Institute of Virtual ManufacturingOpen OpportunitiesLaser ablation is mainly driven by the so-called laser-matter interaction. Especially for hard-to-machine materials like ceramics, which are gaining increasing attention in technical applications, the ablation phenomenon must be fully understood and controlled to achieve precise and selective material removal while maintaining material integrity. These materials have outstanding properties for a plurality of applications in industry; however, one is faced with the issue of finding a suitable manufacturing technique. Brittleness, hardness, and their tendency to crack lead to complications that could be addressed by the implementation of laser technology. However, experimental approaches alone are not expedient to fully handle and understand the complex phenomenon of laser ablation of ceramic multi materials. This is the motivation for introducing the first steps of simulating laser-matter interaction in multi-material ceramics within this project. - Manufacturing Engineering
- Bachelor Thesis, Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Laser cladding (LC) and high-speed laser cladding (HSLC) are direct metal deposition (DMD) techniques where metal powder is delivered to a substrate using a carrier gas, and a laser melts the powder and substrate to create a coating. The primary difference between LC and HSLC lies in the powder-laser interaction, as shown in Figure 1. In LC, the powder is injected into a molten pool on the substrate, while in HSLC, the powder is melted in flight before reaching the substrate. This distinction allows HSLC to achieve deposition speeds up to two orders of magnitude higher than LC while reducing the heat input to the substrate. Achieving these benefits, however, depends on the efficient and predictable interaction between the powder and the laser beam.
This project investigates the behavior of powder streams in HSLC using a dual approach: advanced numerical simulations and experimental validations. It explores the influence of key input parameters, such as gas flow settings, nozzle geometry, and material properties, on powder stream dynamics. By combining numerical modeling and experimental analysis, the study aims to uncover new insights into powder stream behaviors, optimize the process, and refine the robustness of the model under diverse conditions.
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Foam Additive Manufacturing (FAM) integrates 3D printing with physical blowing agents (PBAs) to produce lightweight, porous structures. The extrusion process, which involves a polymer-PBA solution, is critical for foam formation [1]. Bubble nucleation and growth occur due to rapid pressure drops and temperature changes within the extruder nozzle. - Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
- Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| In powder bed-based additive manufacturing, the feed rate during recoating determines the amount of powder distributed to maintain a uniform layer across the build platform. An optimal feed rate ensures a consistent powder bed while minimizing material waste and ensuring process stability. Traditional approaches often use a static feed rate, which may lead to inconsistencies in layer thickness or material overflow, especially for geometries with complex scanning patterns or varying powder requirements. - Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Physics
- Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-
TEM) requires precise control of vibration
dampening to maintain imaging quality, particularly
in the 20-50 Hz frequency range. Conventional
vibration dampening approaches often struggle
with achieving the required precision and
adaptability for such specialized equipment. This
project focuses on the topological optimization of
vibration dampening components using lattice
structures, advanced CAD tools (e.g., Fusion360),
and AI-based design methodologies, validated through Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF)
manufacturing. - Architecture, Urban Environment and Building, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Education, Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences, Physics
- Bachelor Thesis, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are advanced materials capable of returning to their original shape when exposed to external stimuli such as heat or stress. Lactide copolymers, derived from renewable resources, are particularly attractive for SMP applications due to their tunable mechanical properties, thermal responsiveness, and biocompatibility. Optimizing precipitation-based processing techniques is critical to unlocking the full potential of lactide copolymers for advanced applications. - Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Urban Environment and Building, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Education, Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences
- Bachelor Thesis, Collaboration, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a versatile additive manufacturing process that creates complex components by fusing powdered materials layer by layer. This project focuses on optimizing SLS parameters for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable resources. PHA is of great interest due to its biodegradability and potential applications in sustainable manufacturing. - Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Urban Environment and Building, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences
- Bachelor Thesis, Collaboration, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a versatile additive manufacturing technique used to produce components by fusing powder materials layer by layer. This project focuses on the SLS processing of cerium oxide (ceria) for applications in carbon dioxide (CO2) capture. Ceria is a promising material in this domain due to its redox properties and potential for use in thermochemical cycles for CO₂ conversion and storage. However, optimizing its SLS processing parameters to ensure high-quality functional parts remains a challenge. - Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Urban Environment and Building, Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Economics, Education, Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences
- Bachelor Thesis, Collaboration, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Today, setting up new tools for machining is a very time-consuming process. Only a few parameters, such as length and nose radius, are known to the machine. In addition, wear must be assessed manu-ally by looking at the tool under a microscope. Even then, only a visual inspection is possible. The actual changes in tool geometry are not detected.
In this thesis you will develop a system to evaluate tool wear on 3D scans of the geometry of the tools. The focus will be on two different technologies: Photogrammetry, where the 3D model is re-constructed from 2D images, and structured light scanning, where 3D positions can be measured directly. There is an existing system for photogrammetry that was trained on synthetic data to which a structured light sensor will be added - Computer Vision, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Bachelor Thesis, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Master Thesis, Semester Project
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