Southern Illinois University Carbondale assistant professor Sangjin Jung has received a $200,000 National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation grant to tackle reliability issues in metal 3D printing. The two-year project focuses on designing metal parts that remain strong even when small manufacturing defects occur, addressing a key barrier to wider adoption of additive manufacturing in production environments.
Metal 3D printing defects can arise from various sources including laser power settings, scan speed, powder quality, and equipment wear. These microscopic flaws make part performance unpredictable and reduce manufacturer confidence in the technology. “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.”
Jung’s approach differs from current methods by modeling defect likelihood and impact during the initial design phase rather than discovering issues during testing. His team will use simulations to optimize part geometry for defect tolerance from the start, potentially reducing costly trial-and-error iterations. The global additive manufacturing market is projected to reach $100 billion by the early 2030s, but growth depends on proving consistent performance at scale.
The research will leverage SIU’s metal 3D printing facilities and involve students in interdisciplinary projects combining simulation, optimization, and hands-on printing experience. The team plans workshops and applied projects with local companies, creating opportunities for capstone collaborations and internships. Results will also be integrated into design for additive manufacturing curricula to modernize courses and laboratory work.
Jung brings industry and academic experience to the project, having previously worked as a senior research engineer at LG Electronics and as a research scientist at Carnegie Mellon University and Pennsylvania State University before joining SIU in 2021. The research aims to help position the university and regional businesses as a hub for additive manufacturing while training engineers to support reliable metal 3D printing adoption.
Source: news.siu.edu