Engineers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, have recently developed a 3D printed titanium alloy that is not only stronger than the current industry standard but also significantly cheaper to produce. Titanium alloys are already heavily present within the aerospace and medical industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, the material vanadium, which is often used to create these alloys, is expensive, especially with the popular Ti-6Al-4V formulation.
Through the university’s Center for Additive Manufacturing (RCAM), the engineers discovered an alternative to vanadium. The team used a combination of affordable alternatives and discovered that there was both an improved mechanical performance and a 29% reduction in cost to produce. According to doctoral researcher Ryan Brooke, “our new alloy is not only cheaper but performs better than what the industry currently uses,” signaling a possible shift in the future to how we approach alloy design for additive manufacturing.
The new samples are being tested at RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct
Their research was recently published in Nature Communications and addresses one of the most persistent challenges in metal 3D printing: microstructural consistency. Traditional titanium alloys often form columnar microstructures when printed, which often results in uneven mechanical properties based on the direction of stress. The RMIT team’s new design suppresses this behavior, creating a more uniform structure that performs better under stress. Brooke noted that the situation is like using outdated fuel in a modern car. “It’s like we’ve created an airplane and are still just driving it around the streets,” he said.
This new alloy opens the door for more sustainable and scalable use of titanium and its alternatives in high-performance fields. The RMIT team is now attempting to pursue a commercial partnership to bring the material into widespread production. This development also reflects a growing trend in additive manufacturing: designing alloys specifically for 3D printing, rather than adapting legacy materials developed for traditional manufacturing.
Ryan Brooke [left] alongside Professor Mark Easton [center] and Dr Dong Qiu [right] at RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing helped design the new alternative.
While the industry has focused on machine innovation, material science may be the key to unlocking the full potential of industrial-scale 3D printing. By combining cost efficiency with structural integrity, RMIT’s alloy could signal a new generation of 3D printed materials. RMIT’s alloy could signal a new generation of 3D-printed materials that are designed not just for strength, but rather, accessibility and performance across a variety of industries. If you’re interested in this research, you can learn more HERE.
What are your thoughts on this new advancement? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn or Facebook pages! Plus, don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter to get the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox. You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.
*Photo Credits: RMIT University Melbourne