Finding keyholds in metals 3D printing
By Karen Mellen
Additive manufacturing’s promise to revolutionize industry is constrained by a widespread problem: tiny gas pockets in the final product, which can lead to cracks and other failures.
New research published today in Science, led by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Argonne National Laboratory, has identified how and when these gas pockets form, as well as a methodology to predict their formation—a pivotal discovery that could dramatically improve the 3D printing process.
“The research in this paper will translate into better quality control and better control of working with the machines,” said Anthony Rollett, professor of materials science and engineering at Carnegie Mellon. “For additive manufacturing to really take off for the majority of companies, we need to improve the consistency of the finished products. This research is a major step in that direction.”