Dyndrite, Elementum 3D Enable 3D Printed Metal Parts With Controlled Permeability

Dyndrite’s LPBF Pro end-user software has been chosen by Elementum3D to integrate the company’s PermiAM controlled permeability process, enabling laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) engineers to manufacture parts with porous and solid sections within a single build, enabling precise coolant flow while eliminating the need for assembly and reducing potential points of failure.

PermiAM is a patent-pending AM technology developed collaboratively by Masten Space Systems (now Astrobotic) and Elementum 3D. The technique enables the creation of metal components that seamlessly integrate regions of controlled permeability with fully dense structures within a single part. This capability is particularly advantageous in hypersonic applications and rocket engine injectors. Controlling part porosity during the production process allows engineers to construct customized fluid control systems with optimized performance for extreme applications, while simplifying design steps and cutting costs. The successful application of PermiAM was demonstrated through hot fire testing of a PermiAM-based 3D-printed fuel injector, marking a significant advancement in AM for aerospace applications.

Beyond aerospace, PermiAM holds potential for industries requiring intricate fluid control components, such as commercial jet engines and automotive fuel injection systems and data center cooling applications. By enabling the fabrication of parts with tailored permeability, this technology offers new possibilities for optimizing performance and efficiency in various engineering applications. 

PermiAM will be integrated within Dyndrite LPBF Pro software as a plug-in, allowing engineers to easily apply PermiAM to parts in far more complex ways, such as on curved 3D paths, amorphous geometries, and as functionally graded transitions between porous and solid materials. The companies will also partner in the testing and validating of physical printed demonstrators.

"This is what the future of digital manufacturing looks like — software defined materials working to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” says Harshil Goel,

Founder and CEO of Dyndrite. “By enabling and scaling Elementum 3D’s PermiAM technology into Dyndrite LPBF Pro, we’re giving engineers and manufacturers unprecedented control over material properties, enabling production of concepts once thought impossible. This is a game-changer for industries like defense, aerospace, and energy, where extreme performance demands extreme innovation and control."

The PermiAM plug-in for Dyndrite LPBF Pro will be made available through Elementum3D.