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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Applications of Federated Learning in Semiconductor Manufacturing [Poster]

As semiconductor manufacturers explore advanced data analytics and modeling techniques and data hungry machine learning models increase in popularity due to their accuracy in solving generalized problems and ability to learn complex relationships, federated learning emerges as a privacy preserving machine learning technique for preserving data privacy and ensuring intellectual property protection. Federated Learning is a machine learning technique focused on training models using distributed data that never needs to be centrally stored, allowing the use of advanced machine learning techniques without compromising data privacy, and in the semiconductor manufacturing industry advanced machine learning techniques can reduce cost and time, but maintaining data privacy is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage. This paper systematically reviews existing literature on applications of federated learning in the semiconductor manufacturing industry with a focus on identifying common themes, algorithms, and gaps within the literature to drive future research directions. The findings reveal five key themes, including improvements in quality assurance, virtual models, privacy preservation, reliable data practices, and emerging trends and developments. By identifying key themes in literature on federated learning and semiconductor manufacturing and analyzing gaps and discussed methodologies, this study highlights several potential future research directions to expand the application of federated learning techniques in the semiconductor manufacturing domain.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Novel Tools for Analyzing Life Cycle Energy Use, Carbon Emissions, and Cost of Additive Manufacturing

Decarbonizing industrial manufacturing is a significant challenge in the effort to limit the impacts of global climate change. Additive manufacturing (AM) is one pathway for reducing the impacts of manufacturing as it creates parts layer-by-layer rather than by removing (i.e., subtracting) material from solid stock as with conventional techniques. This reduces material inputs and generates less waste, which can substantially lower life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, AM adoption in the manufacturing sector has been slow, partly due to challenges in making a strong business case compared with more traditional and widely available techniques. This paper highlights the need for the development of simple screening analysis tools to speed the adoption of AM in the manufacturing sector by providing decision-makers easy access to important production life cycle emissions, and cost information. Details on the development of two Microsoft Excel software tools are provided: upgrades to an existing tool on the energy and carbon impacts of AM and a new tool for analyzing the major cost components of AM. A case study applies these two tools to the production of a lightweight aerospace bracket, showing how the tools can be used to estimate the environmental benefits and production costs of AM.

GHG emissions↗
DOE OSTI2021

Numerical study to predict the effect of surface roughness on the thermal and hydraulic performance of additively manufactured heat exchangers

Heat exchangers are used in many industries to transfer thermal energy between two or more objects with an associated thermal and hydraulic performance indicated by thermal effectiveness and pressure drop respectively. Many investigations have aimed to enhance the thermal effectiveness of heat exchangers by introducing turbulent flow inducers that increase the heat transfer rate at the expense of increasing pressure drop. Flow inducers like surface roughness can be controlled with advanced manufacturing methods like additive manufacturing for heat exchanger production. Selecting and manufacturing an optimal surface roughness for heat exchangers requires a more comprehensive approach that accounts for the surface roughness effect on the thermal and hydraulic performance of a sample. Since fabricating samples with additive manufacturing to a desired surface roughness can be an extensive experimental process, this study will fundamentally investigate the effect of surface roughness on the thermal and velocity boundary layers for various surface roughness profiles with physics-based computational modeling. To accurately model the surface roughness effect on thermohydraulic performance, correlations like roughness ratio, friction factor, and Nusselt number are investigated. This study expects to indicate correlations for different flow regimes which can successfully predict the effect of surface roughness on thermohydraulic performance. Results generated from modeling surface roughness effect with unique correlations are then compared to experimental data obtained from literature for validation. The results of this study will provide insight to understand the thermal fluid physics associated with surface roughness and design guidelines for heat exchangers produced with additive manufacturing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

TRANSSFORM Workshop Empowering the US manufacturing industry proceedings report

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) hosted the TRANSSFORM (Transformative, Resilient, Adaptive, Nimble, Sustainable, Smart, Flexible, Optimal, Robust, and Model-based1 – A Bold Vision for the Future of U.S. Manufacturing) Workshop on September 8–10, 2021. The objective of the workshop was to hear from stakeholders about how manufacturing digitalization can improve manufacturing competitiveness and reduce energy consumption and emissions production from U.S. manufacturing, and what research, development, and demonstrations are needed to have the desired impact.

manufacturing digitalization, decarbonization, IoT↗
DOE OSTI2023

Investigating Marine Environmental Degradation of Additive Manufacturing Materials for Renewable Energy Applications: Preprint

Marine renewable energy is a relatively young industry where there is a great need for rapid prototyping in design-build-test campaigns to quickly mature groundbreaking technologies. Additive manufacturing has an important role to play in the industry; however, little information is available to marine energy developers to help inform them on which additive manufacturing materials are appropriate for harsh marine environments. This paper presents an initial study on the mechanical characterization of polymeric additive manufacturing materials and the degradation effects of marine environments. Ultem 9085, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, and chopped carbon-filled nylon, as well as continuous carbon and glass fiber-reinforced nylon were chosen for this study. Samples were manufactured to perform a variety of tension, shear, and compression mechanical characterization tests on the materials. Half of the samples were conditioned in Pacific Ocean water for approximately 6 months at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Marine Sciences Laboratory before being returned for mechanical characterization. The mechanical testing results showed that the Ultem 9085 and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate materials experienced little to no degradation in stiffness or strength after exposure to the marine environment. On the other hand, the nylon-based materials suffered significant stiffness and strength degradation (over 50% in some cases) after environmental conditioning. Ultimately, these data sets should serve as starting points to allow marine renewable energy developers to make informed additive manufacturing material choices for their prototype deployments.

additive manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Investigating Marine Environmental Degradation of Additive Manufacturing Materials for Renewable Energy Applications

Marine renewable energy is a relatively young industry where there is a great need for rapid prototyping in design-build-test campaigns to quickly mature groundbreaking technologies. Additive manufacturing has an important role to play in the industry; however, little information is available to marine energy developers to help inform them on which additive manufacturing materials are appropriate for highly loaded structures in harsh marine environments. This paper presents an initial study on the mechanical characterization of polymeric additive manufacturing materials and the degradation effects due to the marine environment. Ultem 9085, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, and chopped carbon-filled nylon, as well as continuous carbon and glass fiber-reinforced nylon were chosen for this study. Samples were manufactured to perform a variety of tension, shear, and compression mechanical characterization tests on the materials. Half of the samples were conditioned in Pacific Ocean water for approximately 6 months at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory before being returned for mechanical characterization. The mechanical testing results showed that the Ultem 9085 and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate materials experienced little to no degradation in stiffness or strength after exposure to the marine environment. On the other hand, the nylon-based materials suffered significant stiffness and strength degradation (over 50% in some cases) after environmental conditioning. Ultimately, these data sets should serve as starting points to allow marine renewable energy developers to make informed additive manufacturing material choices for their prototype deployments.

additive manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Corrosion testing needs and considerations for additively manufactured materials in nuclear reactors

Metal additive manufacturing holds significant promise as an enabling technology for the 21st century nuclear energy industry. Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) can allow the fabrication of novel materials and innovative component designs that are not achievable through conventional manufacturing. Due to its very different fabrication methods, as-fabricated MAM components are characteristically different from conventionally manufactured components. MAM materials exhibit very different microstructures from conventional cast or wrought materials. For example, austenitic stainless steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion exhibit columnar grain structures, dislocation cell structures, and melt pool fingerprints. In addition, MAM fabrication may result in defects such as porosity, incomplete processing of the feedstock (e.g., lack of fusion in melt-based methods), and oxide inclusions. Heat treatments may further evolve the microstructure, microsegregation, and stresses within the component. Furthermore, MAM components have a rough surface with feature sizes on the order of the feedstock material, as opposed to smooth surfaces resulting from conventional machining and forming operations. As a result, the corrosion behavior of MAM components will likely be significantly different from that of conventionally formed components. Corrosive environments for structural materials within advanced reactor environments include molten fluoride and chloride salts, liquid sodium and lead-bismuth, and high-temperature helium. The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program within the Department of Nuclear Energy in the United States Department of Energy is assessing the unique concerns of MAM component corrosion and testing methodologies in advanced nuclear reactor environments. We discuss these concerns and testing strategies in this paper.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Final report on assessment of molten salt corrosion testing of unirradiated and ion irradiated advanced manufactured high entropy alloys

Generation IV reactors and future fusion reactor designs have led to more demanding materials performance requirements due to their increased operating temperatures, corrosive coolants, and increased radiation doses compared to the current light-water reactor fleet. Among the innovative nuclear technologies under development, molten salt reactors stand out for their potential to offer superior fuel utilization, intrinsic safety characteristics, and economic viability. Of the proposed Generation IV designs, the gas fast reactor operates at 450 to 850°C and the molten salt reactor operates at 565 to 850°C, with the molten salt reactor design needing molten salt corrosion resistant materials [1, 2]. These increased temperatures and more extreme corrosion environments necessitate higher material performance, such as creep strength, radiation-tolerant microstructures, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature tensile properties. Hastelloy-N, a nickel-based alloy with additions of molybdenum and chromium, has been successfully employed to contain molten fluoride salt at temperatures up to 705°C. However, Hastelloy-N becomes embrittled upon neutron irradiation, primarily due to the accumulation of helium produced by (n,a) transmutation reactions. Furthermore, the corrosive nature of molten fluoride and chloride salts presents a formidable challenge, as these salts can react with and dissolve alloying elements such as Cr, Mo, and Fe, leading to selective leaching, loss of protective oxide layers, and accelerated degradation. High entropy alloys (HEAs) and refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) have emerged as a prominent area of interest, due to their ability to achieve tailored chemical compositions for specific applications. Unlike conventional alloys, HEAs are characterized by having multiple principal elements in equimolar or near equimolar ratios, leading to an unconventional alloying strategy [3]. This alloying strategy is believed to promote unique properties, such as single-phase stabilization of chemically compatible elements, lattice distortion effects due to atomic radius differences, and proposed sluggish diffusion effects. For extreme-environment applications, RHEAs have garnered much research interest because of the possibility of creating relatively ductile materials that can operate in extremely high-temperature environments, beyond the operating temperatures where other Ni-based superalloys begin to lose strength [4-6]. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) initiated a joint international effort with the Czech Republic to explore the feasibility of manufacturing HEAs for high-temperature nuclear applications using advanced manufacturing. This effort was funded at INL by the United States Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy under the Advanced Reactor Technologies and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) Program. The HEAs were specifically designed for the corrosive and irradiation environments experienced in gas-cooled fast reactors, molten salt reactors, and fusion power. These alloys have been manufactured by multiple processes to determine the impact of manufacturing processes on the performance of the alloys in corrosive and irradiation environments. Preliminary molten salt corrosion testing showed that equimolar MoNbTiV and MoNbTi alloys exhibit exceptional performance, with arc-melted variants demonstrating only minimal degradation after 1000 hours of exposure to molten chloride salt at 700°C. Conversely, Nb2TiVZr2 showed significant molten salt corrosion susceptibility and microstructural instability during high-temperature molten salt exposures, and was, therefore deemed unfit for molten salt reactor applications. The MoNbTiV, MoNbTi, and Nb2TiVZr2 alloys were further evaluated through ion irradiation experiments conducted at the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory at the University of Michigan. The microstructural stability and the evolution of irradiation-induced defects were characterized to assess the irradiation resistance of each of these alloys.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Effect of toolpath in large-format additive manufacturing with bio-derived composites

There has been growing interest in integrating bio-derived composites into Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) feedstocks to reduce the use of petroleum-derived materials and reduce the overall carbon footprint of LFAM. However, these materials present unique challenges during manufacturing due to their variability, which can lead to unintended deformations and failures attributable to suboptimal process conditions. While numerical modelling has been extensively employed to simulate numerous manufacturing processes, its application in LFAM with bio-derived composites remains limited. This study addresses this gap by systematically developing a numerical model to simulate the LFAM process using bio-based materials, specifically wood fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA/WF). Experimental investigations were conducted to characterise the thermal and mechanical properties of additively manufactured PLA/WF specimens. Numerical simulations were performed to predict temperature profiles and deformations during LFAM. The effect of varying infill patterns, internal structures, and tool paths on the temperature distribution and deformation of printed parts was explored using the developed model. This article aims to advance the utilisation of bio-derived composites in LFAM systems and provide a comprehensive understanding of the LFAM process. The findings offer valuable insights for optimising process parameters and enhancing the performance of LFAM with bio-based composites.

Large-format additive manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced multimaterial shape optimization methods as applied to advanced manufacturing of wind turbine generators

Abstract Currently, many utility‐scale wind turbine generator original equipment manufacturers are dependent on imported rare earth permanent magnets, which are susceptible to market risks from cost instability. To lower the production costs of these generators and stay competitive in the market, several small wind manufacturers are pursuing continuous improvements to both generator design and manufacturing. However, traditional design and manufacturing methods have yielded marginal improvements in wind power performance. This work presents novel methods to redesign a baseline 15‐kW wind turbine generator with reduced rare‐earth permanent magnets by leveraging cutting‐edge three‐dimensional (3D) printed polymer‐bonded permanent magnets and steel. Symmetric, asymmetric, and multimaterial‐magnet parametrization methods are introduced for shape optimization. We extend the symmetric and asymmetric methods to the back iron in the stator to further investigate the impact and opportunities for performance improvements with lesser active materials. We employ a design‐of‐experiments approach with parametric computer‐aided design for shape generation and evaluate different designs by magneto‐thermal modeling and finite‐element analysis. We use adaptive sampling technique to identify better performing designs with lesser magnet mass, higher efficiency, and lower cogging torque when compared with the baseline generator. Asymmetric pole designs resulted in a magnet mass in the range of 4.77–5.37 kg, which was 27%–35% lighter than the baseline generator, suggesting that a new design freedom exists that can be enabled by advanced manufacturing, such as 3D printing. Shaping the back iron in the stator resulted in material savings in electrical steel of up to 14.62 kg, which was 20% lighter than the baseline stator. We conducted a structural analysis to evaluate an optimized asymmetric rotor design from the point of view of mechanical integrity and air‐gap stiffness. The magnetically optimal shape profile was shown as having a positive impact on the radial stiffness, and an optimal solution was discovered to reduce the structural mass by nearly 30 kg, which was 29% lighter than the baseline.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Characterization of Fe-6Si Soft Magnetic Alloy Produced by Laser-Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing

Abstract Commercial electrical steels, Fe-Si alloys with < 4 wt.% Si, are inexpensive and efficient materials for electrical power conversion. Further efficiency improvements require increasing the silicon concentration to 6 wt.%, at which point the material becomes brittle and difficult to form by conventional rolling and sheet fabrication methods. Additive manufacturing stands to overcome challenges with commercial manufacturing techniques by leveraging near-net-shape fabrication. The wide array of process conditions provides additive manufacturing with increased flexibility, enabling control over the microstructure and mechanical properties. This work explores the microstructures and magnetic properties of ring-shaped Fe-Si alloys produced using concentric and cross-hatch tool paths on a laser-directed energy deposition additive manufacturing system. Concentric-built samples exhibit elongated grain structures while cross-hatch-built samples comprise lower aspect ratio grain structures. Thermal finite element analysis simulations model the stress conditions produced by the different scan path geometries. Microhardness measurements probe the mechanical properties as a function of anneal temperature, providing a qualitative understanding of the intergranular defect density. Soft magnetic properties measured under quasistatic and AC conditions show frequency- and microstructure-dependent coercivity and permeability. Finally, analysis of the core loss quantifies how the build strategies and thermal treatments influence efficiency in electrical power conversion applications. Understanding the influences of scan path geometry and thermal treatment provides a pathway towards application of additively manufactured soft magnetic materials.

Adamczyk, Jesse M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Data Mining and Visualization of High-Dimensional ICME Data for Additive Manufacturing

Integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) methods combining CALPHAD with process-based simulations can produce rich, high-dimensional data for alloy and process design. In ICME methods for metallurgical applications, the visualization and interpretation of such high-dimensional data has previously been through heat maps represented in 2 or 3 dimensions. While such an approach is ideal when one variable is varied at a time, in the case of high-dimensional data with multiple variables varied simultaneously, as is the case in additive manufacturing, interpreting the trends through two- or three-dimensional heat maps becomes challenging. Here, we propose a strategy of mixed visual data mining and quantitative analysis for high-dimensional metallurgical and process data using high-throughput thermodynamic calculations. Two case studies show the application of the proposed approach. The first case study investigated the effects of feedstock chemistry on the δ ferrite formation in 316L stainless steel powders used for binder jet additive manufacturing. The second case study linked Scheil–Gulliver calculations to a process model for dissimilar joining of aluminum alloys 5356 and 6111 during laser hot-wire additive manufacturing. Both cases contained thousands of calculated data points, showcasing the utility of visual data analysis through parallel coordinate plotting, Pearson correlation coefficient matrices, and scatter matrices compared to traditional process maps. These visualization techniques can be extended to many additive manufacturing problems to capture process–structure–property relationships for additively manufactured components.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Validation Data for Benchmarking Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Process Simulations

Residual stresses cause geometric distortion and affect mechanical performance of additively manufactured structures, yet they are notoriously difficult to assess and predict. Distortion (warpage) can drive parts outside dimensional tolerance limits, leading to part rejection or rework. For parts that meet tolerance, locked-in residual stress fields can affect structural integrity during operation, particularly subcritical cracking by fatigue, creep, or corrosion. This work develops benchmark data for a common additive manufacturing process (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) that can be applied for calibration and validation of physical process models that predict residual stress fields. The work includes design of two different samples of differing geometry, detailed manufacturing records for a set of physical samples, and an extensive set of residual stress measurement data developed using two diverse techniques (the contour method and neutron diffraction). An initial application of the work is also reported, where a modeling challenge was issued to secure residual stress model predictions from two independent laboratories that were blind to residual stress measurement data. These initial blind residual stress predictions show significant discrepancies relative to the measurement data, illustrating the potential value of the underlying validation data. An open repository for this work, including the sample designs, manufacturing process records, and the residual stress data, is also provided for future application in non-blind validation efforts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Additive Manufacturing in the Nuclear Reactor Industry

This article discusses the application of additive manufacturing in the nuclear reactor industry.Additive manufacturing for nuclear applications increased significantly in the late 2010s due to rapid progress in technology, particularly with methods using metals and ceramics.Because these manufacturing technologies are uniquely data-rich, they allow for an advanced understanding of materials, and they offer the potential to predict part performance based on build data. The inherent characteristics of additive manufacturing technologies allow for rapid prototyping and geometric freedom, making it possible to implement an accelerated agile design process for advanced nuclear reactor applications. Predictive high-fidelity multiphysics simulations are crucial to fully leverage this geometric flexibility. Qualification and regulator acceptance ultimately determine the breadth and scope of applications for these technologies. The US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Transformational Challenge Reactor program integrates many of these elements to accelerate the deployment of additive manufacturing technologies to industry.

Betzler, Benjamin↗
DOE OSTI2022

Laser diagnostics to characterize the in-flame growth of platinum nanoparticles manufactured by the reactive spray deposition technology

Reactive Spray Deposition Technology (RSDT) is an atmospheric pressure, flame-based advanced manufacturing method used to fabricate Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) for proton exchange fuel cells and water electrolyzers. RSDT combines the flame synthesis of catalyst nanoparticles and their deposition onto the membrane in one step. The properties of the synthesized nanoparticles, such as their Size Distribution Function (SDF), determine the manufactured electrodes’ performance, which can be evaluated when the deposition is complete via ex-situ characterization of the products. Efforts to improve RSDT for manufacturing state-of-the-art MEAs can be significantly enhanced with integrated laser diagnostics that enable in situ measurement of the synthesized catalyst nanoparticles. This paper reports the implementation of laser diagnostics in an RSDT facility and evaluates their potential to assist the manufacturing process. Laser Light Scattering (LS) and Laser-Induced Incandescence (LII) measurements are performed in the oxygen-rich zone of the flame at various distances from the flame fuel jet nozzle downstream of its luminous region. The measurements quantitatively track the evolution in size and volume fraction of platinum-based nanoparticles in two flames that yield different catalytic properties in the manufactured electrodes. The profiles of the measured nanoparticles’ volume fraction along the flame axis can be estimated a priori so that the average nanoparticle sizes can be measured in quasi-real time via LS. Nanoparticles experience an extremely slow growth rate while being convected at distances from 150 nm to 300 nm from the fuel nozzle. Complementary characterizations of the synthesized nanoparticles are performed ex-situ via High-Angle Annular Darkfield Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) image analyses of samples collected on grids at a fixed distance from the fuel jet nozzle. Comparing the results from laser and microscopy techniques not only cross-validates the findings but also provides the parameters to infer the bimodal SDF in-situ and yields evidence that the coagulation efficiency of the synthesized nanoparticles has extremely low values in the investigated zone of the flames.

Rayleigh Light Scattering (LS)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Recyclability of additively manufactured bio-based composites

As the flexibility, efficiency, and application space of additive manufacturing continues to grow, many have begun to investigate more sustainable feedstocks as well as options for the end of life of additively manufactured parts. This study examines the effects of mechanical recycling on additively manufactured parts from bio-based feedstock. Here, articles were printed on the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) system at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory using poly (lactic acid)/wood flour (PLA/WF) pellets. These parts were shredded and granulated, and the granulate was fed directly back into the BAAM system for re-printing, skipping the costly and energy-intensive steps of extrusion and pelletization. The chemical, mechanical, thermal, and rheological changes to PLA/WF before and after recycling were investigated. Additionally, the energy savings from directly printing granulate on the BAAM system without extrusion and pelletization is reported. It is shown that PLA/WF is an excellent candidate for recycling of large format additively manufactured parts, and value of these parts can be reclaimed while saving cost and energy through mechanical recycling.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Silicon carbide fiber manufacturing: Cost and technology

Significant advances have been made in the past decade concerning silicon carbide fiber manufacturing methods resulting in near-stoichiometric small-diameter fibers that meet the property requirements for most of the ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and nuclear applications. The manufacturing cost, however, remained prohibitively high, preventing the use of it in different applications requiring much lower cost. Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber reinforced CMC is dominated by the cost of SiC fiber which comprises more than 50 % of the finished part cost. Here, this article provides insight into the SiC fiber manufacturing costs and highlights the need for an alternative SiC fiber precursor and manufacturing method. Analysis of the existing polycarbosilane (PCS)-based SiC fiber manufacturing shows that the crosslinking (curing) and raw material preparation steps are high-cost steps that need lower cost options. Alternative SiC fiber precursor should be sought for lowering the cost of SiC fibers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

A techno-economic framework for comparing conventionally and additively manufactured parts for geothermal applications

Geothermal reservoir characterization, construction, and operations are technology-intensive activities that contribute significantly to the cost of delivering renewable electricity. The technologies involved, such as downhole tools and drilling equipment, are similar to those used in oil and gas exploration and production must often be adapted for use in the corrosive, high-temperature geothermal reservoir environment. Low production volume of geothermal tools presents a major challenge in meeting the industry's technology needs. Production of specialized tools for geothermal subsurface applications is often cost-prohibitive. Reduced inventory of subsurface well construction, characterization, and production tools causes geothermal reservoir development efficiency and sophistication to lag behind that of the oil and gas industry. Advances in additive manufacturing provide opportunities to advance geothermal technology while reducing lead time and costs associated with production of low-volume, complex parts. Additionally, this paper performs an initial techno-economic analysis comparing the cost of conventional production techniques and additive manufacturing for geothermal downhole applications. An analysis of representative downhole tools is used to create a framework for estimating fabrication costs of subtractive and additive techniques, including post-print machining required to meet final tolerances. The framework is used to explore several manufacturing scenarios and identify the dominant factors driving manufacturing time and cost. The current feasibility of additive manufacturing for geothermal downhole tool applications is assessed and issues for future development to better meet the needs of the geothermal industry are identified.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗