This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Assembly Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Assembly Magazine logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
    • Specs Book
    • How-To-Guide
    • Buyers Guide
  • Exclusives
    • Plant of the Year
      • About Plant of the Year
      • Nomination Form
    • Capital Spending
    • State of the Profession
  • Industries
    • Aerospace
    • Appliance
    • Automotive
    • Medical Devices
    • DFMA Assembly
    • Green Manufacturing
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Electronics Assembly
    • Machinery Assembly
  • Technologies
    • Adhesives
    • Assembly Presses
    • Automated Assembly
    • Dispensing
    • Motion Control
    • Screwdriving and Riveting
    • Plastics Assembly
    • Robotics
    • Test and Inspection
    • Welding
    • Wire Processing
    • Workstations
  • Columns
    • Assembly in Action
    • Automation Profiles
    • Medical Device Assembly
    • On Campus
    • Shipulski on Design
    • The Editorial
    • XYZ
    • Moser on Manufacturing
    • 21st Century Assembly
    • Mind Your Ps and Qs
  • New Products
  • More
    • Web Exclusives
    • Classifieds
    • eNewsletter
    • Blog
    • Market Research
    • Store
    • Product Spotlight
    • White Papers
    • Integrated Showcase
    • Custom Content & Marketing Solutions
    • Monthly Quiz
    • Sponsored Insight
  • Multimedia
    • Assembly Radio
    • Assembly TV
    • Image Galleries
    • Webinars
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • eBooks
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • The Assembly Show
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
  • InfoCenters
    • Collaborative Robot Revolution
    • Factory of the Future
Home » New Process Prints Metal Matrix Composites

New Process Prints Metal Matrix Composites

matrix
A new process enables engineers to print turbine blades and other types of metal matrix composite parts.
July 3, 2018
KEYWORDS 3D Printing / additive manufacturing
Reprints

MALIBU, CA—Engineers at HRL Laboratories LLC here recently developed a method to print metal matrix composite (MMC) parts. The nanofunctionalization process enables a geometric freedom to design parts that were not possible before.

The engineers printed a material that is 20 percent stronger and two times more durable than traditional MMCs. An MMC is a composite material that consists of metal and another metal or ceramic and organic compounds. The lightweight materials, which feature high strength and stiffness, are popular for aerospace applications.

“The final MMC has unique properties contributed by each constituent material, making them desirable for specialized, high-performance applications, such as brake disks and turbine blades,” says Hunter Martin, an applications engineer at HRL who worked on the project.

“Although additive manufacturing enables parts to be made accurately with very complex geometries, little research has been done on ways to additively manufacture MMCs,” claims Martin.

“[Our] nanofunctionalization method of seeding feedstock with nanoparticles to control solidification enables MMCs of any combination of elements to be printed on any appropriate additive manufacturing equipment,” explains Martin. “This material-agnostic and equipment-agnostic printability opens a completely new avenue of geometric design to these sought-after materials.

“We used one specific alloy,” adds Martin. “However, our nanofunctionalization approach now has been proved to be viable for MMCs. This means it could be used on other systems with different base alloy constituents and nanoparticles to 3D print parts made of existing MMCs, as well as trying new MMCs.”

subscribe to assembly

Related Articles

New Light-Based Process Speeds 3D Printing

Interest in Ceramic Matrix Composites Heats up

Smart Metal Parts Can Be 3D Printed

X-Rays Help Researchers Identify Cause of Metal 3D Printing Defects

Related Products

Plastics and Composites Welding Handbook

Welding Processes Handbook, 2nd Edition

The Automotive Body Manufacturing Systems and Processes

Assembly Processes: Finishing, Packaging, and Automation

Related Directories

Coast Composites

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • Assembly eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Mobile App

More Videos

Popular Stories

lordstown motors

Electric Truck Manufacturer Buys GM’s Lordstown Assembly Plant

Auto Industry Drives New Vision Technology

Auto Industry Drives New Vision Technology

Bobcat manufacturing

Bobcat Announces Manufacturing and Assembly Facility Upgrades

Linear Motor Transport Systems

Linear Motor Transport Systems

Wearable Device 11-27

Wearable Lets Users Control IoT-Enabled Devices With Brain Waves

Upcoming Assembly Events and Webinars

Events

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Cloud Computing

Are you using cloud computing at your assembly plant?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Welding: Principles & Practices

Welding: Principles & Practices

This text introduces students to a solid background in the basic principles and practices of welding.

See More Products
assembly buyers guide

Assembly Magazine

assembly dec 2019

2019 December

The 2019 December Assembly features our Capital Spending Report, plus much more. Check it out today!
View More Create Account
  • More
    • Assembly Plant of the Year
    • Manufacturing Group
    • List Rental
    • Organizations
    • Connect
    • Want More?
    • Polls
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing