Titanium Casting Work (1996-2008) With Laser Sintered Polystyrene Patterns

8/12/2019 Titanium Casting Work (1996-2008) With Laser Sintered Polystyrene Patterns

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CRP state-of-the-art casting work (1996 2009)with laser sintered polystyrene patterns

European Titanium Conference 2009 23rd June


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PROFILE

F1

MOTOGP

WRC (Word Rally Championship)

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES

RALLY RAID (Paris - Dakar)

NASCAR

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

CUSTOMER CARE

QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE

RELIABILITY

SHORT TIMING

MOTORSPORT TARGETS :MOTORSPORT TARGETS :

OUTSIDE MOTORSPORT TARGETS:OUTSIDE MOTORSPORT TARGETS:

THE ASSETS:THE ASSETS:

AEROSPACE

MILITARY

NAVAL PACKAGING

DESIGN-ARTS


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ORIGINS

1970: Roberto Cevolini & C. snc was established.

Main activity: production of components for Formula 1, such asmanufacturing of frame parts, gearboxes, engine components and machinedwind tunnel parts.

1996: CRP Technology was founded in Modena as R&D Department of the company RobertoCevolini & C. The company led by Franco Cevolini, son of the founder, with a degree in MaterialsEngineering decided to develop the Rapid Prototyping process.

1996-2008: Franco Cevolini soon developed the material used in RP,called WINDFORM, and furthermore he acquired specific know-how onthe investment casting process. He managed the development of thistechnology using disposable patterns made by RP technology.

2003: CRP Technology srl and Roberto Cevolini srl merged keeping theCRP Technology srl name.

2006: CRP Racing was founded in December 2006, as CRP TechnologysRacing Department. CRP Racings goal is to become the main point ofreference in its market for quality, speed and service.

2008: CRP USA was established in California near Los Angeles.Eng. Stewart Davis is the new Director of Operations for CRP USA.In November 2008 the company decided to start working in the Stockcar Racing sector.


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ACTVITIES

CRP TechnologyCRP Technology is a Centre of ExcellenceCentre of Excellence for:

High speed and high quality CNC machining with 3, 4 and 5 axes EBM and SLM (steel alloys additive technologies for Selective Laser Melding) Rapid Casting (lost wax casting with RP patterns), in Titanium, Aluminium, Steel alloys orSuperalloys

Service of Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Rapid Manufacturing (RM) with SLS technologies(Selective Laser Syntering) and Windform composite materials

Selling of composite materials for Rapid Prototyping: Windform range

High Quality Standard : ISO 9001:2000; EN9100 in progress

Research and Development

Reverse Engineering and Co-Engineering


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THE TECHNOLOGY

Titanium Rapid CastingIn 1998 CRP began to work alongside the Minardi F1 Team , supplying them theengineering process, the manufacturing process optimization and finally the manufacturingof front and rear uprights: they began from the study of the Titanium Rapid Castingprocess.

F1 Upright Titanium Rapid Casting Rapid Casting procedure

Rapid Casting is based on thecombination of Rapid

Prototyping technology , tomanufacture the disposablepattern, and InvestmentCasting technology(investment casting).


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THE TECHNOLOGY

What is needed

In order to be able to use this process, the teams

partner must have exhaustive knowledge of:

Plastic materials and metal alloys for making

disposable models and finished parts

Rapid Prototyping processes

Reverse Engineering for quality control of all stages

Engineering and FEM calculation

Casting processes

CNC processing

Non-destructive testing during process phases

CMM dimensional controls and much more, to

guarantee the total and complete traceability of every

part, from the certification of the metal alloy to the

certificate of final testing, before being mounted on

the vehicle.


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The Procedure

The RP disposable pattern is made using the Selective LaserTechnology (SLS) and a polystyrene based material (todayWindform PS)

The pattern undergoes wax infiltrations to increase itsstrength, the handability and the dewaxing

It is then immerged in a ceramic bath

Slurries and stuccoing and exsiccation

The lost pattern is evacuated: dewaxing with flashfiring or autoclave and subsequent sintering of theceramic shell

Alloy casting with inductor or voltaic arc

Pouring, cooling, reduction of the shell, shot peening, gatecutting, heat treatments


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The Procedure benefitsThe casting structure is formed of anaggregate of grains or polyhedralcrystallites which produce isotropycompensation.

FEM calculations are very close to the realbehaviour of the part thanks to the isotropy ofit.

Micrography in which it's possible to see the alpha-beta structure in the grain center and the typicalannealed alpha structure at the grain border

Its possible to create the product along its mechanical stress axes , and to obtain a perfectreproduction of all details of the RP pattern, with tolerances and surface finishing of a very highquality (such as fully machined parts)

Rapid Casting with laser sintered patterns allows complete shape conception freedom : thusreducing undercut and tool path problems during CNC machining

DFF: Design For Functionality , thus allowing you to think about what you need and not how tomachine it ( Design for Functionality instead of Design for Manufacturing ).


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The goals

F1 Titanium Gearbox in Titanium Rapid Casting

CRPs goal:

The use of Rapid Casting for highperformancing parts , characterised by verycomplex shapes and geometries

The use of the best alloys available forthe casting procedure: Ti-6Al4V

This allowed CRP Technology to become the FIRST to use Rapid Castingfor really hard to cast shapes (such as F1 uprights and gearboxes) and

alloys (such as Titanium alloys).

C O OG


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The Material for the patternWindform PS the material used nowadays for Rapid Casting patterns, was developed byCRP. Windform PS is a new polystyrene based material, suited to produce complexinvestment casting patterns. The sintered patterns are enough porous in order to allow theconvenient wax infiltration, and therefore becoming easy to handle and to finish.

In 1997 CRP started to study Laser Sinteringtechnology to manufacture disposable patterns,using Polycarbonate and Trueform materials

BUT

These materials were absolutely not suitablefor Titanium alloys pouring , despite theyseemed to be perfect for steel and aluminiumalloys.

The ash, when in contact with the titanium,produces chemical reactions that damages thecasting, and have therefore to be eliminatedbefore pouring the cast metal in the ceramicshell. Those materials were indeed leaving tomuch ash and were pushing too much on theshell, risking to crack it while dewaxing.Castform first, developed by CRP and DTMCorp., and Windform PS now have solvedthese problems.

A schematic drawing of an SLS process

THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

Cast Titanium

Physical Properties Metric English Comments

Density 4.43 g/cc 0.16 lb/in

Mechanical Properties

Hardness, Brinell 334 334 Estimated from RockwellC.

Hardness, Knoop 363 363 Estimated from RockwellC.

Hardness, Rockwell C 36 36

Hardness, Vickers 349 349 Estimated from RockwellC.

Tensile Strength,Ultimate

1000 Mpa 145000 psi ASTM E8

Tensile Strength, Yield 895 MPa 130010 psi ASTM E8 - 0.2% Offset

Elongation @ break 9 % 9 % ASTM E8 - Average, 6-10tests

Modulus of Elasticity 113.8 GPa 16500 ksi

Poisson's Ratio 0.342 0.342

The Ti-6Al4V is the most

widely used alloy inmotorsport and aerospacesector , and it is the one usedby CRP

6% aluminium and 4% vanadium

Its an excellent combinationof stress resistance andtoughness, with optimal wear

resistance

THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

Positive aspects of Ti-6Al4V F1 Upright Titanium Rapid Casting

Advantages given by heattreatment of the casting

Stress reduction

Ductility

Workability

Dimensional andstructural stability

Cast Titanium front and rear upright

Lightness (density 4,43 g/cm3) High specific Ultimate Tensile Strength

(225,73 MPa/(g/cm3) per density unit Bio-compatibility Low thermal and electrical conductivity Corrosion and stress-corrosion resistance (SCC)


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THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

Rapid Casting The advantagesTitanium Rapid Casting was immediately highly appreciated by customers because it providessignificant advantages:

The possibility to lightener(adding pockets) and get stiffer(adding ribs) the part during theracing season

Durability and reliabilityof the detail (a casting isnaturally isotropic forcompensation)

Possibility to have a best post-

stress control of the piece comparedto carbon laminated parts

Fewer design limitation

Le Mans upright in Rapid Casting

THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

Rapid Casting Total quality

Quality Process and Material to meet the needs of the series and teams:Rapid Casting and Titanium alloy

1. For the series.

A. Safety, Reliability, and Performance

B. Ask what is needed, listen, and respond through correct process

C. Tracebility for inspection. (Components can be Marked and numbers provided)

D. Tracebility for service life. (Know that what was delivered is being raced.)E. Good communication, be a partner for success. (Series success is our success)

F. Flexible to the needs of the Series. (Ready for future requests... Larger, smalleretc.)

G. Produce a high quality component that brings parity. (Small teams may have anoption.)

2. For the teams

a) Safety, Reliability, and Performance

b) Provide good value in components produced

c) Deliver when promised

d) Become a partner and resource to meet needs

THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The Experience: Minardi Uprights

The first Titanium parts made for Minardi were the Cast Titanium front and rear uprights .

Uprights are a key-safety- part for aracing car, and for everything with 4wheels.

The suspension brackets , the frontsteering bracket, the rear convergencetie-rod and the brake callipers areconnected to the uprights.

The required properties:

Lightness (it is a unsprung weight, thereforeit needs no resonant bumps given by heavywheels )

Stiffness (any deformation compromises thekinetics of the suspension and braking);

Reliability (it represents one of the safetycomponents)

THE TECHNOLOGY


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THE TECHNOLOGY

The Experience: Minardi UprightsThe uprights were usually manufactured through a long and complicated process offorming and cutting steel sheets, which included welding , heat treatment , CNCmachining and finally painting to protect against corrosion. Thi process is called

fabricated.

This process cant optimize the mechanicalperformance of the piece, making theuprights heavier than they should have been.

Moreover, being a welded piece, it presentsa structural anisotropy that shortens itslifespan, and therefore its reliability and lifeexpectancy.

TITANIUM RAPID CASTING

THE TECHNOLOGY


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1999, Magnesium 2000 2001

After the titanium fabricated g/box (97 Ferrari) and the carbon fibre case (98 Arrows/98Stewart), the Titanium Rapid Casting Gearbox was the latest evolution in this field and iscurrently one of the few providing such a high performance . The requirements are the same asthose of the uprights, however in this case the complexity of the piece design and dimensionsincrease.

Compared directly with a Magnesium gearbox: Weight saving is about 20-25%

Dimensions saving is about 20%

Torsional stiffness is double less deformations to the gears' axis were occurred, dueto stiffer g/box and therefore gear wear is reduced

possibility to run oil at highertemperature keeping the sameviscosity and therefore needing less

radietor area (less need to cool downthe g/box temperature)

The Experience: Minardi Titanium Gearbox

THE TECHNOLOGY

THE TECHNOLOGY


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The Experience: some other examplesThe CRP Upright history and its manufacturing can count different important steps in several

motorports seriesTeam & Driver Year Particular Comments

1- Minardi F1Team, MarcGen

1998 Cast Titanium FrontUpright

Study

1998 Cast Titanium RearUpright

Study

1999 Cast Titanium FrontUpright

Production

1999 Cast Titanium RearUpright

Production

Complex geometries achievable only with this process, weight saving and stiffness, cheaper costs than theother solutions made in titanium alloy, reliability.

2- F1 Team andMinardi Team

2000 Cast Titanium frontupright

Production

2000 Cast Titanium rear upright Production 2000-2005

Cast Titanium Gearbox Production

3- F1 Team 2001 Cast Titanium frontupright

Production

2001 Cast Titanium rear upright Production 2001 Cast Titanium Gearbox R&D

4- Ferrari F1 2001 Titanium CNC front Production

THE TECHNOLOGY


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The Experience: some other examples

5- JaguarRacing F1 Team,Eddie Irvine


Study & Production

6- Peugeot WRCofficial Team,MarcusGronholm

2002 Cast Titanium front andrear upright

Study & Production

Complex geometries achievable only with this process, weight saving and stiffness, lower costs than the othersolutions made in titanium alloy, reliability. 7- 3GR-Cadillacofficial ALMSTeam

2002 Cast 17-4 PH front upright Study & Production

2002 Cast 17-4 PH rear upright Study & ProductionComplex geometries achievable only with this process, weight saving and stiffness, use of 17-4 PH (steel alloy,with high mechanical characteristics), reliability.8- JaguarRacing F1 Team


Production

2003 Cast Titanium rear upright Production

MOTORSPORT


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Not Only F1CRP Technology is involved in international championships in different racing series:

MOTOGP

WRC (Word Rally Championship)

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES and Le Mans24h

RALLY RAID (Paris - Dakar)

NASCAR


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MOTORSPORT


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In 2002, Peugeot and MARCUSGRONHOLM won the World RallyChampionship with Titanium uprights.

Peugeot Cast Titanium front and rear uprights werestudied and produced for the Peugeot WRC OfficialTeam.

WRC: World Rally Championship

MOTORSPORT


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Le mans 24h and Le Mans series

The collaboration between Epsilon Euskadi and CRP Technology began at the end of 2007with the aim of optimizing the front and rear uprights of the new Epsilon Euskadi ee1 forthe Le Mans Series and the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours:

The key to the success of the projectwas a close partnership betweenCRP Technology and EpsilonEuskadi that began from the CADdrawings through the first prototypeand into the final construction phase.

The ee1 project began in 2004.At the end of 2007, the technical

management of the project was takenover by Sergio Rinland, who in his turnhad a past in F1, and he said:

CRP is one f the most experienced companies when it comes to Titanium castings, I haveworked with the Cevolini family since a long time. They are professionally competent and they

understand the Motorsport business like not many suppliers do

MOTORSPORT


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Sergio Rinland states: We could have usedmachined Aluminium, Steel fabricated or MMC, butwe chose Titanium as the best compromise Cost-Rigidity-Weight-Strength-Durability. And for ourTitanium Uprights, we expect the whole season

and more, that is 15,000 to 20,000Km As far as the strategic decision on the productionmethod is concerned, CRP Technologysexperience in the field of Rapid Casting wascrucial.

Some statements

Between one possibility entirely obtained from solid and one that is cast, with the CRP RapidCasting method, the choice of producingmechanical parts by Titanium Rapid Casting is,first and foremost, due to greater flexibility duringthe design stage and to the possibility that itoffers for obtaining greater effectiveness in

structural behaviour ; and secondly because it isalso more economical states Franco Cevolini ,Chairman of CRP Technology.

Sergio remembers: The Upright project with CRP started in anger in October 2007. Their input wasmassive , since they understood what it was needed and not only transformed the design into a CastingDesign but also made contributions towards the Stress Analysis improving the component rigidity,weight and strength as a consequence.

MOTORSPORT


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Le mans 24h and Le Mans seriesFRONT UPRIGHT

Design optimization: some example

One of the first modification concerns the presence, in the upper section, of a stiffening ring thatwas not present in the original version supplied to us by Epsilon engineers.

CRPfrontUpright

Epsilon

frontUpright

The decision by our staff to introduce this ring was made for two reasons:- it contributes to stiffening the shouldering area;

- it guarantees a greater room of intervention during the turning process.

MOTORSPORT


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Le mans 24h and Le Mans seriesREAR UPRIGHT

Design optimization: some example

- an intervention was made to lower a thermalcentre of gravity, by seeking more uniform

thicknesses and increasing curvature

- addition of ribs that connect the two shouldersin the file developed by CRP. The aim is to

stiffen the spool area .

CRP rearUpright

EpsilonrearUpright

CRP rearUpright

EpsilonrearU ri ht

MOTORSPORT


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The engineering and manufacturing process

With the endorsement of Epsilons engineers, we moved in parallel to have a better idea of thebehaviour of the piece stimulated by standard conditions of use.Epsilon subjected the mathematic model to FEM analysis so as to identify the areas where roomfor improvement remained.

Front Upright FEM analysisRear Upright FEM analysis


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CRP Technology thanks you for your attendance to the

European Titanium Conference

CRP Technology s.r.l.

Via Cesare della Chiesa, 21 - 41100 Modena - ITALY

www.crp.eu - [email protected]

www.windform.eu

Documents

Titanium Casting Work (1996-2008) With Laser Sintered Polystyrene Patterns