Researchers at Hiroshima University have found a new way to 3D-print one of industry’s toughest materials: WC–Co cemented carbide.
Led by assistant professor Keita Marumoto, the team combined hot-wire laser irradiation with a thin nickel-based alloy layer that helps the material bond while printing. The result is a dense carbide structure with hardness above 1400 HV; the kind of toughness usually demanded from industrial cutting tools.
Traditional powder-metallurgy methods can be wasteful and rigid. This approach is different. Material is built layer by layer, reducing scrap and potentially lowering production costs.
If scaled, it could reshape how ultra-hard tools are made across manufacturing and construction.
