Page 9 - 3D Metal Printing Spring 2016

Industry News 3D
DoE Supercomputing Projects to Advance 3DMP
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced 10 projects with industry as part of the agency’s High Performance Computing for Manufacturing Program (HPC4Mfg). The DoE aims to leverage the computing power at U.S.-owned and/or operated laboratories available to conventional companies, to improve energy effi- ciency and reduce waste.
Among its first round of partners is the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), which will be involved in four projects, each of which will receive $300,000 in initial funding. ORNL’s stable of supercomputers includes the Cray supercomputer known as Titan, the fastest computer in the United States. Lawrence Berkeley and Lawrence Liv- ermore National Labs (LLNL), both of which have supercomputing resources and expertise, also will support the HPC4Mfg efforts.
Two of the four ORNL projects focus on additive manufacturing of metal compo- nents, to design more efficient aircraft engines and improve durability and lifespan:
• United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT, will partner with ORNL and LLNL to develop and deploy simulation tools that predict the material microstruc- ture during the additive-manufacturing process, to ensure that critical aircraft parts meet design specifications for strength and fatigue resistance. The project is titled, Integrated Predictive Tools for Customizing Microstructure and Material Properties of Additively Manufactured Aerospace Components.
• General Electric will partner with ORNL to assist in the local control of melt pool and microstructure in additive-manufactured parts, under a project titled, Process Map for Tailoring Microstructure in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Manufacturing Process.
University of Louisville Opens Additive Manufacturing Competency Center
This past February, the University of Louisville (KY) opened the UL Additive Manu- facturing Competency Center. A training facility for 3D printing and other advanced manufacturing techniques, the center is the result of a partnership between the univer- sity and the former Underwriters Laboratories (now called UL LLC). It offers hands-on
training in multiple areas of additive manufacturing including design setup, design corrections, machine setup, parts production, post-processing, and the inspection, testing and validation of parts.
Through the center, students can learn how to create metal parts and design parts with safety mechanisms built in. Students also will be able to pin- point potential safety hazards that machines or other materials could pose.
The center has been established in 15,000 sq. ft. of space and shares the building with FirstBuild, the GE Appli- ances/Local Motors appliance microfacto- ry; and the J.B. Speed School of Engineer- ing Garage, a maker space used by engineering students. In 2018, all three groups will transition into a new facility, the Institute for Product Realization, at the U of L 40-acre Belknap Engineering and Applied Sciences Research Park.
Pushing the Limits of 3D-Metal-Printing Possibilities
NVBOTS, Boston, MA, has developed multi-metal 3D-printing technology for commercial use. The technology enables manufacturers to 3D-print with any metal, print multiple metals in the same build, and reportedly print 10 times faster than with selective laser sintering. NVBOTS supports a growing list of met- als that includes stainless steel, titanium, nickel, copper-nickel, aluminum, zirconi- um, silver and palladium.
3DMPmag.com
SPRING 2016 • 3D METAL PRINTING | 7