InShaPe project delivers major breakthroughs in metal AM

The EU-funded InShaPe project has achieved remarkable results: a sixfold productivity increase, 50% cost reduction, lower energy use and material waste, and improved component quality. Over the past three years, a consortium led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a new process optimization method for laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M). The approach combines AI-driven beam shaping with multispectral imaging (MSI) to enhance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. InShaPe received €7.2 million in funding from Horizon Europe and involved 11 partners from eight countries.

PBF-LB/M is essential for producing complex metal parts, but traditional rigid laser beams and poor process monitoring often lead to defects and energy waste. InShaPe addressed this by adapting the laser beam profile to each component’s geometry and material, using a ring-shaped beam instead of the typical Gaussian. This adjustment created a more stable melt pool, reducing defects like cracks and spatter while boosting processing speed.

Alongside beam shaping, MSI tracks the melt pool in real-time by capturing thermal signals across various wavelengths. This enables early detection of process issues, allowing for immediate corrections and minimizing delays or rework.

The combined approach was successfully tested on five industrial demonstrators: an aerospace impeller and gas turbine part (both in Inconel 718), a combustion chamber component (CuCrNb), a chainsaw motor cylinder head (AlSi10Mg), and satellite antenna parts. Productivity rose to 93.3 cm³/h from 15 cm³/h—a 6.2x improvement—while cutting production costs in half.

This innovation paves the way for wider industrial adoption of PBF-LB/M, especially in aerospace, energy, and automotive sectors. Prof. Katrin Wudy of TUM, project coordinator, noted strong academic and industrial interest and expects the technology to soon enter industrial use, improving process control and quality assurance.

BayFOR (Bavarian Research Alliance GmbH) supported InShaPe with funding application guidance and managed administrative and public communication tasks. BayFOR aids Bavarian research institutions and SMEs in securing EU research funding and is backed by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts.