Rare-earth elements are finite and, yet, we depend on them for some of our most essential technologies, such as those that involve X-Rays, lasers and magnets. In order to head off the inevitable shortage of rare earth metals, the Critical Materials Institute at the US Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory is hoping to synthesize new ones with 3D metal printing.
With a LENS MR-7 from Albuquerque-based 3D metal printer manufacturer Optomec, the Critical Materials Institute will develop new metal alloys to replace rare-earth elements found in critical technologies, like clean energy systems. Principal investigator at the Ames Laboratory and the CMI, Ryan Ott, explained that the Metal 3D printers are slowly becoming more commonplace. They can be costly, and are often limited to small-scale additive manufacturing. However, for CMI, this equipment has the potential to become a very powerful research tool opening up a lot of new possibilities. The Optomec machine divides its metal powder supply into four chambers, fed to the print head in such a way that the metals can be combined into an almost endless number of alloys.
The CMI is a part of the Department of Energy’s Innovation Hubs, a network of institutes devoted to tackling various energy concerns in the country. Together, they may help reduce US dependence on fossil fuels, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and armed conflict over foreign oil.
