Material development is becoming more and more important for manufacturing industries. Highly specialized manufacturing processes need new materials to realize the promised advances with the final component.  With a focus on metallic materials and hybrid structures, we start virtually into the development process via material simulation. Verification follows by fabrication of tailor-made powders, and thorough characterization of microstructure and properties of the final component.


Additive Manufacturing

We are researching the entire process chain – from alloy development to component testing – to achieve the best results overall. We support all manufacturing processes available at inspire and our industry partners – from 3D powder-bed technologies to high-speed laser cladding.

Material Develoment

Process specific material development, here for SLM


Sintering processes

We are giving shape to powder material via hot pressing, thermal sintering, spark plasma sintering (SPS), and hybrid processes. For this, we are making use of additive processes to near-net-shape the tools, and we develop new, more sustainable tool materials.

Sintering

3D spark plasma sintering: Concept and sintered aluminium component


Metals, Multi Material Systems

We are working with metallic materials in the Al-, Ti-, Fe-systems (and more), and research multi-material-applications (metal+metal, metal+ceramic).

Multimaterial

Bimetallic compound, co-sintered via spark plasma sintering. Source: advanced-manufacturing.ethz.ch


Metal Powder

We develop and produce metallic powders at lab scale, tailor-made for the specific manufacturing process (e.g., SLM) and the targeted application.

Atomizer

Our lab-scale atomizer for the fabrication of metallic powder, production principle, metal powder with high sphericity. Source: www.metalatomizer.com


Simulation

Virtual material development is one main pillar of our expertise. Applying this method, we shorten the conventional development process, which builds on incremental adaptation and local improvement. Therefore, we aim at the globally achievable optimum.

Material Simulation

Material simulation with ThermoCalc®: Solidification simulation with alloying concept and simulation of the formation of metastable phases


Testing

Our testing expertise goes from metallography, static and dynamic mechanical testing, to characterization of thermophysical properties, etc. Highly specialized characterization methods, such as TEM or XRD, can be accessed via the close collaboration with ETH. If you have specific requests, like damage analysis, we offer our assistance.

Testing
High-temperature compression test of a molybdenum alloy using a deformation dilatometer