America Makes Announces 2 Manufacturing Projects
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – America Makes announced this morning that research and development teams led by GE Global Research, Arizona State University and the International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence were selected to participate in two projects funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
GE Global Research, in conjunction with the Applied Research Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University and GE Additive, was chosen to help develop a commercially available powder bed fusion 3D printer capable of large-scale additive manufacturing.
The project entails developing an open source, multi-laser manufacturing research platform that can form complex shapes made from a multitude of alloys. Small-build platforms using a single laser machines have become too constricting because of their low volume capability and lengthy production times.
The Air Force Research Laboratory provided $2.1 million toward the project and the project team provided another $525,000 in matching funds for total project funding of $2.6 million.
A second project was awarded to teams led by Arizona State University and the International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence to advance post-processing techniques used in additive manufacturing.
This project involves determining best practices to expand the use of selective laser melting, or SLM, to make critical parts for the Air Force.
Arizona State, along with Quintis Technologies, Phoenix Heat Treating Inc., and Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies, would research and explore how mechanical properties change as a function of size in metal additive manufacturing.
The International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, along with Quintis, Carpenter Technologies Corp., Aeroject Rocketdyne, Rolls Royce Corp., Honeywell Aerospace, GE Aviation and Raytheon, seeks to determine the mechanical performance of components built through additive manufacturing and the application of hot isostatic pressing.
The Air Force Research Lab awarded $1.6 million toward the project, while the project teams contributed $800,000 in matching funds for a total project cost of $2.4 million.
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