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Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing

Large-scale additive manufacturing
Large-scale additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is the ability to deposit materials layer by layer to fabricate complex components directly from computer-aided design models. The Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) is leveraging ORNL’s science capabilities to solve challenges in AM by improving performance characteristics of AM components, optimizing systems and software to achieve mainstream manufacturing, developing qualification frameworks to create born-certified components and developing a comprehensive understanding of process capabilities and limitations through physics-based simulation and advanced characterization. The MDF is currently focused on four additive manufacturing processes including powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition (arc and laser metal deposition), material extrusion, and binder jetting. Materials used include metals, polymers, sand, waxes, paper, and photopolymers.