High-strength, High-ductility Stainless Steel Parts are Expected to Achieve 3D Printing

    An international joint research team consisting of the University of Birmingham, Stockholm University of Sweden and Zhejiang University of China has developed a new technology for 3D printing of stainless steel parts that combines both high strength and high ductility.

    The inability to have both high strength and high ductility is a major weakness in previous 3D printed metal parts, but the team overcomes this technical bottleneck. They said the new 3D printing process, published as a research paper in Materials Today, marks an important step toward using 3D printing as a mainstream manufacturing tool.

    "Our research shows that 3D printing can print solid shapes that were previously unavailable, and this technology gives researchers a whole new tool to design new alloy systems with super-mechanical properties," said a Ph.D. student at the University of Birmingham. It helps metal 3D printing into areas where mechanical performance is critical, such as the aerospace and automotive industries. "