Additively manufactured metal tools for the next step in sustainable tillage

Purpose and goal:

The aim is to open a large branch for metallic AM additive manufacturing; agricultural tools for soil preparation. These require wear-resistant metals to provide efficient and sustainable tillage. Initially, the tools have an efficient shape but change relatively quickly by abrasion against rock and gravel in the soil. This impairs soil flows, decomposition of soil and organic matter, and increases costs.

Objective: build knowledge and experience on how AM-manufactured tools, with unique hard AM alloys, can reduce wear and contribute to the sustainable agriculture of the future. Expected results and effects:

Benefit to the metals industry: Show that tillage tools have the potential to become a true volume product for AM manufactured steel. Benefit for manufacturers of agricultural machinery: By significantly increasing the technology content of wear parts, create a lead that enables regaining the aftermarket. For agriculture: Contribute to providing the sector with efficient wear-resistant tools that enable processing with as few crossings as possible and as little energy use and climate impact as possible, and thus to the EU´s roadmap for the Green Deal and UN´s sustainability goals.

Approach and implementation:

The project has 3 work packages, where WP1 focuses on wear mechanisms of the tools and how these depend on the soil´s composition and moisture content. This builds a scientific basis for development of materials and relevant testing methods. In WP2, materials are developed to resist wear mechanisms found in WP1.

They are evaluated and compared with leading products in lab tests. The next stage adds full-scale field tests. In WP3, a unique test instrument is developed for studies of the effect of the tips on the soil, energy consumption and initial wear, both in the lab and in the field.