi1 with software NIKON ELEMENTS D)16cores) for FE simulations

MagnetoRheological Fluid (MRF) equipment for the characterization of MRFs and lightweight alloys (maximum magnetic flux density: 3.8 mT; max pressure: 250 bar)

Services

Experimentation of innovative molding processes on its components

Tests on formed components (thickness measurements, hardness analysis, microscopic observations to identify defects, even microstructural)

Feasibility studies for the industrialization of production processes of critical components, through a numerical / experimental approach based on numerical simulations and experimental validations

Research contracts Design and development of funded research projects Training and technology transfer Research doctorate funded by the company Third party services

Demonstration activities within the Degree Courses in Mechanical Engineering and Management Engineering (General Technology of Materials, Mechanical Technology, Mechanical Technology 2 and Special Technologies). The activities also include the development of trials related to traineeships and degree theses in the aforementioned disciplines

StakeHolder

External Collaborators

Tecnnical Administrative Staff

Visitor

Address / How to reach us

v.le Japigia 182 - 70126 Bari