Beyond Welding: Researchers 3D Print Two Metals in One Complex Structure
Close-up of test squares with the first sintered layer of three metals: stainless steel, Inconel, and pure copper. The test squares demonstrated multi-material additive metal manufacturing using CIMP-3D’s new selective powder deposition system. (Photo: SHAPE Lab, CIMP-3D, and 3D Systems).
March 4, 2025 – A team of researchers from Penn State has successfully utilized a new 3D printing method to produce complex metal structures that previously could only be made by welding. Using an advanced additive manufacturing process called Multi-Material Laser Powder Bed Fusion (MM-LPBF), the researchers printed a complex structure from a blend of low-carbon stainless steel and bronze, which consists of 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin. Penn State believes the results of the study demonstrate the potential of MM-LPBF for a wide range of applications, such as solid-state energy storage and biodegradable implants.
The study was published on April 4 in npj Advanced Manufacturing under the title “Multi-material laser powder bed fusion: effects of build orientation on defects, material structure, and mechanical properties.”
