The Grid Building lighter components with 3D printing each layer has a unique function and characteristics. The resulting monolithic and monomaterial parts are simpler to produce in a single 3D-printing operation, without any assembly, eliminating scrap. The technique can be used for seats, using a single material to achieve levels of comfort, cushioning and support that cannot be achieved with the usual fabrics, foams and reinforcements. It is also 30% lighter. A seat can even be modelled to the shape of the driver. Renault has used AM to make tooling, as well as prototype parts. The structure developed by Renault and the CEA opens the way to new applications, including areas the vehicle occupants come into contact with, such as front seats. “The almost total freedom of design, savings in materials and weight, integration of functions and reduction in manufacturing times mean that AM is a sector strongly supported by the CEA,” said CEA-Liten CEO François Legalland. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 8 May/June 2024 | E-Mobility Engineering The mesh material for additive manufacturing (Image courtesy of CEA) AIRCRAFT Propulsion module for take-off and landing aircraft Greenjets and Ricardo have shown a fully operational, demonstration propulsion module for use in electric aircraft, writes Nick Flaherty. The InCEPTion module, the result of an 18-month project, is aimed at eVTOL aircraft weighing under 5 t. The system uses a bespoke wraparound, immersion-cooled, ultra-high-performance, 20 kW/h battery, using 32 connected modules in a toroid. In addition to the design and build of the fully integrated module, Ricardo has been responsible for the compete thermal management system, incorporating increased safety aspects from the initial design stage. The toroidal shape has been designed to form part of the structure of a propulsion system, with shared cooling and structural elements, making its delivery challenging and complex. The design is configured in a 360o orientation, with bonded composites and a foam structure to reduce weight. “The architecture of our largest engine, the IPM500, has benefited greatly from our collaboration with Ricardo. With Ricardo’s custom battery pack integrated into the nacelle of our engine, we make vital savings in efficiency and weight, along with close integration with the rest of the powertrain. It also improves safety by moving significant battery weight away from the fuselage,” said Anmol Manohar, CEO of Greenjets. “Our engineers have designed, developed and built a system that is fully scalable, which also enables different combinations of the same module to power multiple aircraft concepts, from electric vertical take-off and landing applications to general aviation aircraft and sub-regional aircraft. The system is versatile and can be 100% battery or fuel-cell hybrid-powered,” said Matt Beasley, director of global engineering and operations at Ricardo. “Our engineering expertise in the automotive industry is enabling us to deliver innovative, sustainable projects in the aerospace and maritime industries.” Greenjets is now working with Ricardo on ground and wind-tunnel tests for integration into an engine for use in commercial aircraft. The InCEPTion propulsion module (Image courtesy of Ricardo) Researchers in France are developing a new way to use additive manufacturing (AM) for EVs, writes Nick Flaherty. Renault Group is working with French research group CEA-Liten on a complex mesh structure that can be produced in a single, 3D-printing AM stage to produce components with adaptive mechanical behaviour. CEA-Liten has filed 10 patents on the technology, which can be used to reduce the weight of the materials in an EV. Each of the Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) strands making up the mesh of the lattice structure can be parameterised three-dimensionally to form multi-layer networks of cells in which
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