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Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing Technologies

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Additive Manufacturing (AM) team implements a variety of AM techniques. Feel free to contact us with questions or opportunities to collaborate with us. 
 
See the sections below to learn about AM technologies available at NIST: 
Powder Bed Fusion| Directed Energy Deposition | Material Extrusion | Vat Photopolymerization | Binder Jetting | Material Jetting

Powder Bed Fusion

Powder bed fusion can produce functional parts by melting and fusing layers of powdered material (e.g. metal) with either a high-power laser or an electron beam. Learn more.

A high-power laser spot scans back and forth over a layer of cobalt-chrome powder on NIST's powder bed fusion additive manufacturing machine. Where it touches, the powder melts and fuses to underlying layers until a fully dense 3D metal part is formed. The laser travels back and forth so fast that, in this still image frame, it appears to form a white hot stripe about 10 millimeters wide.
A high-power laser spot scans back and forth over a layer of cobalt-chrome powder on NIST's powder bed fusion additive manufacturing machine. Where it touches, the powder melts and fuses to underlying layers until a fully dense 3D metal part is formed. The laser travels back and forth so fast that, in this still image frame, it appears to form a white hot stripe about 10 millimeters wide.
Credit: Lane/NIST

 

 

Directed Energy Deposition 

Directed energy deposition deposits and melts material onto a target with a directed beam of energy, such as a laser or an electron beam. The metal cools and forms a solid part. Learn more.

a closeup view of a nozzle spraying/depositing melted material onto a metal surface
A directed energy deposition nozzle deposits material onto the target and melts it with a directed energy beam (e.g., a laser). This closeup view shows the nozzle spraying and melting powder onto a surface.  
Credit: Adobe Stock

Material Extrusion

Material extrusion can produce three-dimensional structures by building up material layer-by-layer. This technique is commonly used by personal and commercial 3D printers. Learn more.

a 3D printer prints white gears using material extrusion
A 3D printer builds these gears via material extrusion.
Credit: Adobe Stock

 

 

Vat Photopolymerization

Vat photopolymerization forms structures by curing photopolymer resin with ultraviolet light. The structure is submerged, raised, and cured over several stages to form complex structures. Learn more.

a complex architectural model is being produced by suspension in a vat of photopolymer resin and ultraviolet (UV) curing
A complex architectural model is produced via vat photopolymerization. The model is suspended in a vat of photopolymer resin and cured into a solid structure using ultraviolet light.
Credit: Adobe Stock

Binder Jetting

Binder jetting prints three-dimensional structures by fusing powdered material together with a binder. The technique can produce colorful builds using metals, polymers, or ceramics. Learn more.

an abstract rainbow colored shape 3D printed by fusing powdered material together
The binder jetting  technique can produce complex structures, like this multicolored abstract model. 
Credit: Adobe Stock

 

 

Material Jetting

Similar to traditional inkjet printing, material jetting builds objects by depositing droplets onto a surface via back and forth, horizontal motion. The material is then cured with ultraviolet light to form a solid structure. Learn more.

a drop-on-demand dispenser fed by a reservoir of standard solution
A drop-on-demand dispenser is fed by a reservoir of standard solution. Droplet generation is monitored by magnified optical microscopy with strobed illumination. The driving waveform that generates the droplets is tuned to give the droplet characteristics desired.
Credit: NIST

Contacts

MML Additive Manufacturing Program Coordinator

Created October 31, 2024, Updated November 20, 2024