Photo: NASAUS-based
3D Systems — headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, which engineers, manufactures, and sells 3-D printers, 3-D printing materials, 3-D scanners, as well as a 3-D printing service — has successfully verified the properties of
NASA’s new laser powder bed fusion super alloy, GRX-810. This oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy offers ‘exceptional mechanical properties and resistance to extreme temperatures’, allowing it to be used for aerospace applications.
3D Systems says GRX-810 is a potential game-changer for the aerospace industry. “Through its oxide dispersion strengthening mechanism it can offer an unparalleled combination of strength, ductility, creep life, and heat resistance. These properties make the alloy an ideal candidate for future use in critical components such as rocket engines, turbine blades, and exhaust nozzle components.”
Working with material provided by NASA, 3D Systems has successfully processed GRX-810 using its direct metal printing (DMP) platform and subsequently tested the mechanical properties of printed parts at elevated temperatures of. This verification of properties represents a major milestone, demonstrating the performance of the material across different equipment and processing parameters and further opening the door for the use of GRX-810 in various aerospace components that require superior performance to traditional nickel-based super alloys.
Michael Shepard, 3D Systems’s vice president (aerospace and defence), said: “The successful verification of the reported NASA GRX-810 properties is a testament to the incredible potential of this new super alloy, not only in its performance but in its capability to be produced repeatably. Our work with this material provided by NASA underscores our commitment to pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing and enabling the production of next-generation aerospace components.”