(ORNL: Oak Ridge, TN) -- Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a vacuum-assisted extrusion method that reduces internal porosity by up to 75% in large-scale 3D-printed polymer parts.

Large-format additive manufacturing, or LFAM, enables the direct printing of meter-scale structures used in aerospace, automotive, and defense tooling. But widespread adoption has been hindered by internal porosity, or voids, that weaken printed components. Reducing porosity is key to improving strength, durability, and overall performance.

ORNL researchers tackled this challenge with a novel approach: integrating a vacuum hopper during the extrusion process to remove trapped gases and minimize void formation in fiber-reinforced materials. These materials are widely used in LFAM for their stiffness and low thermal expansion but often suffer from intrabead porosity that limits part quality.

The new system reduced porosity to under 2%, even with varying fiber content.

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