NPS NRP Executive SummaryProject Summary: The research conducted had the objective of developing an additive manufacturing (AM) strategy to produce metal or alloy parts through the use of layer-by-layer extrusion of small particle paste formulations along post-processing steps. That is, we aimed to hybridize additive manufacturing approaches with known powder metallurgy (PM) processes to produce alloys of naval relevance. The work that we are reporting herein generated metal parts using, instead of expensive direct sintering equipment (metal tri dimensional (3D) printer), a conventional 3D printer (as the ones used for polymeric filaments). The later was equipped with an extruder capable of deliver paste composed of metal nano or micron particles and binding media that evaporated after the printing operation was completed. The 3D parts produced using those paste formulations had similar characteristics that the ones observed in green specimens generated by PM. Using the same type of post-treatments that AM and PM routes employ, such as annealing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), we were able to generate 3D specimens of NiTi and NiCu alloys. We demonstrated that the new process could successfully generate solid specimens, which, after HIP operations, showed mechanical robustness. This new approach could be easier to adapt than laser or e-beam sintering routes and has potential to be used for metal/alloy parts that do not require stringent load bearing specifications.N4 Materials Readiness and LogisticsNPS-18-N337-AApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited
