Turku adds multi-powder recoater to metal printer for fusion and aerospace parts
The University of Turku in Finland has integrated a multi-material recoater into its Aconity MIDI+ metal printer. The Schaeffler Aerosint SPD2.1-B5 unit uses three powder drums to deposit different metal powders in selected areas of one layer before laser melting. The equipment will support research on parts that combine heat-resistant and heat-conducting regions, with plasma-facing components for fusion energy and aerospace propulsion as an initial application. The university stresses that selective powder placement alone does not produce a reliable part. Compatible material pairings, process settings and sound interfaces between metals must still be established. The work is funded through the AM4Plasma project, a EUREKA Network project coordinated by Turku and supported by Business Finland. The system will also be used for researcher training. Similar work is under way at the University of Nottingham on IN718 and GRCop-42 interfaces and in the DIADEM program on tungsten-copper grading.