Additive manufacturing (AM) is currently receiving more and more interest in appearing as an alternative to conventional machining. Rather than removing matter, AM consists in building parts layer by layer from the selective melting of powders. Each layer is melted according to the exact geometry defined by a 3D CAD model. AM allows very complex geometries, without producing any waste materials. It is cost- and energy-efficient. Widely used in the case of polymers, AM begins to be of interest for metal parts.
Labex CEMAM focuses on materials specifically targeted by additive manufacturing. The material by design approach, which aims at tailoring new materials starting from a given set of requirements, leads to explore new degrees of freedom in shape and matter arrangement. The geometrical freedom offered by AM allows to design parts as we envision it.
Labex CEMAM, in collaboration with AIP (technological Platform of Grenoble INP) has chosen the unique Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology proposed by the Swedish group ARCAM. In the EBM process, fully dense metal parts are built up layer-by-layer of metal powder melted by a powerful electron beam. The EBM process is carried out in vacuum at elevated temperature resulting in residual stress free parts, controlled microstructure and excellent material properties comparable to wrought material. The currently used materials are mainly titanium alloys and CoCr alloys for medical (patient-specific implants, ...) or aerospace (light-weight design with complex geometries) applications.
CEMAM research works related to EBM aim at :
Date of update July 4, 2012