THERMACH. THERmally assisted MACHining of difficult-to-cut materials

THERMACH aims to develop and demonstrate a thermally assisted machining process to addresses the significant manufacturing challenges that industries face when producing components and products using advanced Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) and other difficult-to-cut materials. Within THERMACH, the UK partners will advance innovative analytical, software and hardware solutions for Laser Assisted Machining (LAM) processes to become enabling, competitive and sustainable processes for MMC machining on an industrial scale, that is able to deliver a step-change in increased productivity and reduction in production costs. This is achieved by augmenting the conventional value chain of the machining process by smart introduction of satellite tooling, laser, induction and monitoring links.

Lasers are well known as a means of processing materials which are difficult to cut by conventional mechanical means. The development of combined laser and mechanical processes offers the potential to combine the benefits of both, as well as the ability to achieve process speeds and qualities that cannot be achieved by either in isolation.

Development of next-gen cutting tools achieving high material removal rates and extended tool-life for higher-productivity machining will be further explored within THERMACH.

THERMACH-enabled MMC manufacture offers 30-70% weight reduction for aerospace applications, resulting in greater payload, extended range and lower emissions, significantly increasing competitiveness and first-mover advantage for UK aerospace companies and helping meet the UK's target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050\.

Furthermore,a high-quality, consistent and cost effective thermal cutting process has the potential transform production of patient-specific prostheses to restore anatomy affected by trauma, disease or surgery.

This project brings together experts across the entire manufacturing value chain to develop a disruptive, generic innovation that can be applied to high-efficiency manufacture of difficult-to-cut materials, integrating into existing CNC equipment, thereby enabling wide up-take.