At Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU), Professor Sangjin Jung has launched a two-year research project supported by a $200,000 National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation grant. His work focuses on developing design strategies that make metal components more resilient to minor imperfections, aiming to boost manufacturers’ confidence in the reliability of 3D printed parts.
“Real production isn’t perfect,” Jung said. “Instead of pretending defects don’t happen, we build them into the design process and make the part robust anyway.” According to Jung, “One of AM’s biggest advantages is design freedom,” emphasizing that the grant could strengthen SIU’s role in advancing AM across the region.
Defect-Tolerant Design and Industry Collaboration
Jung’s research focuses on improving reliability by addressing microscopic defects that can arise during 3D printing. Such flaws—caused by factors like laser power, powder quality, or scan speed—can vary unpredictably and weaken final parts. Traditionally, designers assume defect-free conditions, leading to issues discovered only during testing.
Jung’s team plans to integrate defect modeling directly into the design stage, creating parts that remain strong despite imperfections. “The research simulates how real-world defects affect performance and then refines the design accordingly,” Jung explained. “This will dramatically cut costly experimental iterations while producing designs that align with real manufacturing conditions.”
The project also expands SIU’s Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) capabilities, giving students hands-on experience in simulation, optimization, and metal 3D printing. Collaborations with regional companies will include applied research, workshops, and internships, helping translate academic insights into real-world manufacturing improvements.
Scaling Up Metal AM for Real-World Use
While SIU’s research pushes the frontier of reliability in metal 3D pritning, industry players are scaling up its use for real-world deployment.
In May, MX3D, an Amsterdam-based company specializing in robotic metal 3D printing using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), secured €7 million in a Series A funding round. The investment will support international deployment of its M1 Metal AM System and Print-on-Demand services. The M1 system developed by the Dutch firm allows manufacturers to produce large-scale, high-value metal parts in-house. The process uses WAAM to deposit metal layer by layer, reducing material waste by over 80% compared to traditional methods such as casting and forging. MX3D is active in the energy, maritime, and aerospace industries and has delivered systems or services to clients including BMW Group, Framatome, and the U.S. Army.
In January, Metal 3D printer manufacturer Eplus3D announced that it has delivered over 100 “super-meter” metal LPBF 3D printers globally. Nearly 40 of these systems, which include the EP-M2050, EP-M1550, and EP-M1250 models, feature X, Y, and Z axes all measuring over one meter. According to the Hangzhou-based company, these sales figures reinforce its leadership in the large-format, multi-laser metal 3D printer market. Eplus3D claims its success reflects a market trend of increasing multi-laser adoption in metal additive manufacturing.
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Featured image shows Rodely shows a 3D printed lattice structure. Photo via SIU.
