Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference - MAMC 2023

This presentation introduces a new method for a significant improvement of the electrical conductivity of thermally sprayed copper layers in multi-material designs. Within the MULTI-FUN project, thermally sprayed coatings are used to create integrated electrical conductors, which are insulated by ceramic layers and subsequently embedded into metallic structures by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. The use case for this novel multi-material design is a motorcycle handlebar featuring integrated electrical conductors as well as hydraulic channels.
A recurring problem is the poor electrical conductivity of the thermally sprayed copper coatings, which can be up to 5 times lower than pure copper as a drawn wire.
A new method for a post-treatment of these electrical conductors is introduced, which significantly increases the conductivity without negatively affecting the joint to the insulating stacks or influencing the mechanical properties of the adjacent structural part.