Additive 3D printing of hard metals: Innovation from Bayreuth wins award

A bachelor thesis from Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH (NMB) has received the Innovation Award 2024 from the Forschungsvereinigung Neue Materialien e.V. (Research Association for New Materials). The thesis investigates the additive manufacturing of tungsten carbide-cobalt carbides, which are used particularly in areas with high wear requirements, such as toolmaking. The aim was to develop a cost-efficient manufacturing method that also enables complex geometries, such as internal cooling channels.

The research focused on a 3D printing process based on fused deposition modeling (FDM). This involved using a specially developed filament that integrates carbide particles in a matrix of binding metal and binder. This material makes it possible to process hard metal for 3D printing, a step that was previously difficult to implement. The focus was on optimizing the process parameters in order to achieve components with minimal porosity and a hardness of 1,600 HV.

The work was supervised as part of a publicly funded project in the NMB’s Metals department and supported by the University of Bayreuth. The results provide a promising basis for the industrial application of 3D printing of hard metals. The jury particularly praised the high application relevance of the work and the contribution to the development of sustainable and cost-efficient manufacturing processes.

The project was funded as part of the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. It aims to increase the service life of milling tools by at least 10%, reduce production costs by 30% and achieve material savings of 45%.

By awarding the prize, the Forschungsvereinigung Neue Materialien e.V. is underlining the importance of promoting young talent in materials science and supporting the further development of innovative manufacturing technologies.