Powder-Logistics Concept for Future LPBF High-Volume Shop Developing a scalable powder-logistics concept for serial LPBF production

Sammanfattning

Following the increasing use of additive manufacturing in aerospace production, Laser PowderBed Fusion has become an important technology for producing complex and lightweight metalcomponents. However, scaling LPBF from a low-volume demonstration environment to high-volume serial production creates new requirements for powder-logistics. Metal powder mustbe handled safely, traceably and efficiently, while risks related to manual handling,contamination, ergonomics and tied-up capital need to be controlled.This study investigates a company within the aerospace industry that is preparing a future high-volume LPBF production facility. The current powder-logistics setup is mainly designed forlow-volume development and learning and is therefore not suitable for the expected increase inproduction volume, material movements and parallel powder flows. Therefore, this study aimsto support the company by developing and evaluating a powder-logistics concept that enablessafe, traceable, cost-efficient and scalable operations.Through observations, interviews, internal data, workshops, Material Flow Mapping andSystematic Layout Planning, several limiting factors were identified and analyzed. Theseincluded manual handling, unclear storage logic, high handling frequency, traceabilityrequirements, operational risks and the need for future scalability. To address these factors, afinal powder-logistics concept is proposed. The concept includes a structured cell-based layout,larger powder units, defined storage and filling zones, improved identification systems, liftingsupport and is automation-ready.By implementing the proposed concept, the company can reduce handling complexity, improvetraceability and operator safety, and create a scalable structure that can be multiplied asproduction volume increases.