COCAM

Additive manufacturing has already successfully gained a foothold in sectors such as aerospace technology, medical technology and automotive engineering in particular, but also in traditional mechanical and plant engineering and electrical engineering, where it is used to produce prototypes, spare parts and series products.

Despite these promising developments and the numerous advantages that additive manufacturing offers, it has not yet become widespread in the industry. Obstacles include high acquisition costs for the necessary hardware and software, a lack of qualified specialists and unclear legal and normative framework conditions. In addition, there is often a lack of specialist knowledge, standardized processes and quality control mechanisms, which are essential for reliable and reproducible production.

In recent years, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Ruhr University Bochum has developed outstanding expertise in the various subject areas along the entire additive manufacturing process chain. The Center Of Competence Additive Manufacturing at the Ruhr University Bochum (COCAM@RUB) offers feasibility and research studies as well as services for additive manufacturing in the areas of product concept, design, process, quality, downstream processes and marketing from a single source.

Our services

Materials

• Powder production
• Qualification, modification
• Alloy development

Additive manufacturing processes: Metal and polymer

• Process parameter qualification
• (Simulation-based) process optimization
• Innovative and sustainable process management/development
• Automation of production

Analytics/quality assurance

• Powder analysis (metal and polymer)
• Metallography
• Testing of components

Small series production

• Selection of a suitable additive manufacturing process
• Automated post-processing and treatment
• Production of hybrid components/spare parts

Digital process preparation

• Additive manufacturing-compliant product development to generate added value for components
• Component screening, selection and redesign of existing products
• Simulation

Business models

• Profitability analyses
• Interactive workshops on business model innovation
• Involvement of customers in innovation processes

Our equipment

• 7 systems for powder bed-based additive manufacturing (laser and electron beam; metal and polymer)
• 3 systems for directed energy deposition (metal and polymer)
• Heat treatment/post-processing
• Inert gas atomization system for primary forming of metal powders (VIGA process)
• Robot-based additive manufacturing and post-processing
• Material characterization
• Extensive laboratory equipment for analysis and quality assurance
• Facilities for workshops and training courses

Contact person:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan T. Sehrt
Phone: +49 234 32 26162
Mail: Jan.Sehrt@ruhr-uni-bochum.de