Impact
OpenHybrid Impact
The OpenHybrid project is an industry-driven Research and Innovation Action that supports the objectives and vision of the “Factories of the Future” programme by increasing the technology base of these EU manufacturers, enabling them to adapt to global competitive pressures.
Increased employment of 20-64 year-olds;
Increased R&D spending;
Reduced energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions;
Increased education, especially at third level education;
In-process NDT to enable the hybrid manufacture of parts with zero defects;
Enable in-situ stress relieving and other heat treatments, offering a step-change improvement in dimensional and mechanical performance;
A reduction in inventory and WIP of around 30%;
A reduction in energy usage and associated emissions (estimated 25% reduction);
Increased productivity of up to 25%
Reduced set-up times due to CAD/CAM developments and improved machining interface;
Upskilling of workforce due to training on new hybrid AM systems;
Increase health and safety benefits due to the reduced materials handling;
Potential to significantly reduce the material, waste and energy cost by enabling Hybrid AM manufacture of complex components which currently are manufactured by subtractive machining processes.
25% reduction in time and cost with respect to current equipment and processes
15% increase in productivity for high volume AM production
Increased utilisation and reduced set-up times enabling the OpenHybrid system to better meet the needs of the costumers (short delivery and customization)
20% reduction in inventory due to single step process and greater flexibility
Reduction of work floor space by 40%
The system can be added to a wide range of machine tool platforms (with minimal machine modification being required)
The system can be fitted to existing machine tools to reduce the capital investment required;
Opens the area of metals to a diverse range of companies (SME and microSME)
These benefits will allow components to be manufactured by Hybrid AM at a lower price, thereby increasing competitiveness. It is anticipated that the costs savings for part production will also be of the order of 30%. The reduction in costs comes from reduced capital costs, reduced inventory, reduced floor space and increased productivity. The cost savings may be greater if current post-project inspection can be significantly reduced or even eliminated as a result of the in-process NDT.