Elementum 3D

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July 2023

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Elementum 3D to lead project focused on modeling additive geometries with novel materials for aerospace applications

America Makes
Elementum 3D (E3D) was recently awarded $500,000 in funding through the America Makes Cooperative Agreement to lead a project focused on modeling additive geometries with novel materials for aerospace applications under Phase 2 of the High Temperature Applications Using Additive Manufacturing Program. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) recognizes the critical importance of high-velocity missile system capability to support the U.S. warfighter. These systems offer rapid response and accurate delivery of weapons effects through highly contested environments. E3D, specializing in the creation of advanced metals, composites, and ceramics to support additive manufacturing (AM) processes, will partner with Rolls-Royce, Applied Optimization, and the Applied Research Lab at Penn State University to advance high-temperature airframe materials and manufacturing technology to ensure that the U.S. military has a superior advantage over its adversaries.

Funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology (OSD ManTech) Program and Air Force Research Laboratory, E3D will work to leverage its proprietary Ni230-RAM1 material for additively manufactured heat shield tiles for turbine engines. Ni230-RAM1 is a highly crack-resistant modification of Haynes 230 nickel superalloy, which, though generally considered weldable, experiences extensive microcracking in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) printing.

The project objective is to combine advanced material technologies with computational models to solve cracking and warping issues in LPBF printing of nickel superalloys. E3D’s reactive additive manufacturing (RAM) material technology will largely address cracking issues; and computational modeling using measured material property and in-situ process monitoring data as inputs, will predict geometry-dependent warping behavior. The model will also generate geometry-specific process parameters to prevent distortion.

The results of the 18-month project should enable more predictable and reliable LPBF printing of distortion-prone nickel superalloys and form a basis for predictive tools that can be applied to other material systems. Greater reliability will ultimately result in fewer scrap builds and reprints, increased efficiency, lower costs, and overall improved operating performance to meet the demanding requirements of high-velocity flight.

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Emerging Am Materials Webinar

Registration for the Emerging AM Materials still open! The 1.5 hour webinar kicks off on Wednesday, August 2nd at 11am EST.

This webinar provides a wonderful opportunity to learn…

  • why AM refractory alloys (tungsten, rhenium, WRe, tantalum, and C103) are gaining significant traction in medical, nuclear energy, and aerospace.
  • what new alloys and manufacturing processes are enabling extreme environment robotic space exploration.
  • why is there a resurgence of interest in printable oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys.
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Tough Mudder Collage

Annual team building event gets messy

 

On July 22, Elementum 3D employees joined forces to finish the “Tough Mudder,” located in Byers, Colorado. This was the fourth straight year the “Elementum 3D TOUGH” team has crossed the finish line.

 

The Tough Mudder event is more than just a grueling 10-mile course with 30 uniquely challenging obstacles, it is our annual teambuilding event. It a messy, sloppy and muddy course filled with extremes that tests everyone’s stamina, agility, and skill, but it also builds connections with teammates from different departments, improves company morale, and inspired some friendly competition with between teammates and departments

Upcoming events

WEBINARS

Emerging AM Materials: August 2 | 11am – 12:30pm ET

TRADESHOWS

FORMNEXT – November 7-10  |  Frankfurt, Germany  |  Booth 11.1-C62

Am Industry News

July Newsletter

Jamie Perozzi

VP of Technology 6K Additive

Mr. Perozzi has 20+ years of specialty metals experience with a focus on process, new product development, product management, and application engineering. Before joining 6K, Perozzi spent seven years at AMETEK Specialty Metal Products responsible for quality and process engineering. Prior to Ametek, he spent 10 years at Hitachi Metals – Metglas and 3 years at J&L Specialty Steel. Perozzi holds a BS Metallurgical Engineering degree from Penn State University.

Dr. Timothy Smith

Materials Research Engineer NASA Glenn Research Center

Tim Smith graduated with a PhD in materials science and engineering from Ohio State University in 2016. After graduating, his pathways internship at NASA Glenn research center became a full-time position. His research focuses on high temperature alloy development and characterization. He has contributed to 29 peer-reviewed publications including journals in Nature Communications and Nature Communications Materials. His research has also produced 10 new technology reports and 3 utility patents. He recently received both the Early Career Achievement Medal in 2020 and the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 2022.

Dr. Douglas Hoffman

Senior Research Scientist (SRS)/ Principal Section Technologist NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Dr. Douglas Hofmann is a Senior Research Scientist and Principal at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he serves as the Section Technologist for the Mechanical Fabrication and Test Section. He is also a Lecturer and Visiting Associate at Caltech in the Applied Physics and Materials Science Department. Dr. Hofmann founded JPL’s Metallurgy Facility in 2010, was a charter member of the Materials Development and Manufacturing Technology Group, and helped establish the JPL Additive Manufacturing Center. He is the Principal Investigator of the NASA FAMIS Flight Experiment and was a 2012 recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from President Obama. He has spent more than 12 years working in metal additive manufacturing and has over 30 granted patents and over 60 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein

President/Founder Elementum 3D

Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein is the founder and president of Elementum 3D in Erie, CO. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy at the Colorado School of Mines. Jacob has been researching, teaching, or consulting on topics such as casting and powder metallurgy for the last 14 years. Elementum 3D’s work with powder bed laser additive manufacturing is based on these principles. In addition, is thesis work in thermodynamics and formation kinetics of metal matrix composites is directly related to all 3D printing processes.