Brian K Post

Bio

Dr. Brian K. Post is a senior research staff member and group leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he heads the Manufacturing Systems Design Group. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, with a focus on surgical robotics, and his master's and Ph.D. degrees from Georgia Tech in the design and control of long-reach flexible robotic manipulators. Brian started as an intern at ORNL in 2006 and 2007 before joining ORNL full-time in 2013 as a Postdoctoral fellow in the Manufacturing Systems Research Group.

Dr. Post has made significant contributions to the field of additive manufacturing with his innovative research at the Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. His pioneering work includes the development of large-scale additive manufacturing processes spanning composites, metals, and concrete that can produce parts as large as 8’ x 20’ x 6’ at rates that are 1000+ times faster than most commercially available systems.

As a technical and programmatic lead, Dr. Post has been a key figure in the development of all of ORNL's large-scale additive manufacturing technologies, including the Big Area Additive Manufacturing System (BAAM). BAAM has been commercialized and has been utilized to create several remarkable achievements, including printing the world's first 3D printed car, the Strati, and the ORNL 3D Printed Shelby Cobra. BAAM has also been instrumental in creating submarines, wind turbine blade molds, a full-scale home, and production tooling for precast concrete installations (including a 42-story mixed use tower in Brooklyn, NY). Dr. Post's team has also developed a novel cable-driven 3D printer for printing concrete objects at construction scale with limited site preparation called SkyBAAM. This printer has been used to 3D print smart wall structures and resulted in the commercialization of the world's first pre-packaged mortar for concrete additive manufacturing with partner Quikrete Inc.

Dr. Post's work has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Gilbreth Lectureship by the National Academy of Engineers, an Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, six R&D 100 awards, three Federal Laboratory Consortium Awards, and a FEMP Director's Award. He has served the additive manufacturing industry as a community advisor to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and an Energy and Aerospace Advisor to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Currently, Dr. Post is leading ORNL's portfolio of hybrid manufacturing systems research, developing technologies and materials that can be utilized to repair and replace conventional castings and forgings for use in clean energy and defense manufacturing. Dr. Post's enthusiasm and technical expertise have positioned him as a leading figure in the field of additive manufacturing, and his work has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry.

Awards

Gilbreth Lecturer 2023 - National Academy of Engineers

Society of Manufacturing Engineers - Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer 2020

ORNL Early Career Researcher 2019

R&D 100 Award 2018 - Ambient Reactive Extrusion Additive Manufacturing

R&D 100 Award 2017 - Additively Manufactured Magnets

R&D 100 Award 2017 - Large Format Additive Manufacturing Coating Solutions

R&D 100 Award 2017 - High Temperature Autoclavable Materials for AM

R&D 100 Award 2015 - Editor’s Choice Award Winner: Process/Prototyping

R&D 100 Award 2015 - GENOA Software

Federal Laboratory Consortium Technology Focus Award 2018 - Successful Collaboration Accelerates Testing of New Blade Designs

Federal Laboratory Consortium Excellence in Technology Transfer 2018 - ORNL's Co-Development and Licensing of Large Additive Area Manufacturing Technologies

Federal Laboratory Consortium Partnership Award 2017 - National Rotor Testbed: Using Large Scale 3D Printing to Test New Wind Blade Designs

Trademarks and Patents

Patent US9821502B2 Multi-orifice deposition nozzle for additive manufacturing, Randall F. Lind, Brian K. Post, Colin L. Cini

Patent US10105876B2 Apparatus for generating and dispensing a powdered release agent, Randall F. Lind, Brian K. Post, Phillip C. Chesser, Andrew P. Reis, Alex C. Roschli

Patent Pending US20170151728A1 Machine and a method for additive manufacturing with continuous fiber reinforcements, Vlastimil Kunc, Craig A. Blue, Chad E. Duty, Randall F. Lind, John M. Lindahl, Peter D. Lloyd, Lonnie J. Love, Matthew R. Love, Brian K. Post, Orlando Rios

Patent Pending US20180229442A1 Bonded permanent magnets produced by additive manufacturing, Huseyin Ucar, Mariappan Parans Paranthaman, Orlando Rios, Belther Mojoko Monono, Brian K. Post, Vlastimil Kunc, Cajetan I. Nlebedim. William McCallum, Scott K. McCall

Patent Pending US20180117818A1 Magnetic feed material and its use in producing bonded permanent magnets by additive manufacturing, Mariappan Parans Paranthaman, Ling Li, Vlastimil Kunc, Brian K. Post, Orlando Rios, Robert H. Fredette, John Ormerod

Patent Pending US20180311891A1 Z-axis improvement in additive manufacturing, Chad E. Duty, Seokpum Kim, Vlastimil Kunc, Lonnie J. Love, Brian K. Post, Jordan A. Failla, John M. Lindahl

Patent Pending US20190047219A1 Polymer exhaust for eliminating extruder transients, Phillip C. Chesser, Brian K. Post, Matthew R. Sallas, Alex C. Roschli, Randall F. Lind, Lonnie J. Love

Publications