Media Mention: ‘3D printing multiple metals in a single complex structure’
May 15, 2025
Where: Tech Briefs, “3D Printing Multiple Metals in a Single Complex Structure”
Who: Guha Manogharan, co-director of the Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D) and associate professor of mechanical engineering
What: Tech Briefs featured Guha Manogharan, co-director of CIMP-3D and associate professor of mechanical engineering, in a Q&A article on his novel multi-material laser powder bed fusion method that enables the 3D printing of complex parts using different metals within a single layer. This breakthrough allows designers to place materials with distinct properties — like strength, conductivity or corrosion resistance — precisely where it is needed within a component. The result is highly customized, high-performance parts that combine material and geometric complexity, with potential applications across aerospace, biomedical, automotive and defense industries. The team’s method marks a transformative advance in additive manufacturing, offering unprecedented flexibility in functional design and material usage.