AddMag

AddMag is an ambitious project resolutely turned towards the future, new processing technologies, low carbon energy applications and the circular economy. The project proposes the additive manufacturing of two permanent magnet materials: Nd-Fe-B and Fe-Cr-Co. The overall ambitions of this project are in line with those of the Europe Union and the respective funding organisations and namely: • Enabling European independence on magnet materials • Developing novel processes that will enable relocating magnet production within Europe • Acting towards more flexibility and cost reduction in the fabrication of magnets by additive manufacturing • Proposing the use of novel recycling methods to capitalise on the EU urban mine • Proposing environmentally friendly and resource efficient production processes for magnets By implementing those global ambitions in a technical and scientific project, the first aim is to establish Laser Beam – Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and material extrusion (MEX) as novel and reliable methods in the production of permanent magnet materials. For that purpose, wide range of printing parameters resulting in different production conditions (including anisotropic printing and in-situ alloying) will be used at the Institute of Materials Science, Joining and Forming TU Graz (IMAT) and Jozef- Stefan Institute (JSI) to influence the magnet properties. Dilatometry at the Institute for Materials Physics, TU Graz (IMP) will evaluate the effect of different printing conditions on the anisotropy in the microstructure which is crucial for the development of the magnetic properties of the printed magnets. Microstructure studies as well as characterisation of the magnet properties will be carried out at Néel Institute, Grenoble, France (NEEL). Additionally, post printing treatments will be assessed at NEEL too to further optimise the magnet properties by developing anisotropy in Fe-Cr-Co through thermomagnetic treatments or by improving coercivity in Nd-Fe-B magnets through dedicated annealing. Nd-Fe-B is the most widely used hard magnetic material in applications including the electronic and automotive sectors, electromobility and wind powder (e.g. motors, turbines, magnetic valves, sensors). Neodymium, which is a rare earth metal and on the EU list of critical elements, is required in the production of this material. Therefore, one incentive in the European Union is to develop processes for the efficient use and re-use of this resource. In this project, end-of-life Nd-Fe-B magnets will be recycled and manufactured into a powder suitable for the laser beam – powder bed fusion process by MagREEsource. This powder, once optimised, will serve as a basis for direct low temperature printing of Nd-Fe-B parts or as starting materials in the production of amorphous Nd-Fe-B powder by Metalpine suitable for breakthrough LPBF printing processes. Fe-Cr-Co is a medium hard magnetic material, which is handled as a possible alternative to rare earth magnets, especially in areas, where those materials are not explicitly required (e.g. large electric engines). Another advantage of Fe-Cr-Co in comparison to similar materials of the same material class (e.g. Al-Ni-Co) is its low cobalt content. A higher market share of this material at the expense of higher Cobalt containing materials would have positive effects on the environment and local societies in the future, since the mining of Cobalt is environmentally and ethically problematic. Finally, the magnet printed parts will be tested for a potential future use in different applications, such as: Nd-Fe-B based magnetic sensors and valves in the automotive field (AVL) and lifting systems using Fe-Cr-Co (Vegatechnik, VEG). The ability to produce complex shaped magnets provides manufacturers of electric devices with greater freedom in design and construction while simultaneously developing enhanced anisotropic magnet properties.