RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing’s Post

We’re excited to announce a fantastic PhD completion by Dr. Jordan Noronha on 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 👏 🌺 Jordan’s research, exploring innovation in metallic metamaterials by additive manufacturing (#AM), is driven by the constant search for stronger, lighter materials. Metal strut-based lattices are a type of cellular material that offers an alternative solution to the development of breakthrough metallic materials, yet these metamaterials largely conform to empirically derived limits. To overcome these limits and ensure mechanical properties that satisfy the engineering industry, this research project has kickstarted the laser powder bed fusion (#LPBF) manufacture of higher relative density (10-40%) Ti-6Al-4V lattices with hollow node and strut sections. After overcoming difficulties with powder removal and porosity defects in initial hollow strut manufacture assessments, #LPBF-fabricated hollow-strut lattices (HSL) were designed that challenged conventional lattice metamaterials. Although structurally efficient these Ti-6Al-4V HSLs reported significant weakening at their nodes that caused premature localised lattice failure. Consequentially, Jordan developed design strategies to negate this and improve HSL structural efficiency. A notable design strategy included multi-topology lattice metamaterials, a new classification of metal lattice that combined HSL and thin-plate lattices in a single topology to evenly distribute stress. These multi-topology metamaterials far surpassed the empirically derived limits for cellular materials and achieved an absolute yield strength that exceeded bulk magnesium alloys. This novel metamaterial was recently published in Advanced Materials (https://lnkd.in/gCVB3E-A) and was subsequently reported in 192 news articles that reached 𝟐𝟓𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. With nine first-author journal publications, the outcomes from this thesis should promote the idea that lattices can eventually provide an alternative solution to high-strength lightweight metal alloys. We acknowledge the RMIT University supervisory team: Prof. Ma Qian, Prof. Martin Leary, Dr. Elizabeth Kyriakou, and Prof. Milan Brandt. A massive thank you to the Australian Research Council (#ARC) which funded his research through a Discovery Project. We extend our best wishes to Jordan for his future ventures and career. #additivemanufacturing #3dprinting #RCAM #rmituniversity #ARC #phd #project #research #phdstudent

🎓🔬 I am thrilled to announce the completion of my Master's thesis, delving into the influence of pre-treatments on the surface characteristics of electron beam-melted Alloy 718 and their pivotal role in coating deposition. As electron beam melting gains prominence in additive manufacturing, understanding these nuances becomes paramount for industries seeking enhanced component performance. 💡✨ Throughout this enriching journey, I have been privileged to work under Dr. Thomas Grund and Prof. Shrikant Joshi guidance, whose expertise and mentorship have significantly shaped my understanding of this specialized field. I am sincerely grateful to them for their unwavering support and invaluable insights. 🌟📚 Additionally, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to WOT - Professur Werkstoff- und Oberflächentechnik Head Prof. Thomas Lampke and the department for their continual support and provision of resources essential to this research endeavour. I sincerely thank Dr. Thomas Lindner and Dr. Thomas Mehner for their guidance and expertise in coating technologies. I also want to thank Dr. Lisa Winter, my department head at Metallic Materials and Material Fatigue, WOT, for her unwavering support. This achievement is a testament to the collaborative efforts of peers, mentors, friends, and industry professionals who generously shared their knowledge and encouragement. 🤝🌱  As I look forward to the next chapter of my academic and professional journey, I am excited to apply the knowledge gained to contribute meaningfully to advancing additive manufacturing parts. 🚀💼 #MasterThesis #SurfaceCharacteristics #AdditiveManufacturing #Alloy718 #Research #Gratitude #EngineeringExcellence #Mentorship #collaborationopportunity #coatingsindustry #Technische Universität Chemnitz #corrosionprotection #highperformance #metal3dprinting #additivefertigung #thermalspray #tribology #adhesion #inconel #aerospaceindustry #turbines #researchanddevelopment #fatigue #topography #sem #functionality

Our new paper explores the mechanical behavior of polymers and how it varies with the rate of loading, a key factor for precise modeling and design. We investigated the rate-dependent energy dissipation in polymers fabricated using grayscale masked stereolithography. Additionally, we compared various grading strategies for lattice structures within the linear viscoelastic range. These findings enhance our understanding of how polymer structures manage energy absorption and dissipation.

💪 Creating 3D-printed artificial #muscles is an endeavour that extends beyond just the muscle material itself! 🔬 Our partners University of Rome Tor Vergata "Tor Vergata" is engineering a custom 3D-printing machine to process our cutting-edge actuating material. This engineering development process starts from the polymer systems produced by Adolphe Merkle Institute and then iteratively assembles, modifies and fine-tunes a custom 3D-printing setup to process them into working prototypes. 🎥 The video below capture one of our very first successful 3D-printing attempts with this custom machine! After this first setup, much more work is being carried out in the labs to refine and improve the whole system, and steering it toward a perfected machine for our ambitious endeavour! Université de Fribourg - Universität Freiburg Eindhoven University of Technology Centre national de la recherche scientifique Veltha State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) Material Science and Technology group - Tor Vergata #artificialmuscles #polymers #composites #bioelectricity #bioinspiration #science #integrate

The 🔬2024 Plastometrex Research Competition🔬 is heating up faster than our PLX-HotStage! 🔥This year, we've gathered a panel of renowned experts from the world of materials science to judge your entries. Their mission? To shine a spotlight on the most noteworthy new research project with the winner receiving their very own PLX-Benchtop and PLX-HotStage for FREE for 6 months, all costs covered by us! Meet the judges: 📚 Professor Roger Reed (University of Oxford): A leading authority on high-temperature materials, specialising in aerospace and power generation applications. 🔬 Dr. Vera Popovich (TU Delft): Renowned for her work on material failure under extreme conditions and pioneering advanced materials development through additive manufacturing. 👨🔬 Professor Bill Clyne (Plastometrex & University of Cambridge): Co-founder of Plastometrex and a trailblazer in innovative metallic testing systems, bringing extensive practical PIP expertise to the panel. 🌟 Professor Danielle Cote (Worcester Polytechnic Institute): An expert in high-deposition rate metal additive manufacturing, significantly advancing the field through her cutting-edge research and industry collaborations. Our judges will evaluate entries based on the novelty of the research, the likelihood of the work being completed to a high standard within 6-months, the interest to the academic community, and how well the project demonstrates the unique capabilities of PIP Testing. If your project meets these criteria, don’t hesitate to enter! The deadline to submit your proposal is the 26th of June, click the link below to register your interest now. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02ynmyH0 #ResearchCompetition #Research #MaterialsScience #MechanicalTesting #Innovation

Congratulations to our first Ph.D. graduate Dr. Iman Valizadeh for his publication "Rate-dependent energy dissipation of graded viscoelastic structures fabricated by grayscale vat photopolymerization" in Smart Materials and Structures! 🎉🎓 🌐 https://lnkd.in/eSaQgCTK 📒 A thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior of polymers, particularly their rate-dependence, is crucial for accurate material modeling and the design of polymer structures. This knowledge helps prevent the development of unrealistic mathematical formulations that fail to replicate experimental results or the natural behavior of these structures. 💡 In our recent research, we investigated the loading rate-dependent energy dissipation of polymer structures fabricated using grayscale masked stereolithography. Additionally, we compared various grading strategies in lattice structures within the linear viscoelastic regime. 🚀 Our findings enhance the understanding of the mechanical behavior of polymer structures in energy absorption and dissipation applications. TU Darmstadt - Maschinenbau, Oliver Weeger #3dprinting #stereolithography #polymers #mechanics

🚀 Exciting News! We're thrilled to share our latest publication in Scripta Materialia: "Silicon Mediated Twin Formation in Laser Direct Energy Deposited 316L Stainless Steel". Link to open access article: https://lnkd.in/epUSXXQq In this study, eminating from the post-doctoral work of Dr. Kewei Chen, we demonstrate how increasing the silicon (Si) content in 316L stainless steel can significantly enhance the formation of Σ3 twin boundaries during laser-based directed energy deposition, an additive manufacturing technique; these "special" boundaries are known for their resistance to intergranular corrosion and improving stress corrosion cracking resistance. Increasing Si content from 0.7wt% to 2.2wt% resulted in an increase in the length fraction of Σ3 twin boundaries from 2.25% to a whopping 23% . (===> Click on the picture to view it with a better resolution) We explain how this increase in length fraction is promoted via the occurence of two microstructure formation mechanisms in 316L with 2.2wt% Si: (i) an ISRO-mediated nucleation of grains in the liquid state and (ii) massive transformation of ferrite to austenite (F/MA) in the solid state. In a broader context, this work underlines how standard alloy compositions can be altered to yield significant and desirable microstructural changes during additive manufacturing. This research has been supported by my European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project GAMMA (946959) and conducted at the LMS, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, CNRS UMR 7649. #3Dprinting #additivemanufacturing #stainlesssteels #316L #research #alloying #silicon #DED

I am thrilled to share our latest work conducted during the Ph.D. thesis of Nikhil Mohanan. Our team has introduced an innovative experiment-driven modelling and simulation approach to thoroughly understand intergranular stress and plastic strain formation during laser scanning of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel. The laser scanning experiments were conducted utilizing a unique setup that combines a continuous-wave laser and a scanning electron microscope (CW Laser-SEM), a technology that we developed at the LMS laboratory of the École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris and CNRS, and have a patent pending. These experiments form the basis for the development of a thermo-elasto-viscoplastic polycrystal model and the case of a single laser line scan performed in vacuum is analyzed in detail. Results revealed that for 93% of the grains in the lasered zone, a statistical measure of the predicted Nye’s tensor remarkably lies within a factor of 2 (higher or lower) of the experimental one. This outcome establishes a benchmark for future such experiment-simulation comparisons. Furthermore, and very interestingly, on the lasered surface, the grain surface-averaged normal residual stress component along the laser scanning direction reaches nearly 1.7 GPa (very high) but with only 0.04 plastic strain. To understand why, see our open access publication using the following link: https://lnkd.in/epVktnie #Research #Modelling #Simulation #AdditiveManufacturing #StainlessSteel #Innovation #LaserScanning #Thesis #ExperimentalStudy #CWLaserSEM #3Dprinting #SEM #patent

Welcome to attend Elias Börjesson's PhD thesis defence 25 November 2024, 9:00 Title: Numerical methods for multiscale modelling of fibre composites Location: Virtual Development Laboratory, Chalmers Tvärgata 4C, or online on Zoom: https://lnkd.in/d7bvZcmR Popular science description: Designing lightweight structures is key in industries like aerospace, automotive, and sports technology. One of the most promising materials in this area is fibre reinforced composites, which combine strong fibres (for example carbon or glass) with a binding polymer (for example epoxy). These composites offer great advantages; they are not only strong and light but can also be tailored for specific needs, making them ideal for building everything from airplane wings to high-performance sports equipment. Despite their benefits, fibre reinforced composites present complex challenges when it comes to accurately simulating their behaviour when subjected to loads or deformations. Engineers rely on computer simulations to predict how materials will perform, but the intricate nature of fibre composites, with their various failure modes like cracking or delamination, makes it difficult to model them efficiently and accurately. This complexity is particularly pronounced at smaller scales, where the arrangement of fibres and the surrounding matrix can significantly affect the material’s overall performance. Research into improving these simulations is crucial for making fibre composites a more widely adopted material. This thesis focuses on creating better models that connect both the large-scale (macro) and small-scale (meso and micro) behaviour of these materials, aiming to provide insights that could help engineers design stronger, lighter, and more efficient composite structures for the future. Read the thesis: https://lnkd.in/d9XuKBZe Opponent: Prof. Alessandro Reali, Università di Pavia Main supervisor: Prof. Martin Fagerström, Material and Computational Mechanics, Chalmers Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Joris Remmers, Eindhoven University of Technology Examiner: Prof. Fredrik Larsson, Material and Computational Mechanics, Chalmers #ChalmersUniversityOfTechnology #Research #Phd #PhdThesis #PhdLife #Dissertation #MultiscaleModelling #FibreComposites #LightweightStructures #Simulations

My first exposure to nanofabrication was during my masters, working with carbon nanotubes and 2D materials like boron nitride and NbSe₂. What a pain it was to get bilayers or thin layers and then pattern them with electrodes! At the time, I had no idea what I was really getting into—no one explained the bigger picture of nanofabrication or cleanroom work to me. But despite how niche and tedious that work was, it didn’t push me away from the field. Fast forward to my PhD, I got exposed to a wide array of fabrication techniques. I was fortunate enough to work at DTU - Technical University of Denmark’s cleanroom—the largest in Denmark—and with each step, I gained more insight into the broader context of nanofabrication. Yet, even in such advanced facilities, the cleanroom processes differ significantly from those used in foundries, despite many similar techniques being employed. This brings me to superconducting qubit devices. Why aren't these made in large-scale foundries? Although foundry methods are similar, it’s not as straightforward as you’d think. A key method used in qubit fabrication today is still angled shadow deposition, which requires tilting the sample to create Josephson Junctions (JJs). Foundries, however, rely heavily on bottom-up or top-down processes, making this approach impractical. While it’s possible to create JJs using these methods, they often don’t achieve state-of-the-art coherence times—or perhaps I’ve missed some recent breakthroughs? Interestingly, despite all the advances in material science, I’ve yet to come across a comprehensive review on the various qubit fabrication techniques. Did I miss it? If you know of any, I’d love to hear about them! During my PhD, I combed through a lot of literature, but I’m still searching for that perfect review on fabrication techniques. Volunteers, anyone? 📸 Credits: Pishchimova et al. (2023)