The University of North Florida has received a National Science Foundation award to help researchers make 3D-printed metal parts more reliable, cost-effective and sustainable.
Dr. Longfei Zhou, a UNF assistant professor of advanced manufacturing engineering, will lead a team of student researchers in developing a system that can detect and fix problems during the metal 3D-printing process, according to a university press release.
The student researchers involved in the project are advanced manufacturing engineering seniors Maria Fernanda Ocrospoma Figueroa, Tessa Baur and Taylor Uhruh. Baur is president of UNF’s Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering club, and Ocrospoma is vice president.
The project focuses on metal additive manufacturing, particularly laser powder bed fusion, a method used to produce detailed parts for airplanes, medical implants and energy systems. During the process, defects can occur when a machine’s powder-spreading arm accidentally drags or disturbs the metal powder, creating tiny streaks that may weaken the final product, according to the press release.
Those flaws can force manufacturers to scrap parts or restart entire builds, wasting materials, energy and money. The UNF research team aims to reduce those failures by creating an automated quality-control system that monitors each layer of a print and makes small, targeted corrections when needed.
According to the press release, the system could help lower costs, reduce waste and strengthen the nation’s manufacturing base by making advanced production methods more efficient and sustainable.
The project will also include new course modules and lab activities to teach students how data, automation and digital tools are reshaping the manufacturing industry.
To support broader industry and academic use, the team plans to make datasets, trained models, digital-twin software and baseline decision policies publicly available, according to the press release.
Ocrospoma and Baur also recently competed in the global Additive Manufacturing Competition at SAMPE 2026 Seattle, placing first and second, respectively, in Category B.
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