Zhongti New Materials and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Establish Joint Research Center for 3D Printing Metal Materials
Zhongti New Materials and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University officially signed an agreement on July 15 to establish a joint research center for 3D printing metal materials. The partnership will focus on the development, application, and industrialization of high-performance metal powders for 3D printing, including composition optimization, powder preparation process improvements, and print process adaptation for aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, copper alloys, and nickel-based alloys. As a leading domestic supplier of metal powder materials, Zhongti’s products are widely used in aerospace, automotive, medical, and mold industries. This industry-university collaboration aims to create a fast track from fundamental materials research to industrial application, accelerating the transition of new alloy powders from lab to production. For the metal powder industry, this 'basic research + industrial transformation' synergy model is expected to shorten the development-to-commercialization cycle of new materials and drive the continued expansion of metal powder material systems.
2026-07-15
EOS M4 Onyx with Six Lasers to Make North American Debut at IMTS 2026, Boosting Productivity by 50%
IMTS 2026 will take place from September 14–19, 2026, in Chicago, covering 1.2 million square feet with 10 technology zones and expected to attract over 89,000 visitors and 1,800 exhibitors. EOS will showcase the North American debut of the M4 Onyx—a laser powder bed fusion system first unveiled at Formnext 2025 in Frankfurt, with commercial deliveries starting in Q1 2026. The M4 Onyx features a build volume of 450×450×360 mm and six 400W lasers, delivering a 50% increase in productivity and a 30% reduction in per-part cost compared to its predecessor. It initially supports titanium, nickel, steel, and aluminum alloys. A four-laser, 1kW beam-shaping version, the M4 Onyx FLX, is expected in Q3 2026. New highlights at the show include the "Industrial AI Arena" and "Industrial AI Conference," as AI-driven build preparation optimization, real-time melt pool monitoring and analysis, and ML-based post-processing parameter optimization are increasingly being integrated into the entire additive manufacturing workflow.
2026-07-15
Johns Hopkins University Develops Thermal Management Framework for Stable Aluminum Alloy Metal Extrusion Additive Manufacturing
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have established a simulation-driven process framework guided by thermal information to stabilize thin-walled aluminum alloy structures in metal extrusion additive manufacturing (MEAM). This work addresses two types of thermal failure modes that previously limited the reliability of this process for high-melting-point metals. The team identified underheating and overheating as the two dominant failure modes: underheating occurs when heat dissipation from deposited layers causes premature solidification and nozzle clogging, while overheating happens when the extrusion speed exceeds the cooling capacity of deposited layers, leading to remelting and structural collapse. By adopting a layer-by-layer strategy to regulate the bed temperature, the researchers introduced a time-based interlayer cooling criterion—while maintaining constant nozzle temperature and print speed—to ensure each layer cools to the solidus before further deposition. Using ER4043 aluminum welding wire (approximately 5% silicon, 95% aluminum), they successfully printed thin-walled structures with consistent surface roughness and repeatable geometry.
2026-07-15