Elementum 3D commercializes NASA’s GRX-810 superalloy

Elementum 3D, a developer and supplier of advanced metal AM materials, print parameters, and services, has officially released GRX-810. This printable nickel cobalt chromium oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) superalloy was first developed by Dr. Tim Smith and his team at NASA Glenn Research Center and is now commercially available from Elementum 3D through a co-exclusive licensing agreement. Elementum 3D shipped the first commercially produced GRX-810 material to a customer on 31 October 2024, and can produce 1.5 tons of GRX-810 per week. With this advancement, NASA’s goal to quickly accelerate the adoption of GRX-810 to benefit US technologies is ahead of schedule.

“I’m proud of how the Elementum 3D team rallied to quickly bring NASA’s GRX-810 alloy to market. Development of a qualified manufacturing process to mass produce GRX-810 in six months is a testament to our ability to turn concepts into reality,” said Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein, Founder and CEO of Elementum 3D.

Potential breakthroughs enabled by this printable material include lighter and thinner engine parts, increased fuel efficiency, lower operating costs, increased durability, and higher operating temperature capability.

At high temperatures, GRX-810 offers 1,000-fold better creep resistance with a two-fold increase in strength and oxidation resistance compared to other available printable superalloys. The chart above provides typical performance data from NASA and Elementum 3D for powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB) printed GRX-810.

Creep life is the duration a material can withstand continuous stress at high temperatures without failure. Creep is a primary failure mechanism for parts at high temperatures subjected to loads from centrifugal forces, gravity, pressure, or other long-duration stresses. Enhanced creep performance can directly lead to longer part life, higher operating temperature, and higher load capability.