Laser Powder Bed Fusion With Multiple Materials

In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), applying multiple materials separately within the same build seems as though it should be impossible. The “bed” of the powder bed machine is an undifferentiated mass of powder, offering no capacity to segregate separate materials.
Schaeffler Aerosint offers a system that brings this segregation to LPBF machines. It works by delivering different materials each to individual drums above the powder bed, with these drums using negative pressure to precisely lay material onto an in-process build.
Penn State University’s Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D) is experimenting with applications of this system for building parts from two or more materials within a single LPBF cycle. Here is a look at the operation and some of the uses of this multi-material powder bed system.
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Schaeffler Aerosint: aerosint.com/
CIMP-3D: cimp3d.org/
Another LPBF resource at CIMP-3D, really big powder bed machines: www.additivemanufacturing.med...
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[@carvalhoribeiro]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@pyalot]

That is really cool. Powder reuse will be a bit of an issue.

[@caeli5532]

This technology can be used to make not only radiators, or heat exchange tubes. I think it can print thermal barriers or composite details with ceramic structures inside. And if you can select materials correctly, you can do this details monolythic after firing and diffusion.

[@kellymoses8566]

Not being able to reuse the unused powder would greatly increase costs.

[@markbass_trojanthinking]

Plus’s and minus’s but definitely a step forward I think 🤔 Could be used to print different graded material sizes too but more for a single material run…. Just my skying it😂

[@Jacob-pu4zj]

Surely one could separate out the two materials in the bed by their material properties, such as with a magnet or a centrifuge. I dont know if it would be worth the effort, but it must be possible, no?

[@DavidCzuba]

This process looks like an analog for color xerographic (electrophotographic) printing, but with different metals instead of toner.

[@tiborsliva]

I like this idea. Is it possible to recycle the powder? What can you do with used powder?

[@disposabull]

Copper & titanium powder can probably be separated by passing it over a magnet a few times.

[@caeli5532]

@@disposabull did you hear about Gas centrifuge?

[@tmarti69]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqXPmZp8lqdrb7s This could make a small fusion reactor, because the Superconductor YBMC is about the same melting point of copper, that takes expensive Rebco tape and turns it into a simple build. It makes a complex stellarator into an inexpensive print. A reactor could be as small as a toaster and so simple it could be disposable. It would be nice if it could also print the tungsten wall lining, but allot of laser power required. Chanels for liquid helium, and liquid Lithium would be simple to build this way. Since Reboco like tape can be badly damaged and still not quench it is unlikely Neutrons would damage the superconductors. Even if it did the blankets were intended to be replaced every two years, why not make the whole reactor cheap, small and disposable. It would only need to last a week to be of military value, no battery recharging needed. Robotic tanks could easily establish a path and break front lines.

[@OVER9000_YT]

Нифига.