Inventing the Future of Additive Manufacturing

How can we push your AM topics forward?

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We educate

tomorrow´s proficient Digital Natives and Additive Manufacturing experts

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We research

into all vertical and horizontal elements of the Additive Manufacturing process chain

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We support

you in mastering your fundamental Additive Manufacturing challenges

Our Mission

Viable Solutions for Tomorrow’s Industry!

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, uses computer-aided design to build objects layer by layer, thereby processing metal, polymer or ceramic materials. This contrasts with traditional manufacturing, which cuts, drills, and grinds away unwanted excess from a solid piece of material.
We are experts in answering basic and application-specific questions related to Additive Manufacturing (AM) as well as product and production digitalization. Our goal: to permanently strengthen and advance the developing and the manufacturing industry. For this reason, we research and develop viable solutions for a sustainable implementation of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in the process chains of a wide range of industries. To this end, we consider all horizontal and vertical elements of the AM process chain as well as interfaces in between: from digitalization and production networking to materials and manufacturing to post-processing and quality assurance.

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Chair News

Additive Manufacturing and Digitalization News

Up to date at any time: latest dates and news from the DAP chair

Federal Voluteer Service at DAP: Interview with Annika Jongen

interview Annika's Journey with the DAP during her Federal Volunteer Service Meet Annika Jongen, who embarked on a journey with us as part of her Federal Volunteer Service. Over the span of four months, she was part of our team, gaining unique insights into our...

#iamDAP: Sabine Fröhlich

The Faces beyond Our Research #IamDAP: Sabine Fröhlich Sabine joined the DAP in 2020 to help building our metallographic and analytical laboratory. Leading the Metallography department, Sabine coordinates the functioning of the laboratory as well as the training of...

#iamDAP: Carsten Putz

The Faces beyond Our Research #IamDAP: Carsten Putz Carsten studied mechanical engineering at RWTH and has been part of the Digital Product Group at DAP since January 2021. Already as a student, he was passionate about cars and e-mobility, and recognized the potential...

DAP Best Practice Magazine Vol. 2: Inventing the Future of Medical Technology

DAP Best-Practice Magazine, vol.2 Inventing the Future of Medical Technology How the DAP Chair and Meotec are inventing the future of medical technology, developing patient-specific resorbable implants with innovative designs and new material compositions....

The Implant of the Future: Production of Resorbable patient-specific Implants using LPBF

Press release, MArch 7th 2023 The Implant of the Future: Production of Resorbable patient-specific Implants using LPBF As part of the BioStruct project, the Aachen-based medical technology innovation ecosystem is researching the further development of patient-specific...

#IamDAP Henrik Kruse

the faces behind our research #IamDAP: Henrik Kruse Henrik is a materials scientist who joined the Digital Product group in March 2021. He has had a passion for metallic materials since his undergraduate studies at RWTH Aachen. He first encountered Additive...

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Experience Additive Manufacutring

Our Research

Our chair has access to more than 3200 m² of laboratory space for its AM research. More than 120 talented and motivated employees research on more than 25 systems for metal-based AM and 15 systems for polymer-based AM. From digitalization and production networking to materials and manufacturing to post-processing and quality assurance: Our equipment covers the entire AM process chain.

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Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is a powder bed based Additive Manufacturing (AM) process, which does not require any support structures. EBM builds components layer by layer from bottom to top using metal powder. Different from any other AM process, EBM has a unique preheating routine. Not only does preheating occur from the top, but every single layer is preheated before being selectively melted by an electron beam under vacuum. As a consequence of this layer wise preheating, the powder layers are sintered.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF)

During the LPBF process, also known as metallic 3D printing, a LPBF system builds up a component layer by layer: Laser radiation melts powder selectively according to the geometry information of the respective component layers. After each layer, the substrate plate is lowered by one layer thickness. In a next step, a new powder layer is applied and another layer is melted.

Laser Material Deposition

Laser Material Deposition is a laser based cladding process. A laser beam locally melts the surface of a component, metallic material is guided into the melt pool the the material is completely melted reuslting in a metallurigical bonded layers. Repeating this procedure, multiple layers can be applied and complex geometries can be manufactured in a near-net-shape manner.

Extreme High-Speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA)

EHLA is a laser based cladding process. Unlike conventional Laser Material Deposition, the laser melts metal powder particles while they are above the melt pool. Hence, liquid material drops into the melt pool instead of solid powder particles. The process achieves a high process speed (up to 500 m/min), a layer thickness from 20 to 350 μm, dense and metallurgical bonded layers and a high material efficiency (up to 95%). Utilizing EHLA, almost any alloy can be used for coatings (e.g. iron-, nickel-, aluminum-based alloys, Metal Matrix Composites (MMC)).

Training and Teaching

Everything about
Studies, Training,
Internships and BFD

Would you like to gain practical experience in a future-oriented environment? Explore Additive Manufacturing at our chair: for example, as part of your studies, a Federal Volunteer Service (BFD) or an apprenticeship!

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This picture shows a component that was developed in one of our projects together with Kueppers Solutions GmbH.