Additive manufacturing

Three researchers in a lab with 3D-printer. — The lab with 3D printer for metal products at Linköping University. Photo: Teiksma Buseva

Additive manufacturing, also called 3D printing or freeform manufacturing, is a relatively new production method that has revolutionized the manufacturing industry. With this technology, manufacturers can create components directly from a CAD model in an automatic manner.

Additive manufacturing makes it possible to create new innovative materials but also to create components with extremely complex geometries. There are many different techniques in additive manufacturing, such as powder bed technology, stereolithography and fused deposition modeling (FDM).

Metallics and other materials

Everyone uses different methods to create the finished products. In powder bed technology, the components are built up layer by layer. This is done by melting parts of each powder layer with a laser or electron beam. This technology is used not only for metallic products, but also for the manufacture of products in polymers and other materials.

Research is needed

Mechanical properties of components manufactured using additive manufacturing may differ from those of components manufactured using conventional techniques. This depends on the inherent complexity of the techniques and on many different process parameters, such as layer thickness, energy density, scanning strategy, build speed and preheating temperature.

In order to introduce additive manufacturing for critical and highly stressed products, it is necessary to understand how the process affects, for example, fatigue properties and damage resistance.

The project is a collaboration with IMA, SAAB, Siemens Energy, AM Printservice, Curt Nicolin Gymnasiet, Etteplan, Interspectral and Swemac.

Research projects

IEI invests in additive manufacturing

A new 3D printer, a Wematter Gravity, enables more students in various engineering courses to have high quality plastic components quickly manufactured . At LiU can now also conduct more research in 3D printing.

A young men in the lab, computer screens in the background.

Researcher dives deep into the hidden world of stainless steel

Luqing Cui is passionate about materials science, more specifically the mechanical properties of metal alloys. His work is dedicated to understanding stainless steel at a submicron scale where so called cell structures are formed.

Close-up on a material being tested in the lab.

Innovative and cost-effective manufacturing out of autoclave for composite

This research project aims to present a method that could use conventional materials in OOA (out of autoclave) manufacturing for composite.

Dunyong Deng, researcher in Engineering Materials.

Additive manufacture changes materials

Additive manufacture in combination with nickel-based superalloys can be used in the production of high-temperature products. New research increases our knowledge of new manufacturing methods and how these change the properties of materials.

3D printing for critical aeronautical applications

Additive manufacturing (3D-printing) makes impossible designs possible and could be the start of the 3:rd industrial revolution which will change the way we look at production and development.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of additive manufactured superalloy

High quality and high performance of additive manufactured (3D-printed) material requires good control of the microstructure of the materials.

Freemelt One

One of the largermanufacturers of EB-PBF machines is Freemelt, with their flagship Freemelt One.

Freemelts machines are open source, which provides the user with the possibility to change and produce anything within the limits of the machine. Freemelt One also utilizes a vacuum chamber, which creates a clean and stable environment in the build chamber without the need for an inert gas. Another advantage of the Freemelt One is the possibility to add additional components to the machine, such as temperature sensors, cameras, or other utilities in any of the machine’s additional inlets.

Specifications

Open source
Beam powder 0-6 kW
Beam acceleration voltage 60 kV
Back-scatter detector
Build volume 100mm x 100 mm Ø
Extension possibilities with additional heat sensors and other inlets
Possibilities for custom installation.

Research group

Johan Moverare

Professor

Magnus Kahlin

Adjunct Associate Professor

Ru Peng

Professor

Anton Wiberg

Postdoc

Karin Wennersten

PhD student

Related information

Novel materials design for defect free additive manufacturing of difficult to weld Ni-based alloys.

MADAM

3D printing has almost unlimited design flexibility, and has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry. However, the number of suitable alloys are limited. This research project aims to develop superalloys, tailored for 3D printing.

Johan Moverare, professor i konstruktionsmetarial

Engineering materials

Research focus is mainly on metallic materials but also ceramics, composites and polymers. This includes high temperature materials such as Ni-based superalloys and coatings, austenitic stainless steels, cast iron and aluminium and titanium alloys.

Organisation

Engineering Materials (KMAT)

The Division of Engineering Materials explore the relationships between microstructure and properties of mainly metallic materials but also ceramics, composites and polymers for engineering applications.

Department of Management and Engineering (IEI)

The Department of Management and Engineering (IEI) strengthens and develops tomorrow’s industry, business world and society by ground-breaking research, education and innovation.

Studenthuset on Campus Valla in Linköping

About LiU

Linköping University, LiU, offers innovative education and boundary-crossing research. The students are among the most desirable in the labour market and international rankings consistently place LiU as a leading global university.

Additive manufacturing

Metallics and other materials

Research is needed