In-situ Microstructure Engineering


A central research focus of the group is the targeted in-situ control of microstructure during additive manufacturing processes. In powder bed–based electron beam melting, high temperatures and well-defined thermal histories can lead to local changes in alloy composition, for example through the selective evaporation of individual elements. These effects have a decisive influence on microstructure formation and, consequently, on the mechanical properties of the component.
Within the framework of the BMWK-funded collaborative project AMTrieb, these relationships are systematically investigated and leveraged for targeted component design. The objective is to develop additive process strategies that enable locally tailored material properties within a single component. As an exemplary application, the project addresses the manufacturing of highly loaded turbine components made from titanium aluminides, where controlled process conditions combined with post-process heat treatment allow distinct microstructures to be established in different regions of the part.
A key enabler of this approach is the freely configurable scan path planning of modern PBF-EB systems, which allows the local thermal history to be precisely controlled. Building on this capability, the subproject NumAM develops a novel numerical process simulation that captures both the spatially and temporally resolved temperature evolution and the process-induced changes in alloy composition during melting. This enables, for the first time, simulation-based predictions of microstructure formation at the component level.
The use of these numerical tools significantly reduces experimental development cycles, enables targeted parameter selection, and supports the design of stable and reproducible scan strategies. At the same time, the developed methods lay the foundation for new concepts in functionally integrated materials and component design, in which thermal history, alloy chemistry, and microstructure are jointly engineered.


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