Unlocking Innovation in Materials and Manufacturing via Open-Source AM (26/11/24)
Speaker and Affliation:
Dr. Venkata Karthik Nadimpalli
Senior Researcher and Group Leader, Additive Manufacturing (AM) materials and processes, Denmark Technical University, Denmark
When?
26th November, 2024 (Tuesday), 2.30 PM (India Standard Time)
Where
KPA Auditorium, Dept. of Materials Engineering, IISc, Bangalore
Abstract:
Additive manufacturing (AM) systems have historically operated as closed, proprietary platforms, limiting user control over essential process parameters and slowing advancements in material innovation. The Open AM initiative at DTU addresses these limitations through an open architecture model that empowers researchers to modify system parameters, integrate custom sensors, and rapidly iterate designs. This open framework has accelerated materials discovery and fosters a collaborative research environment, facilitating widespread knowledge sharing and scaling of innovations across disciplines. We focus on two technology platforms namely laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and Vat Photopolymerization (VPP).
In LPBF, open-architecture systems enable precise alloy design and microstructural control. By fine-tuning thermal profiles and alloy compositions, we develop materials with targeted properties such as enhanced hardness, corrosion resistance, and ductility. Open LPBF platforms also support in-situ alloying and sensor integration. In VPP, open-architecture systems extend the resolution limits of AM, achieving high-precision components in polymers, ceramics, and metals. The controlled curing depths, viscosity, and exposure in open VPP systems allow for the fabrication of complex structures with exceptional resolution. High-resolution ceramics, in particular, show great potential in energy applications such as solid oxide cells.
The talk will discuss how open AM systems are transforming materials and manufacturing by fostering rapid innovation. By moving beyond the restrictions of closed AM models, open architecture facilitates the development of sustainable, high-performance materials tailored to meet diverse research and industrial needs.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Venkata Karthik Nadimpalli is an expert in the field of additive manufacturing. He earned his B.Tech in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from IIT Madras in 2011, followed by an MSc and PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, in 2017. Currently, Dr. Nadimpalli serves as a Senior Researcher and Group Leader for Additive Manufacturing (AM) materials and processes at DTU Construct in Denmark. His research primarily focuses on materials development using open-architecture AM systems including vat photopolymerization, binder jetting and laser-based powder bed fusion.
Dr. Nadimpalli’s record of publications and patents, including over 50 journal articles and conference papers, has earned over 1,500 citations. He has been instrumental in securing research funding, currently leading and co-leading projects with budgets totaling over 10 million euros. In addition to his research, Dr. Nadimpalli is an accomplished mentor, having supervised multiple postdoctoral researchers, PhD candidates, and MSc students. His teaching contributions include developing an ongoing 3-week summer school titled ‘Experimental methods in 3D printing’, which is a technological specialization course for MSc and PhD students. Dr. Nadimpalli’s excellence has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Otto Mønstead Foundation MADE prize, highlighting his position as a leading manufacturing researcher in Denmark