Manchester Researchers Link Temperature Swings to Defects in Aluminium 3D Printing - 3DPrinting.com

Scientists at The University of Manchester have found that small temperature changes during molten metal deposition can substantially alter the quality of 3D-printed aluminium parts, according to a study published in Materials & Design.

The research focused on molten metal deposition, or MMD, a process that deposits pre-melted aluminium rather than melting it in place. That approach reduces the intensity of thermal cycling compared with many established metal 3D-printing techniques, which typically involve extremely rapid heating and cooling that can introduce residual stresses and distortions. The team tested the process using aluminium alloy 4043, a material common in manufacturing and engineering.

Higher nozzle and substrate temperatures slowed cooling, which produced larger grain str