Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D)

Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) is sponsored by NSF IUCRC. Addresses fundamental research challenges in heterogeneous 3D printing of materials.

Center for Science of Heterogenous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The U.S. National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) program is currently active and is managed by the Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate; however, it is not accepting proposals at this time. NSF expects to release an updated solicitation later in 2026, subject to availability of funds.

Center for Science of Heterogenous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The Center for Science of Heterogenous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) focuses on 3D printing.

Its work encompasses many different additive printing and manufacturing methods, and will enable rational design and creation of new material feedstocks; understanding of the material properties, protocols, and design rules used in 3D printing; and development of new 3D printing methods for novel materials and composites.

The mission of SHAP3D is to provide the fundamental knowledge for additively printed heterogeneous products that integrate multiple engineering materials with complex 3D structures and diverse functionality. Through research, SHAP3D is developing the critical and necessary insight into the fundamental structure-processing-property relationships to predict and control the integration of diverse materials for 3D printing.

The vision of SHAP3D is to provide its participants with new, validated materials with tunable properties and superior functionality for integration in real-world, heterogeneous designs. SHAP3D aims to enhance national excellence in additive manufacturing research and development that has direct relevance to industry, and develop a cadre of diverse undergraduate and graduate students with world-class training.

University of Massachusetts, Lowell Georgia Institute of Technology Site Director - UMass Lowell Christopher_Hansen@uml. edu Site Director - Georgia Tech Technical Program Manager SHAP3D's research projects are in one or more of the following areas: Achieve unique properties through design leveraging topology optimization, multi-material printing and blending.

Develop novel and enhanced materials and the understanding of the interfacial bonding of the multimaterial systems. Formulate and validate models to achieve faster printing, and more reliable and functional components and systems. Improve and create new printing methods, concepts, and systems.

IUCRC Phase II University of Massachusetts Lowell: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) - Lead Site The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D), will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental research challenges to meet the needs of industry for enabling heterogeneous 3D printing of multiple materials.

Its mission is to perform pre-competitive, industry-oriented research to additively manufacture heterogeneous products with diverse functionality via integration of novel materials across all material classes, complex structures, and cutting-edge processes.

SHAP3D’s industrial partners represent all sectors of the additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain, including materials, machines and processes, designers, and end users in commercial sectors such as aerospace, defense, and consumer products. SHAP3D will tackle real-world problems and help educate the future workforce.

The SHAP3D Center will advance fundamental understanding and create economic value for industry by: (a) enabling the rational design, creation, and use of new materials, geometries, processes, and performance associated with additively manufactured products; (b) generating this knowledge through close collaboration between university and industry/government partners; (c) establishing a synergistic network of excellence in AM knowledge, experience, and facilities of added value to each partner; and (d) training students as the next generation of industry leaders in AM.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) site will contribute research strength in modeling, material characterization, processing, rheology, multi-material printing, and new materials for additive manufacturing. UML will educate the future workforce through integration of graduate and undergraduate students in research projects and formal education programs.

SHAP3D will perform essential research providing the fundamental knowledge for heterogeneous AM that integrates multiple engineering materials to enhance structure and functionality. SHAP3D will develop critical insight into the structure-processing-property relationships to predict, control, and create new materials and processes for heterogeneous 3D printing.

The vision is to provide industrial participants with new, validated capabilities with tunable properties and superior functionality for use in real-world designs.

The Center’s research activities aim to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous materials, and multi-functional applications commanding high margins commensurate with increased performance; and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use and design rules.

Industry members view these market needs from three economic drivers: (1) design concepts for integrating dissimilar materials into heterogeneous products for multi-functional components/products enabling new products and industries, (2) reduction in processing costs via optimized and parallel processes to additively manufacture products more quickly with higher resolution, and (3) use of complex geometries, high performance materials, and improved quality enabling diverse and lighter weight products to minimize total life cycle costs and environmental footprint.

The key areas of the research strategy are: (1) the ability to print heterogenous parts using mixed printing techniques, (2) printing multiple materials by designing and structuring interfaces, (3) prediction of properties and the processes that will produce those properties, (4) enabling greater functionality, complexity and the ability to make things that cannot otherwise be made, and (4) improving sustainability and recyclability through AM.

The UML site brings strong expertise in plastics manufacturing, nanotechnology, composites, and industry-oriented collaboration. The site will use this expertise to promote fundamental and applied research in AM process modeling, printing method advancement, and novel & enhanced materials.

Education activities include training for graduates and undergraduates through activity in research projects and will include formal activities to enhance student training in interpersonal and transferable skills, (such as communication, public speaking, teamwork, and critical thinking).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

IUCRC Phase II Georgia Institute of Technology: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D), will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental research challenges to meet the needs of industry for enabling heterogeneous 3D printing of multiple materials.

Its mission is to perform pre-competitive, industry-oriented research to additively manufacture heterogeneous products with diverse functionality via integration of novel materials across all material classes, complex structures, and cutting-edge processes.

SHAP3D’s industrial partners represent all sectors of the additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain, including materials, machines and processes, designers, and end users in commercial sectors such as aerospace, defense, and consumer products. SHAP3D will tackle real-world problems and help educate the future workforce.

The SHAP3D Center will advance fundamental understanding and create economic value for industry by: (a) enabling the rational design, creation, and use of new materials, geometries, processes, and performance associated with additively manufactured products; (b) generating this knowledge through close collaboration between university and industry/government partners; (c) establishing a synergistic network of excellence in AM knowledge, experience, and facilities of added value to each partner; and (d) training students as the next generation of industry leaders in AM.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) site will contribute its expertise to support research related to design and modeling of additive manufacturing, multi-material printing of polymers and metals, 4D printing, and sustainability in additive manufacturing.

SHAP3D will perform essential research providing the fundamental knowledge for heterogeneous AM that integrates multiple engineering materials to enhance structure and functionality. SHAP3D will develop critical insight into the structure-processing-property relationships to predict, control, and create new materials and processes for heterogeneous 3D printing.

The vision is to provide industrial participants with new, validated capabilities with tunable properties and superior functionality for use in real-world designs.

The Center’s research activities aim to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous materials, and multi-functional applications commanding high margins commensurate with increased performance; and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use and design rules.

Industry members view these market needs from three economic drivers: (1) design concepts for integrating dissimilar materials into heterogeneous products for multi-functional components/products enabling new products and industries, (2) reduction in processing costs via optimized and parallel processes to additively manufacture products more quickly with higher resolution, and (3) use of complex geometries, high performance materials, and improved quality enabling diverse and lighter weight products to minimize total life cycle costs and environmental footprint.

The key areas of the research strategy are: (1) the ability to print heterogenous parts using mixed printing techniques, (2) printing multiple materials by designing and structuring interfaces, (3) prediction of properties and the processes that will produce those properties, (4) enabling greater functionality, complexity and the ability to make things that cannot otherwise be made, and (4) improving sustainability and recyclability through AM.

The GT site will contribute research expertise in design, modeling, artificial intelligence, material development, and multi-material printing of polymers and metals.

Specific research topics include: simulation-based and machine learning based modeling of additive manufacturing processes, data science in additive manufacturing, design based on topology optimization and machine learning, multi-material 3D printing of polymers and metals, 4D printing, and sustainability and additive manufacturing.

GT will also leverage the Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AMPF), a reconfigurable R&D high bay manufacturing facility with AM-related core facilities. Education activities include training for graduates and undergraduates through research projects as well as collaborating with Project ENGAGES (Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech through Engineering & Science).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Phase 1 IUCRC at University of Connecticut: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental research challenges to meet the commercial needs of industry for heterogeneous 3D printing of materials.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is viewed as a research area for global competitive advantage by industries such as automotive, medical, aerospace, and consumer products.

SHAP3D aims to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous, and multi-functional applications that command high margins commensurate with their increased performance, and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use design rules that enable SMEs and large companies to rapidly adopt advanced techniques.

The Center will disseminate its design, material and process research to industrial members and practitioners, and the broader academic community. SHAP3D will provide a technically trained workforce, with industrial perspective, through the close collaboration between industry and academia.

UCONN site's educational activities include summer programs for high school students and teachers, outreach to minority graduate students, and certificate programs in additive manufacturing.

The SHAP3D research will be driven by the performance requirements of industry, built from a technical foundation of the fundamental structure-processing-property relationships associated with the voxel-level control and integration of diverse processes and materials.

The enormous number of material combinations possible in these multi-material systems multiplied by the parameter space represented within processes with voxel-level state-variable control requires fundamental understanding of the material (constituents, fillers, interfaces) properties, processing protocols, and design rules to reliably predict the properties of products.

Despite the diverse materials and process combinations, they are unified by many underlying physical principles related to melting, processing, and solidification, and interfacial physics for heterogeneous additive printing of materials.

The Center will support members' choice of AM methods and research that encompasses numerous additive printing methods, such as fused filament fabrication (FFF), stereolithography/digital light processing (SLA/DLP), ink-jet, and other additive approaches. UCONN will leverage its strengths and will focus on three thrust areas: (i) automation, (ii) integrating polymers with non-polymers, and (iii) bio-printing.

The Center and UCONN-site will add significant value for industry by addressing their vision to additively manufacture dissimilar materials into heterogeneous, valued-added products imbued with previously unattained biological, chemical, electrical, and mechanical functionality.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Phase I IUCRC at University of Massachusetts Lowell: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The IUCRC Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental research challenges to meet the commercial needs of industry for heterogeneous 3D printing of materials.

The additive manufacturing (AM) is viewed as a research area for global competitive advantage by industries such as automotive, medical, aerospace, and consumer products.

SHAP3D aims to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous, and multi-functional applications that command high margins commensurate with their increased performance, and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use design rules that enable SMEs and large companies to rapidly adopt advanced techniques.

The Center will disseminate its design, material and process research to industrial members and practitioners, and the broader academic community. SHAP3D will provide a technically trained workforce, with industrial perspective, through the close collaboration between industry and academia.

UML site-specific educational programs associated with this I/UCRC include K-12 modular block, freshman Co-op Scholars and online education programs. The SHAP3D Center research will be driven by the performance requirements of industry, built from a technical foundation of the fundamental structure-processing-property relationships associated with the voxel-level control and integration of diverse processes and materials.

The enormous number of material combinations possible in these multi-material systems multiplied by the parameter space represented within processes with voxel-level state-variable control requires fundamental understanding of the material (constituent matrices, fillers/additives, interfaces) properties, processing protocols, and design rules to reliably predict the properties of products and parts.

Despite the diverse materials and process combinations, they are unified by many underlying physical principles related to melting, processing, and solidification, and interfacial physics for heterogeneous additive printing of materials..

The Center will support members' choice of AM methods and envisions research that encompasses numerous additive printing methods, such as fused filament fabrication (FFF), stereolithography/digital light projection (SLA/DLP), and other additive approaches.

The University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML) site will add research strength in modeling, material characterization, processing, rheology, multi-material printing, and new materials for additive manufacturing.

The Center and UML site will add significant value for industry by addressing their vision to additively manufacture dissimilar materials into heterogeneous, valued-added products imbued with previously unattained biological, chemical, electrical, and mechanical functionality.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Phase I IUCRC at Georgia Institute of Technology: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials SHAP3D The I/UCRC Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental challenges to meet the commercial needs of industry for heterogeneous 3D printing of materials.

The additive manufacturing (AM) is viewed as a research area for global competitive advantage by industries such as automotive, medical, aerospace, and consumer products.

SHAP3D aims to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous, and multi-functional applications that command high margins commensurate with their increased performance, and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use design rules that enable small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies to rapidly adopt advanced techniques.

The Center will disseminate its design, material and process research to industrial members and the broader academic community. SHAP3D will provide a technically trained workforce, with industrial perspective, through the close collaboration between industry and academia.

GT site-specific educational programs include collaborating with an AM-related REU site and outreaching to K-12 through NSF research experience for teacher (RET) program.

The SHAP3D research supported by Georgia Tech (GT) will be driven by the performance requirements of industry, built from a technical foundation of the fundamental structure-processing-property relationships associated with the voxel-level control and integration of diverse processes and materials.

The enormous number of material combinations possible in these multi-material systems multiplied by the parameter space represented within processes with voxel-level state-variable control requires a fundamental understanding of the material (constituents, fillers, interfaces) properties, processing protocols, and design rules to reliably predict the properties of products.

Despite the diverse materials and process combinations, they are unified by many underlying physical principles related to melting, processing, and solidification, and interfacial physics for heterogeneous additive printing of materials.

The Center will support members' choice of AM methods and research that encompasses numerous additive printing methods, including fused filament fabrication (FFF), stereolithography/digital light processing (SLA/DLP), inkjet, and other additive approaches. GT-site will use its expertise to support research related to 3D printing-based design methods, modeling for the 3D printing process, novel resins, and functional devices.

The Center and GT-site will add significant value for the industry by addressing their vision to additively manufacture dissimilar materials into heterogeneous, valued-added products imbued with previously unattained biological, chemical, electrical, and mechanical functionality.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

IUCRC Phase II Arizona State University: Center for Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D) The Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), Science of Heterogeneous Additive Printing of 3D Materials (SHAP3D), will serve the diverse interests of industry, government, and academia to address fundamental research challenges to meet the needs of industry for enabling heterogeneous 3D printing of multiple materials.

Its mission is to perform pre-competitive, industry-oriented research to additively manufacture heterogeneous products with diverse functionality via integration of novel materials across all material classes, complex structures, and cutting-edge processes.

SHAP3D’s industrial partners represent all sectors of the additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain, including materials, machines and processes, designers, and end users in commercial sectors such as aerospace, defense, and consumer products. SHAP3D will tackle real-world problems and help educate the future workforce.

The SHAP3D Center will advance fundamental understanding and create economic value for industry by: (a) enabling the rational design, creation, and use of new materials, geometries, processes, and performance associated with additively manufactured products; (b) generating this knowledge through close collaboration between university and industry/government partners; (c) establishing a synergistic network of excellence in AM knowledge, experience, and facilities of added value to each partner; and (d) training students as the next generation of industry leaders in AM.

The Arizona State University (ASU) site will contribute its expertise in sustainable materials design for end-of-life, multi-material and multi-modality printing of polymers, materials synthesis with a focus on engineering polymers, and polymer characterization tools for additive manufacturing including rheology, mechanical, and thermal analyses.

SHAP3D will perform essential research providing the fundamental knowledge for heterogeneous AM that integrates multiple engineering materials to enhance structure and functionality. SHAP3D will develop critical insight into the structure-processing-property relationships to predict, control, and create new materials and processes for heterogeneous 3D printing.

The vision is to provide industrial participants with new, validated capabilities with tunable properties and superior functionality for use in real-world designs.

The Center’s research activities aim to accelerate expansion and competitiveness of the domestic AM industry and its customers by addressing two critical market needs: (1) the growth of AM into more complex topologies, heterogeneous materials, and multi-functional applications commanding high margins commensurate with increased performance; and (2) the expansion of AM into lower margin industries via order-of-magnitude improvements in throughput, material-per-performance cost reductions, and ease-of-use and design rules.

Industry members view these market needs from three economic drivers: (1) design concepts for integrating dissimilar materials into heterogeneous products for multi-functional components/products enabling new products and industries, (2) reduction in processing costs via optimized and parallel processes to additively manufacture products more quickly with higher resolution, and (3) use of complex geometries, high performance materials, and improved quality enabling diverse and lighter weight products to minimize total life cycle costs and environmental footprint.

The key areas of the research strategy are: (1) the ability to print heterogenous parts using mixed printing techniques, (2) printing multiple materials by designing and structuring interfaces, (3) prediction of properties and the processes that will produce those properties, (4) enabling greater functionality, complexity and the ability to make things that cannot otherwise be made, and (4) improving sustainability and recyclability through AM.

The ASU site will leverage shared facilities, which includes lithographic, extrusion (FFF combined with filament extrusion), and UV-assisted direct ink write printing platforms together with scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, melt and solution rheology, dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile testing, thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis, computational modeling, and chromatographic analysis (high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC, and size exclusion chromatography, SEC).

Furthermore, ASU provides access to state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and microscopy facilities. The ASU affiliated faculty provides synthetic expertise and reactor capabilities for the design of both chain growth and step growth polymerization methodologies including monomer and catalyst design.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Integrity Industrial Inkjet Integration U.S. Department of Energy The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

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