The future of AM goes beyond shape complexity: it is about creating components where material composition and properties can be locally varied and tuned. Multimaterial AM enables the integration of different metals – or even different families of materials – within a single component, either by co-processing multiple feedstocks or by adding new functionalities to pre-existing parts made of different materials. This opens new possibilities for high-performance applications while strongly reducing manufacturing and assembly chains.
However, co-printing materials remains a major challenge: differences in thermal properties, metallurgical compatibility and processing windows can generate defects, residual stresses and weak interfaces. We address these challenges by leveraging a new multi-material Laser Powder Bed Fusion platform, unique in Italy, able to deposit up to three different alloys within each manufactured layer. Our research combines physics-based understanding, in-situ sensing and data-driven models to accelerate material discovery, optimize processing strategies and control material transitions.
