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The rising interest in additive manufacturing (AM) for refractory alloys has been fueled by the growing need for high-performance turbine engines, hypersonic technologies for both defense and commercial applications, space-based power systems, and nuclear propulsion for long-duration space missions. Traditional refractory alloy processing requires multiple steps and poses substantial challenges, but AM offers a promising alternative to efficiently produce near-net shaped parts.
As a result, extensive research efforts are underway to advance metal AM processes for refractory alloys, including tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), and niobium based alloys. However, new challenges have emerged due to the high melting points of these materials, their ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures, and their sensitivity to interstitial impurities, which can lead to poor material quality after printing. In particular, there are outstanding challenges in mitigating cracking, managing thermal loads during large-scale prints, and harnessing the unique microstructures facilitated by AM processes.
This symposium will bring together a broad community of researchers and industry professionals to present their latest findings, accomplishments, and obstacles, while providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of the field and the advancements needed to drive progress.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Cracking mechanisms associated with solidification and low ductility in refractory alloys during AM
• Interactions between solidification structures, impurity segregation, crystallographic formations, and defect generation in AM refractory alloys
• Alloy design strategies for improving both printability and performance
• Advances in powder feedstock development for refractory metals in AM
• Modeling efforts to better understand AM processes
• Development and evaluation of key AM components for refractory alloys
• Techniques for joining AM-produced components and their properties |