A Dual-Laser Additive Manufacturing System for Novel Materials (Green3D)

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This project aims to empower the UK's research institutions and industry with a state-of-the-art dual laser (green/infrared) laser powder fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) system. This development system can be used to process novel metallic materials, using either laser sources. The green laser will enable AM of low laser absorptivity materials, especially Cu and its alloys, precious metals, as well as some structural materials of poor laser absorptivity in the infrared (IR) range. As switching the laser-source is fully automated, the system can tailor the heat input with the geometry in defect-susceptible materials or build functionally graded materials. The small processing chamber will enable the development of excessively costly materials using limited quantities of powders in a fully open system with unlocked parameters and with a quick material changeover, unlike the majority of the IR-based systems in the UK universities. The presence of both lasers on the same system will permit exploring the utility of the laser source on consolidation, throughput and performance, especially novel materials of unknown laser absorptivity. The interest in AM of novel materials is growing rapidly with the expansion in its applications in the space, energy, healthcare, and communication devices sectors.The system will support projects for both the UK academia and industry, due to its ability to process limited quantities of powders, as well as build medium sized components, making it ideal for both material and product development. It will also support research on in-situ process monitoring, materials development and Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) to simulate the laser-powder interaction and the resulting material properties.