WEST LAFAYETTE, IN—Engineers at Purdue University have developed a high-strength aluminum alloy that is ideal for additive manufacturing applications because of its plastic deformability. The innovation has practical applications in a variety of industries, including aerospace and automotive manufacturing.

“Most commercially available high-strength aluminum alloys cannot be used in additive manufacturing,” claims Xinghang Zhang, Ph.D., a professor of material engineering at Purdue University. “They are highly susceptible to hot cracking, which creates defects that could lead to the deterioration of a metal alloy.”