AM‑REACH – Recruitment for research and development in metal additive manufacturing

Metal additive manufacturing is developing rapidly in both industry and academia. The technology enables the production of complex components and new design possibilities, but the industrial adoption of AM is still limited by challenges related to process development, material availability, and production costs. Addressing these challenges requires new expertise and further research in both materials and manufacturing strategies.

The AM-REACH project aims to strengthen the additive manufacturing research environment at Mid Sweden University through the recruitment of an associate senior lecturer specializing in metal AM. This recruitment supports the development of the research area Advanced Materials and Processes within the strategic research environment Transformative Technologies, while also strengthening the link between research and the recently established advanced-level education in additive manufacturing.

The research within the project focuses particularly on electron beam powder bed fusion, PBF-EB. This technology offers significant advantages for processing advanced alloys because the process operates at elevated temperatures, which provides favorable conditions for materials requiring controlled thermal environments during manufacturing. However, there is still a need to develop improved processing strategies and more efficient methods for optimizing process parameters.

Two main research directions are addressed in the project. The first is to reduce the lead time for process development through the use of machine learning and data-driven analysis of manufacturing processes. The second is to develop new processing strategies that enable the processing of a wider range of materials, particularly high-alloy steels and other advanced alloys.

The project is carried out in close collaboration with industrial partners and these collaborations provide industrial challenges and application perspectives that guide the research, while the expected results will contribute to increased productivity, improved material performance, and broader industrial adoption of additive manufacturing.

In addition to research activities, the project will contribute to education in additive manufacturing through teaching, supervision of student projects, and the development of courses in metal AM. In this way, AM-REACH strengthens both the scientific competence and the educational environment in the field and supports the long-term development of additive manufacturing in Sweden.