Antoine Queguineur wins the Grade2XL 2023 Additive Manufacturing Challenge
As part of the WAAM Grade2XL Additive Manufacturing project, Antoine Queguineur was awarded the 2023 Jury Prize for an innovative fireplace concept: the KOTA fireplace, which combines an original design with improved energy efficiency.
His work is in the field of metal additive manufacturing, focusing on the WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) process. The main objective of this research is to understand and control the influence of deposition parameters on the characteristics of printed parts, from the macroscopic to the microscopic scale. This technical approach is complemented by a study of a train bogie, demonstrating the importance of combining the design, manufacture and characterisation of parts in order to prove their industrial applicability. This work was rewarded with a prize in a European competition, linked to the Grade2XL project, which focused on the design of large multi-material parts.
The general concept is the design of a wood-burning fireplace manufactured using the WAAM process. The innovation lies in the possibility of combining a reduction in manufacturing constraints, improved thermal efficiency, reduced wood consumption through the use of thermal optimisation tools and a unique design for each house. This idea illustrates how additive manufacturing can revolutionise not only industry, but also contemporary design.