Seminar on Advances in 3D Printing of Magnetic Materials: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Directions

3D printing technology has the potential to innovate the design and manufacturing of precision components in aerospace, automotive, medical, and defense industries. Despite its widespread application in structural materials, its use in producing functional magnetic materials remains limited. Recently, with rising electrification from clean energy and electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for magnetic materials has grown significantly. In particular, soft magnetic materials (e.g., Fe-Si alloys) require complex 3D geometries with high efficiency and lightweight design for electric motors, which conventional casting and powder metallurgy cannot provide. Similarly, hard magnetic materials (e.g., NdFeB) benefit from intricate designs that enhance performance and enable more compact, efficient devices. By leveraging 3D printing, producing customized magnetic components with tailored properties is increasingly feasible, expanding possibilities for advanced magnetic applications. However, 3D printing of magnetic materials is still developmental. This presentation provides an overview of the current status and challenges in 3D printing of magnetic materials and highlights their properties for electric machines. It further discusses research directions for developing magnetic materials, processes, and specialized 3D printing equipment. Additionally, machine learning and artificial intelligence are being integrated to enable effective process optimization, including complex dataset analysis, prediction of optimal parameters, and real-time adjustments to improve print quality and performance. Preliminary results indicate promising advancements in both the mechanical and magnetic properties of printed components, highlighting their potential for improved performance in electric machines. Specialized 3D printing equipment is being explored to enhance precision and efficiency, allowing intricate geometries not achievable by conventional methods. Collectively, these developments could significantly enhance the integration of magnetic components into electric machines, enabling lighter, more compact, and higher-efficiency designs.

Dr. Joon Phil Choi is a Principal Researcher in the Department of 3D Printing at the Research Institute of Autonomous Manufacturing, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM). He is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Chung-Ang University. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from Hanyang University in 2015. After completing postdoctoral research at McGill University (2016–2018) and at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, Nanyang Technological University (2019–2021), he joined KIMM in 2021. His research focuses on powder processing, additive manufacturing/3D printing, and AI-based advanced manufacturing. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and holds over 30 patents and patent applications.