How Can We Make Metal 3D Printing More Reliable and Encourage Its Adoption?

One of the most persistent challenges in additive manufacturing is undoubtedly process reliability. How can we guarantee that 3D-printed parts will meet the desired requirements? Will they withstand the effects of time? Can we successfully reproduce the same conditions for all our parts? These issues are particularly relevant in metal 3D printing, where many professionals are still reluctant to use the technology precisely because of this lack of reliability and repeatability. What if we could develop better control over the process? Achieve more precise control and better simulation? This is the focus of research conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) by the Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) group. Their goal is to observe and analyze the evolution of materials and structures within a part during printing, and to propose techniques to ensure better quality and greater consistency of parts.

It is still very difficult to know how a 3D-printed metal part will react, as most technologies use a heat source to fuse metal particles. However, metals are particularly sensitive to heat, and these thermal changes have an impact on the structures being manufactured. The diffusion of heat in the 3D printer can affect how the particles bond together, leading to failures, defects, and therefore non-conformities.

LLNL wants to promote the adoption of metal 3D printing.

David Stobbe is the group leader for NDE ultrasonics and sensors in the Materials Engineering Division (MED). He explains: “If you want people to use metal AM components out in the world, you need NDE. If we can prove that AM-produced parts behave as designed, it will allow them to proliferate, be used in safety-critical components in aerospace, energy and other sectors and hopefully open a new paradigm in manufacturing.”