An ETH Zurich student team built and tested RAPTURE, a rotary laser powder-bed-fusion machine that can deposit and melt two different metals during the same operation. Developed in the Advanced Manufacturing Lab over nine months, the prototype coordinates powder supply, laser scanning and protective gas flow in a continuous process suited to roughly cylindrical components.
ETH reported that the approach reduced manufacturing time for cylindrical parts by more than two thirds. Depositing powder only where needed also reduces the mixed-material waste created by conventional multi-metal processes. The prototype produced components up to 20 centimetres in diameter, including a 75-millimetre turbine stator. Applications under investigation include rocket nozzles combining heat-conducting and heat-resistant materials. ETH filed a patent application, while higher speeds and larger component sizes remained development goals.
