Advanced Manufacturing

The Engineering Materials group have unique laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) equipment with both near (1.07 mm) and far (10.6 mm) infrared laser energy sources. These multiple laser sources enable selective laser fusion and sintering of a wide range of metals and alloys, ceramics, and polymers on the same build platform and potentially within the same AM build process and part. The ability to adjust and control processing conditions underpins our research on the structure, properties, and performance of resulting materials.

 

This LPBF capability supplements the wide range of advanced manufacturing capabilities and facilities throughout the University. Other additive manufacturing capabilities include material extrusion (Extr.), photopolymerisation (Photo), binder jetting (BJet), and material jetting (MJet) of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, bio-inks, particle composites, metals, and ceramics. In addition, we have machining, fabricating and joining, and fibre reinforced polymer composite processing facilities housed within the

·      Engineering Design and Manufacturing Centre (EDMC), the

·      Testing and Structures Research Laboratory (TSRL), and the

·      FEPS 3D Printing Service.