Additive Manufacturing

With this method the classic construction of parts can be circumvented and new paths are opening for integrated designs – complex shaping comes for free! This is already advanced in the field of construction materials such as steels (316L), Ni-based high temperature materials (Inconel In718, In625) and lightweight Al and Ti based materials (e.g. Ti-6-4).

The use of functional materials as we understand them is still in its infancy. Additional functionality by magnetic stray fields, shape memory alloys and thermal behavior (magnetocaloric materials) is not yet available in a production-ready state of technology. For most of the printing routes specific (metal or polymer) powders are required. Since there are only a very limited number commerially available at all, the development of new powder materials is the first step to be tackled. This is always in close relationship with process conditions in the printer and the desired microstructural and, hence, functional properties. This interaction offers a great playground for development, but the relations of the chain composition-printing-microstructure-functionality have to be understood in the first place. This is the field we are working especially for permanent magnetic and magnetocaloric materials.

Furthermore, this AM offers in general a completely decentralized production (besides the required powders, of course) and material losses for shaping are reduced, due to the near netshape production and collection of the wastes in a closed cycle system. New chances of developing a resource saving production towards a circular economy are explored.