Rapid 3D Printing of Multi-Material Critical Defence Components

Project Overview

This project focuses on advancing multi-material metal additive manufacturing (AM) for critical defence components such as hot chambers, nozzles, tanks, and injectors. It aims to overcome metallurgical incompatibility issues between alloys like aluminium, titanium, steel, and nickel superalloys using transitional alloy layers and directed energy deposition (DED) AM systems.

What You Will Do

• Develop and optimize new multi-material joining strategies (e.g., Ni/Al, Ni/Ti, Ni/Fe, Fe/Al, Fe/Ti) using computational thermodynamics and phase kinetics modeling for crack-free transitional layers.
• Manufacture and test multi-material specimens at the Henry Royce Institute with characterization techniques such as advanced microscopy, X-ray CT, and mechanical testing at the University of Southampton.
• Create a graph neural network-based logistics framework to optimize distribution of materials, stocks, and production sites across the UK under different scenarios.

Expected Outcomes

The project will deliver optimized joining processes enabling single shot multi-material component printing, validated through experimental testing and advanced characterization. A novel machine learning logistics framework will facilitate effective production and distribution planning at national scales.

Why This Matters

Rapid and flexible manufacturing is critical for UK national security to produce defence components on demand and across dispersed locations. Overcoming multi-material joining barriers will transform manufacturing resilience and defence readiness, directly aligning with EPSRC and MOD priorities in advanced manufacturing and national resilience.