Developments in 3D printing can assist architecture in the smallest details

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a way for 3D printed metals to be produced with an unprecedented degree of precision, Archdaily reports.

This development can help with the customization of the smallest components in buildings and carefully engineer details of larger ones.

The precision comes from the new technique of adding a process in which successive layers of material are laid down with computer control and fused to create an object in a wide range of shapes.

Advanced technology has also led to an increase in resolution, enabling the creation of smaller parts with smoother surfaces. The ORNL explained in a statement:"The researchers demonstrated the method using an ARCAM electron beam melting system (EBM), in which successive layers of a metal powder are fused together by an electron beam into a three-dimensional product. By manipulating the process to precisely manage the solidification on a microscopic scale, the researchers demonstrated 3-dimensional control of the microstructure, or crystallographic texture, of a nickel-based part during formation." 

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