ExaAM Project Aims to Transform Additive Manufacturing through Exascale Simulation

John Turner of Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is revolutionary. The reason is that it enables customized and efficient design of parts and products—from very precise implants to military body armor, aeronautic parts, and myriad other items. 3D printing of human organs may be on the horizon.

In the latest episode of the Let’s Talk Exascale podcast, we are joined by John Turner of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is principal investigator of the ExaAM project within the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Exascale Computing Project (ECP). ExaAM plans to transform AM through exascale computer simulations.

The discussion provides a look at AM and ExaAM from different angles: a brief history of AM, the focus of ExaAM’s efforts, bicycle frame design as an AM example, the significance of the microstructure of materials, the good news and bad news about AM, what ExaAM expects to deliver, Inconel and its importance, ExaAM’s challenge problem, the contributions of partners, the project’s near-term objectives, and its expected enduring legacy.

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