WP8 – Laser Reconstruction

This project will develop integrated metal (re)construction equipment, for a pre-determined target scenario: molds from the medical sector (multi-cavity molds with parts up to 50 mm) which are transportable and can be worked on, quickly and in a minimally intrusive way, at the customer’s facilities, namely on the assembly line where molds are in operation.

The quality of the (re)construction can be checked using dimensional control equipment, equally transportable and integrated into a single system, as a target. It is also the idea that intervention times will be easily determined. The equipment will consist of the integration of additive technologies in the maturation phase, which UMinho commands, mature subtractive technologies, in which MPTOOL and DNC are experts, and inspection and quality control technologies, which ISOINSPEQT commands.

Changes and/or repairs in molds is a time-consuming process with very critical logistical and production planning requirements (in most technical situations, the mold has to go back to the manufacturer).

This system will enable the transportation of all the necessary resources for changes/maintenance in question to the mold, thus avoiding the toll (or a part of it) that was previously attached to such interventions. On the other hand, technical and design communication protocols, wear monitoring (i.e. the optimization of maintenance plans), and the management of spare components will be significantly improved.