Center for Innovative Metal Processing established at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Pennsylvania State University’s Applied Research Laboratory and Sciaky, Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries, will establish the Center for Innovative Metal Processing through Direct Digital Deposition as a Manufacturing Demonstration Facility under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Open Manufacturing Initiative, according to a press release.

Direct digital deposition is a manufacturing process using complex computerized descriptions of objects to directly create objects by gradually depositing a variety of materials in specific locations to build up complex and often hard to manufacture items.

The process can be used in on-demand production of high-value components with complex shapes and minimizes material waste. Direct digital deposition shortens the time from design to manufacture.

The center will also include an educational and training component overseen by faculty in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.