Resilient Feedstocks
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Harnessing Domestic Resources for Competitive Manufacturing
Achieving an efficient and competitive US manufacturing sector involves assessing entire production and distribution life cycles with the aim of maximizing the use of resources, minimizing waste, and mitigating potential negative impacts.
At MDF, teams are working on a variety of commercially viable solutions to help industry adapt to changing market dynamics, regulatory landscapes, and resource availability while contributing to the success and competitiveness of US manufacturing.
Secure Supply Chains
A secure supply chain involves the conscientious selection of raw materials, transportation methods, and packaging solutions.
At MDF, researchers are developing high-performance, bio-based composites as well as high-volume polymer and composite repair and recovery practices that can support robust supply chains. This work investigates the reuse of materials as well as the development of bio-based materials derived from forest products and agricultural waste in tandem with advanced manufacturing processes.
These new materials are likely to be deployed into applications with complex multi-material products, and advanced technologies are required for the separation and recovery of these materials at end of life.
Regional Sourcing
Regional Sourcing
The widespread implementation of bio-based materials strengthens domestic supply chains and regional economies by increasing demand for local feedstocks. This approach in turn enables distributed manufacturing across the nation that benefits communities through the creation of local jobs.
MDF has partnered with the University of Maine to create the Specialized Materials and Manufacturing Alliance for Resilient Technologies (SM2ART), which integrates advanced manufacturing practices with Maine’s plentiful forestry resources to reinvigorate the region through science-based approaches. The SM2ART program works with industry partners to transfer technology into commercial solutions.
Recent Impacts
Speedy Material Reuse
MDF collaborated with Airtech Advanced Materials Group to reuse materials from a carbon-fiber aerodynamic splitter mold into a new one. The work helped Brumos Racing set a world record for its class at the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, demonstrating the potential of 3D printing to enable the recovery and reuse of materials.
Award-Winning BioHome
In 2023, the SM2ART team won the CAMX Combined Strength award and the SME Aubin AM Case Study award for the BioHome3D project, the nation’s first 3D printed home made entirely from biobased materials.
As Strong as Steel
A team designed and 3D-printed a single-piece, recyclable, natural-material “Nfloor cassette panel” that tested to be strong enough to replace construction materials like steel for apartments and condos.
Get in touch
Soydan Ozcan
Distinguished Research Scientist
Capabilities
- Multiple scale mechanical recycling systems with classification
- Real-time collection of energy and mass, monetary (labor) data on large scale shredder system, and integration to modeling systems and custom sensor/hardware development
- In-house compounding (twin screw extrusion and pelletizing) and forming processes (AM, CM, IM, thermoforming) available from benchtop to industrially relevant scale
- State-of-the-art material characterization facilities to support validation of new processes and pathways
- New equipment, sensing capabilities
- Life cycle assessment and technoeconomic assessment support