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To accelerate the take-up of additive manufacturing of metal parts across the energy industry, and seize the amazing and unique opportunities to improve performance, volume and design thanks to new functions, AddUp and the CEA are setting up a platform called Famergie (Fabrication additive métallique pour l'énergie - additive manufacturing for energy), providing an ecosystem in which to incubate projects to produce metal parts using 3D printing.

Design, optimize and deliver

Compared to conventional production processes, additive manufacturing is a massive shift for industry. As for all sectors of industry, the front and back ends of the energy industry will undergo change and the many companies within it will take advantage of this: energy production (gas turbine components, electrical engineering, battery packaging, hydrogen), manufacturing parts for the oil and gas industry, heat exchangers, catalytic reactors, and electric engines.

Florence Lambert, Director of CEA-Liten, 

the challenges in terms of the technology needed to develop key components for energy transition can only be overcome through major disruptive advances in the field of materials and processes. The CEA is opening this new platform to support the development of new manufacturing processes. The Famergie ecosystem, in partnership with AddUp, will produce components that afford extraordinary performance, reducing the amount of materials used to the minimum, and thus helping the energy component sector to change."

The goal is for Famergie to be recognized as a platform for designing, optimizing and delivering proofs of concept for metals additive manufacturing with a view to scaling up to future industrial production in the energy markets.

It is based on:

• the CEA's expertise in HSE assessment, powder metallurgy, post‐processing, advanced characterization and nondestructive testing, together with its track record in innovative design for parts and in assessing their performance;
• AddUp's industrial know-how in metals additive manufacturing technology (including related HSE resources & equipment) and the combined experience of its founders and shareholders, Fives and Michelin, in controlling process parameters with a view to scaling up metals 3D printing for industrial production.

Semi‐industrial systems to test pilot lines

Equipped with semi‐industrial systems suitable for SMEs, mid-caps and large groups, Famergie facilitates R&D and technology transfer thanks to testing at pilot scale, an essential step when deciding whether or not to use additive manufacturing to mass produce parts.

The platform, set up to support industry, will be equipped with a laser powder bed fusion machine (FormUp350) developed by AddUp, based at CEA‐Liten.

Famergie receives financial backing from the Auvergne‐Rhône‐Alpes regional council (contribution from the Feder fund), as additive manufacturing is considered a strategic priority for the region. This investment is totally in line with the "Initiatives 3D" roadmap, coordinated by the ViaMéca competitiveness cluster.

Vincent Ferreiro, Chairman of Addup, says,

As pioneers in the development of industrial 3D printing solutions, we are delighted to work with the CEA in setting up the Famergie platform. It will provide the energy industry with a huge range of services, including training, design, redesign and technical-economic validation, producing prototypes in order to demonstrate proof of concept, as well as support for industrialization." 

Aluminum component of a fuel cell for the Energy Observer vessel, laser metal fusion 3D printing. © CEA/Dumas

FormUp 350, the additive manufacturing system made by AddUp, will be used on the Famergie platform – ©AddUp