Advanced Neutron Techniques for Additive Manufacturing Research

by Florencia Malamud (Paul Scherrer Institut)

Monday 11 May 2026, 14:30 → 15:30 Europe/Berlin

PH HS 3 (Physics Department)

Additive manufacturing is a technology set to revolutionize industrial production by building components layer by layer, enabling the manufacturing of complex geometries. The process depends on critical printing parameters that influence the microstructure and physical properties of the final component. However, challenges such as the formation of strains and defects often limit applicability on the one hand, and the potential of tailoring material properties even locally is not yet fully explored, on the other hand.  In this context, advanced neutron techniques offer unique opportunities to probe bulk material properties, including microstructure, crystallographic texture, strain fields, defects, and phase composition, essential for optimizing process parameters, controlling microstructural features, and improving the mechanical and functional properties of the produced parts.

Here, we will present the development and implementation of novel additive manufacturing devices for in situ and operando neutron characterization developed at PSI, including the downsized laser powder bed fusion device (n-SLM) and wire arc additive manufacturing devices (CNC-WAAM and MADISON). These devices, coupled with advanced neutron characterization techniques, offer unique non-destructive insights into the evolution of the material during the printing of bulk specimens and components.