What we're doing

           Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a fairly new technology rising to popularity in the 21st century. 3D printing has several advantages over regular manufacturing processes. These include the ability to produce very complex shapes, and the need for only one machine. This makes it a worthy and frugal option. Our sponsor, Sandia National Labs, is looking to explore how the complex shapes 3D printing can make could improve the function and lower the cost of a motor, such as one found in a drone or car. To answer this question, we have selected an existing motor for the basis of our experiment. We are designing, printing, and installing improved replacement parts for it. There are various types of 3D printing, each capable of printing many materials. Our project is using a method called Directed Energy Deposition to print metal. In this method, an electron beam melts metal wire and powder in place as it is dispensed. The specific material we are using is a soft magnetic alloy made of steel and cobalt known as Hiperco. The fact that it is magnetic allows us to change the standard magnetic profile of the motor. To remake the chosen motor parts, we are using a range of computer software. This includes a CAD program to create starting models of the parts, a topology software to optimize the shape and reduce the amount of printed metal without losing strength, and a finite element design suite to simulate the final strength of our designs. We are testing many aspects of the motor before and after our changes, such as torque, speed, and magnetism, to see if our 3D printed structures did in fact result in an upgrade.