Material and process development for circularity in additive manufacturing of lightweight structures

Research question

This project focuses on material and process development for sustainable materials and circularity in additive manufacturing (AM) of lightweight structures. There is an urgent need to develop more sustainable materials tailored for additive manufacturing of metals.  

Sustainability aspect

These new materials should not only have better properties and processability, but it is also equally important to develop materials for AM with recyclability in mind. Ideally any new AM material should still be compatible with the larger scrap loops for conventionally manufactured materials, without any deterioration in between lifecycles by the accumulation of other foreign elements. Furthermore, lightweight structures often have a positive impact on sustainability through reduced energy consumption and emissions, especially when used in transportation systems.