Finetuning EBAM with Freemelt Technology

Loughborough University is harnessing electron beam melting (EBM) technology to drive research in additive manufacturing (AM). Under leadership of Professor Moataz Attallah from the Department of Materials, this initiative helps boost the UK’s position in advanced materials science and manufacturing innovation.

Electron beam technology operates in a vacuum environment, making it suited for oxygen-sensitive and reflective materials that are critical for energy, aerospace, and defence applications.

As a research institution, Loughborough University values Freemelt’s open-architecture design, which enables rapid experimentation with commercial and alloys.

“Electron beam technology succeeds where other additive techniques have struggled,” says Professor Attallah. “The Freemelt system stands out by being open, flexible, and accessible for researchers. It allows us to experiment with parameters, explore new alloys, and develop processes that are impossible on closed commercial platforms.”

The University’s Freemelt system is contributing to research projects, including:

• UK–Japan collaborative project (led by the University of Birmingham): Investigating AM of refractory alloys and the role of oxygen uptake.
• Fusion energy applications: Development of advanced tungsten structures in partnership with Tokamak Energy and Metamorphic.
• Future space programs: Exploring niobium-based alloys for spacecraft propulsion systems.

Professor Attallah highlighted the implications of this work:

"If we want to build nuclear fusion reactors or next-generation spacecraft, we need sustainable manufacturing methods for critical materials," Attallah says. "EBM not only enables this but also offers the scalability and efficiency to make it viable.”

The potential to pair an open-architecture platform with AI/ML-driven process optimization and alloy development can accelerate parameter discovery, expand the qualified materials window, and improve robustness across builds. Loughborough University joins a network of UK institutions and companies adopting Freemelt platforms.

Freemelt acts as a long-term partner for companies and research institutions. To help evaluate technical feasibility early, the company currently offers free sample parts for initial testing.

To request a sample part, click here. 

About Loughborough University
Loughborough University excels in advanced materials research, developing new materials, processing methods, and characterization using facilities like the Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre. 

About Freemelt
Freemelt is a Swedish deep-tech company specializing in open-source electron beam additive manufacturing solutions. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.