Energy Efficient Manufacturing of Power Electronics Substrates through Selective Laser Melting Technology

Abstract

In view of rising energy prices, high-energy consumption, and the associated environmental problems, in recent years the focus was shifted on the demand for energy and resource efficiency in the manufacturing sector. In the context of the project ‘PowerSLAM’ under Green Factory Bavaria Project, the feasibility of selective laser melting technology (SLM) for the production of ceramic circuit carriers is investigated. In this paper, an overview on the comparison of the state-of-the-art technologies with SLM technology is given in the perspective of energy and resource consumption. Parallelly the results of the investigations of SLM technology i.e. process feasibility and optimization for melting of copper based powders on ceramic substrates is summarized. The process parameters such as laser power, laser scan velocity and scan strategies are investigated. Based on the energy measurements, the process parameters are optimized accordingly for efficient process and overview on the resource and energy consumption is given. Demonstrators are built based on confined parameter combinations showing the process compatibility and the efficiencies are calculated accordingly. Here the approach bottom-up is considered to do the comprehensive process comparison and the energy efficiency value is considered in accessing the process and related energy efficiency.