New vacuum tech slashes porosity by 75 percent in large-scale 3D prints
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee have introduced a novel vacuum-assisted extrusion method that significantly reduces internal porosity in large-scale 3D-printed polymer parts.
The breakthrough, which the team says holds the potential to transform additive manufacturing across aerospace, automotive, and defense sectors, cuts porosity by 75 percent, marking a key step toward stronger, more reliable printed components.
Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) - a bigger-picture take on 3D printing that enables the direct printing of meter-scale components - is used to create large, complex parts for various industries.
Even though these materials provide excellent stiffness and low thermal expansion, their widespread use has long been held back by internal porosity, or voids, that compromise the printed parts' strength and reliability.
Now, thanks to the new vacuum-assisted technique, the researchers have managed to remove the gases trapped during printing, thus significantly reducing the voids and making the parts stronger and more consistent.
Vipin Kumar, PhD, a composites and fiber manufacturing expert at ORNL, explained that even though 3D-printed materials provide excellent stiffness and low thermal expansion, their potential is greatly limited by persistent intrabead porosity.
Porosity in 3D printing refers to tiny voids or defects within the printed material, often caused by trapped gas or incomplete fusion during the printing process.
These weak spots can act like small chips in glass, spreading under stress and ultimately compromising the strength, durability, and reliability of critical components such as medical implants or aerospace parts.
To tackle the issue, the researchers integrated a vacuum hopper - a device used to remove air, moisture, and trapped gases from materials in manufacturing - directly to the extrusion process, where heated material is pushed through a nozzle to form the printed part.
To their surprise, the initial results greatly highlighted the method's effectiveness, as it reduced the porosity by up to 75 percent, even in parts with varying fiber content - a major factor in large-scale manufacturing where material consistency can be difficult to maintain.
Furthermore, in some cases, the internal void rate dropped below two percent, which Kumar described as a significant advancement compared to conventional methods.
"Using this innovative technique, we are not only addressing the critical issue of porosity in large-scale polymer prints but also paving the way for stronger composites," Kumar explained in a press release.
The team suggested that the vacuum-assisted method could be seamlessly integrated into existing LFAM workflows, helping streamline production and improve part quality across sectors like aerospace, automotive, and defense.
"This is a significant leap forward for the LFAM industry," Kumar concluded, explaining how the design effectively pre-degasses the material, ensuring a cleaner and denser output.
Since the system is currently designed for batch based processing, the team is now actively working to expand its capabilities for continuous, scalable, and industrial-grade applications.
They revealed they have already developed a patent pending concept to integrate the vacuum extrusion method into continuous deposition systems, in a step that could move the technology into mainstream, real-time manufacturing environments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Huawei Founder Dismisses U.S. Export Control Concerns
U.S. chip restrictions won't have an impact on Huawei Technologies, its founder has said, dismissing concerns that it will be squeezed by export controls.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Torched driverless taxis prompt Waymo to stop downtown L.A. service
After five of Waymo's driverless taxis went up in flames Sunday during anti-ICE protests in downtown Los Angeles, costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars, questions remain about how the vehicles made their way into the area. Waymo eventually suspended service downtown after officials with the Los Angeles Police Department reportedly advised the company to do so. In footage captured by KTLA, a row of vehicles on North Los Angeles Street, near Arcadia Street, all tagged with graffiti, were seen fully engulfed in flames as dense black smoke thickened the air, while many of those on the street continued to vandalize and photograph them. While it's unclear exactly how protesters started the car fires, there were reports that spray paint was used as an accelerant, with video capturing at least one of the autonomous vehicles exploding. Police eventually closed Los Angeles Street north of Arcadia and South Alameda Streets and declared an unlawful assembly. Los Angeles Police Department Captain Erik Scott said that battery systems in electric vehicles are often difficult to apply water to during a fire and especially in the chaotic environment of Sunday evening's violent demonstrations. The department, according to Scott, had to just allow the cars to burn, which caused an increased threat to public health. L.A. driver goes on high-speed rampage amid violent downtown protests 'When lithium-ion batteries burn, they release hydrogen-fluoride gas that is a highly toxic substance that could damage your lungs and can be absorbed through the skin,' Scott explained. 'It can cause serious internal harm.' According to a 2024 report by the Wall Street Journal, analysts estimated that Waymo's driverless cars cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each. With the five destroyed robotaxis, the cost of damages would amount to roughly between $750,000 to $1 million, based on WSJ's estimate. As for how the Waymo taxis made their way downtown to begin with, investigators and the company are looking into whether protesters may have used the app to order up the cars and light them on fire or, as other have speculated, protesters intercepted the vehicles from customers attempting to flee the area. The company that the suspended downtown service may lead to increased wait times in other areas of L.A. and that as of right now, there is word on when service will resume in the area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why Waymos Have Been Vandalized by Protesters
Smoke billows as a Waymo car burns in the street during protests in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. Credit - David Pashaee—Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images As protesters and police clash across Los Angeles and beyond, a striking image from the mayhem has been that of graffiti-strewn white cars engulfed in flames. But these aren't ordinary cars. They've got sensors protruding from the top and sides—and, critically, they've got no drivers. Waymo, a robotaxi company, found itself at the center of the demonstrations against the Trump Administration's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids after a group of protesters over the weekend, according to the Los Angeles Times, approached a parked row of the autonomous vehicles and smashed their windows, slashed their tires, spray-painted them with anti-ICE slogans, and set them on fire. While eye-catching, the trend is also extremely dangerous. Electric vehicles, like those in Waymo's fleet, have lithium-ion batteries, and in a post on X, the L.A. Police Department warned: 'Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby.' According to Scientific American, first responders exposed to the fumes of burnt lithium-ion batteries without protection historically 'have developed throat burns and breathing difficulties upon arriving,' and, depending on the hydrogen fluoride levels, individuals can start coughing up blood within minutes of exposure. At least six Waymo vehicles across the county have reportedly been the target of vandalism, resulting in the company temporarily suspending operations in the area 'out of an abundance of caution.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have condemned the violence and destruction, which Newsom attributed to 'insurgent groups' and 'anarchists' who have infiltrated otherwise peaceful protests. President Donald Trump, who mobilized the National Guard to respond to the situation, has called the demonstrators 'troublemakers' and 'paid insurrectionists.' Here's what to know. Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google's parent company, and grew out of the Google Self-Driving Car project that began in 2009. It launched its robotaxi business in 2020 in limited markets, which grew to include Los Angeles in 2024. While the company says its mission 'is to be the world's most trusted driver,' a national survey earlier this year found that '6 in 10 U.S. drivers still report being afraid to ride in a self-driving vehicle' while the proportion of people enthusiastic about the development of the technology has actually decreased from 18% in 2022 to 13% in 2025. Waymo vehicles were involved in 696 accidents across the U.S. between 2021 and 2024, or about one accident every other day. MKP Law Group, a Los-Angeles based firm that represents clients involved in accidents, acknowledged in a blog post that this statistic 'is not necessarily indicative of Waymo causing those accidents, as some may have been the fault of the other involved drivers.' Studies show that self-driving technology is likely safer than most human drivers. Waymo has also reportedly annoyed some people, including those who find self-driving vehicles to be an eyesore as well as locals where the vehicles routinely get stuck. Neighbors near a Waymo charging station in Santa Monica have complained about noise pollution caused by the driverless vehicles honking at each other in the parking lot. Waymo vehicles as well as other self-driving cars have previously been the target of vandals, particularly in California, where Waymo is headquartered. In January, a Waymo car was torn apart in Los Angeles. In February 2024, another Waymo car was smashed and set ablaze in San Francisco. And in July 2024, a man was charged with slashing the tires of 17 Waymo cars in San Francisco. Several potential explanations have emerged for why Waymo vehicles were targeted during the protests in Los Angeles. The Wall Street Journal reported that part of the reason the cars were vandalized was to obstruct traffic—a traditional, albeit controversial, protest tactic. Some social media users have suggested that self-driving vehicles in particular have become a new target because they are seen by protesters as 'part of the police surveillance state.' Waymo's cars are equipped with cameras that provide a 360-degree view of their surroundings, a tool that has been tapped by law enforcement, according to reports. Independent tech news site 404 Media reported in April that the Los Angeles Police Department obtained footage from a Waymo driverless car to use as part of an investigation into an unrelated hit-and-run. And Bloomberg reported in 2023 that police have increasingly relied on self-driving cars and their cameras for video evidence. Chris Gilliard, a fellow at the Social Science Research Council, told Bloomberg that self-driving vehicles are 'essentially surveillance cameras on wheels,' adding: 'We're supposed to be able to go about our business in our day-to-day lives without being surveilled unless we are suspected of a crime, and each little bit of this technology strips away that ability.' Waymo told Bloomberg at the time that it 'carefully' reviews every request from police 'to make sure it satisfies applicable laws and has a valid legal process.' Some activists have also suggested that the burning of Waymo vehicles should garner less sympathy from onlookers. 'There are people on here saying it's violent and domestic terrorism to set a Waymo car on fire,' racial justice organizer Samuel Sinyangwe posted on X. 'A robot car? Are you going to demand justice for the robot dogs next? But not the human beings repeatedly shot with rubber bullets in the street? What kind of politics is this?' 'There is no human element to Waymo,' climate and labor organizer Elise Joshi similarly posted on X. 'It's expensive and bought-out politicians are using it as an excuse to defund public transit. I pray on Waymo's downfall.' Contact us at letters@
