Miniaturized Solid-State Metal Additive Manufacturing Tooling and Design

THE CHALLENGE

The main challenge with current friction-based, solid-state metal additive manufacturing methods—like traditional Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD)—lies in their reliance on bulky equipment, large feedstock rods, and high-force machinery, which limits flexibility, increases costs, and restricts use to factory settings. These systems require significant power and infrastructure to operate, generate wide material deposits that need extensive machining, and can damage delicate parts due to high heat and force. As a result, they are poorly suited for mobile, precision tasks like on-site repairs or small-scale production in aerospace, energy, and medical industries. The market increasingly demands lightweight, portable, and low-force solutions that maintain the benefits of solid-state metal joining without the complexity, size, and inefficiency of traditional setups. Bridging this gap presents a major opportunity for innovation and commercial growth in next-generation, compact deposition systems.

OUR SOLUTION

We offer a compact, modular Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD) tool designed to bring high-performance metal additive manufacturing out of the factory and into mobile or desktop environments. By shrinking the feed rod size and using a lightweight, two-part tool with a precision insert made of heat-resistant tungsten–rhenium, our system reduces required force by up to 90% and dramatically cuts energy consumption and material waste. This enables narrow, high-quality metal deposits with minimal post-processing—ideal for fine-feature builds, small-scale repairs, and precision coatings. The modular design allows quick tool swaps and better thermal control, supporting a wide range of high-strength alloys. From a business standpoint, this translates to lower operational costs, faster turnaround, and access to new markets in aerospace, medical, and field-service industries that need portable, cost-effective metal deposition solutions without compromising quality.

Figure: Miniaturized Mill AFSD Design

Advantages:

• 90% lower force requirement enables use on desktop and portable machines
• Nearly 66% narrower deposition tracks for high-precision, small-feature builds
• Modular, low-cost tooling with quick insert replacement
• Solid-state process yields grain-refined deposits with minimal heat-affected zones

Potential Application:

• On-site structural repair of wind turbines and bridges
• Aerospace part refurbishment (e.g., turbine blades, skids)
• Precision cladding for nuclear and industrial components
• Micro-scale metal part fabrication (e.g., implants, tools)