Trier University of Applied Sciences expands research infrastructure

The laboratories for additive manufacturing at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld at Trier University of Applied Sciences are expanding their technical capacities. Under the direction of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Wahl, a state-of-the-art 3D printing laboratory has been set up that is attracting attention both regionally and internationally.

One important step is the integration of a new production facility for the powder bed process. In this process, metal powder is melted layer by layer using a laser to produce components with mechanical properties that are comparable to conventional processes. Layer-by-layer production enables the manufacture of complex geometries, including integrated cooling channels or lightweight structures, which would be difficult to realize using conventional methods.

The research group is working on new material solutions for 3D printing as part of the “OMAS” project (surface-functionalized and wear-resistant components made from metastable austenitic steels) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The aim is to qualify special steels for additive manufacturing and to further optimize them through targeted heat treatments. The project combines the expertise of Ernst Abbe University Jena and the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld: while new material solutions are being developed in Jena, the focus in Birkenfeld is on processing these materials with the newly installed metal 3D printer.

“The project offers great potential, for example for innovative applications in toolmaking,” explains project manager Adrian Huwer. As part of the Institute of Operations and Technology Management (IBT), the research group at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld is a point of contact for regional companies. Interested parties have the opportunity to get to know the new production technology on site.