A laser metal deposition system for multi-material additive manufacturing

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For centuries, metals are the most widely used structural materials. The development of advanced metallic materials and manufacturing processes is critical to strengthening Canada's competitive position in today's world economy. Metal additive manufacturing, also known as metal 3D printing, offers the great design freedom of manufacturing parts from a wide range of materials. As an AM technique, the laser metal deposition (LMD) approach provides considerable flexibility to locally control composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties by co-depositing two or more types of metal powders through coaxial powder feed nozzles. For example, multicomponent alloys and graded alloys can be created by in situ alloying during the LMD process. Therefore, LMD paves the way for integrating alloy design and manufacturing, fundamentally changing the way that alloys are fabricated and properties are tuned. In this application, our team requests an LMD system for multi-material additive manufacturing to develop new metallic materials with properties that cannot be obtained using conventional techniques. The system is essential for supporting the following NSERC-funded research programs: (1) Laser deposition of high-strength and thermally stable high-entropy alloys for aerospace applications; (2) Laser deposition of metal matrix composites for wear-and-erosion resistant coatings used in mineral equipment. (3) Laser deposition of graded porous titanium for biomedical implantation applications. The application team includes twelve researchers (five applicants and seven collaborators) of different career stages and scientific expertise in the following fields: alloy design, additive manufacturing, coating technologies, mechanical testing, and biomedical implantation. The requested equipment is not only vital to the proposed research, but it is also very versatile for many other NSERC-funded research programs, including dentistry, automobiles, machine tools, electro-technology, medicine, and toolmaking. So far, there has been no such multi-material LMD system at U of T and neighboring institutions (Ryerson and York) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The requested LMD system will be integrated with the Infrastructure for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing at the University of Toronto (U of T), bringing new collaborative opportunities for many research groups and industrial partners in the GTA one of the manufacturing powerhouses in Canada. Inclusion, diversity, and gender equity (EDI) are fully considered in team composition and HQP training. The requested equipment will be used to train more than 20 highly qualified personnel (HQP) immediately and more than 60 HQP in the next five years, benefiting Canada's manufacturing sector and long-term economic growth.