The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $445,000 grant to a research team to investigate the fatigue behavior of additive manufactured (AM) nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMAs), which can "remember" their original shape after deformation. The grant will fund the acquisition of equipment to assess the dynamic stiffness and longevity of materials under external forces.

The demand for large-scale components, weighing at least 10,000 lbs., has surged across sectors such as aerospace, defense, nuclear, oil, gas, renewables, and construction. However, traditional manufacturing techniques like casting and forging have declined in the U.S., leading to supply chain shortages as production increasingly shifts overseas. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers are initiating advanced manufacturing technologies to revitalize the production of these large metal parts via powder metallurgy-hot isostatic pressing (PM-HIP).

The global PM industry was in full force as individuals from 27 countries visited the WORLD PM2024 Congress in Yokohama, Japan, to “Make a better world with PM.”  The biennial World Congress included presentations on the latest PM technologies, suppliers introducing cutting edge products and services, and networking events to welcome the international community.

Minnesota-based Niron Magnetics has opened a commercial pilot plant to develop “Clean Earth Magnets” that are developed from iron and nitrogen. The company says the magnets have the potential to be used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, audio products, and defense applications. 

GKN Powder Metallurgy has developed a new generation of Porous Transport Layers (PTL) for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis. The solution is designed to revolutionize hydrogen production by increasing efficiency while reducing overall environmental impact.