Manufacturers of airframes and satellite parts might soon have a cheaper but stronger alternative to costly materials, such as vanadium.

Researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have produced a 3D-printed titanium alloy that is more durable but almost a third cheaper than the standard 3D-printed Ti-6AI-4V titanium alloys.

Ryan Brooke, the study’s lead researcher, said their new type of 3D-printed titanium alloy has excellent ductility and high strength, adding that:

“3D printing allows for faster, less wasteful and more tailorable production, yet we’re still relying on legacy alloys like Ti-6Al-4V that don’t allow full capitalisation of this potential. It’s like we’ve created an aircraft and are just driving it around the streets.”

The team used the Trumpf Trilaser Cell 7020 platform at the RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing to create this alloy through direct energy deposition. They also developed a design framework that allows for even metal printing, a solution to 3D-printed alloys’ uneven mechanical properties caused by column-shaped microstructures.

Brooke said this design framework is not only cost-effective but has also provided a solution to one of the factors that commonly hinders the wide adoption of 3D printing. He also highlighted that this development can be the answer that end users looking for new alloys on the market are waiting for.

He added: 

“These alloys have been designed for direct energy deposition methods, therefore favouring larger parts. We can see this alloy being used for airframes or structural brackets in the future. Similarly there would be space applications also, like satellite parts.”

The team has conducted tensile testing to further study its static tensile properties. It has also begun conducting fracture and impact toughness tests to assess the viability of this titanium alloy in aerospace applications.

Read the full article here to learn more about this new type of 3D-printed titanium alloy.

Diaphragm pumps offer reliable, clean, oil-free performance ideal for handling sensitive applications. Discover high-quality diaphragm pumps BEING Scientific.