Automated fabrication

Metal 3D Printing (Metal Additive Manufacturing)

In cooperation with multiple players (architects, manufacturers, producers) and a worlwide research and industrial network, Dr. Kanyilmaz has been studying new tubular joint shapes using metal 3D printing to maximize the structural performance and minimize fabrication complexity to reduce costs, increase customization and cut waste as well as the carbon footprint of the AEC industry. He is currently coordinating the EU-funded research project ConstructAdd.

Video showing the team of ConstructAdd project

More details can be read in these articles:

Kanyilmaz A, Ali Gökhan Demir, Martina Chierici, Filippo Berto, Leroy Gardner, Sastry Yagnanna Kandukuri, Paul Kassabian, Takuya Kinoshita, Andrea Laurenti, Ingrid Paoletti, Anton du Plessis, Seyed Mohammad Javad Razavi, Role of metal 3D printing to increase quality and resource-efficiency in the construction sector, Additive Manufacturing, Volume 50, 2022, 102541, ISSN 2214-8604, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102541

Kanyilmaz, A., Berto, F., Paoletti I., Caringal, R.J., Mora, S., Nature-inspired optimization of tubular joints for metal 3D printing, Struct Multidisc Optim (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02729-7, Springer Nature

Chierici, M., Demir, A.G., Kanyilmaz, A., Berto F., Castiglioni, C.A, Previtali B.,. Hybrid manufacturing of steel construction parts via arc welding of LPBF-produced and hot-rolled stainless steels. Prog Addit Manuf (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40964-023-00466-z

Steel joint fabrication using laser cutting

Dr. Kanyilmaz and his team are at the forefront of innovating tubular steel structure joints through Laser Cutting Technology (LCT), aiming to enhance steel construction by leveraging the exceptional structural and aesthetic qualities of steel hollow sections. He has been coordinating the EU-funded research project LASTTS, where a large multi-national and interdisciplinary team has been testing the essential tubular joint components to contribute to the development of a new, comprehensive experimental database.

Up to day, 36 two-way steel joints have been tested under monotonic gravity, opposite bending and shear loading conditions. The new joint configurations performed better than the conventional tubular joint options with up to 2.5 times more resistance and 10 times more stiffness. The superior structural performance translated in significant economic and environmental benefits (up to 35% saving in steel frame costs).

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Load testing in the LCT joints from the LASTEICON project
Video showing Laser cutting on the tubular profiles

More details can be read in these articles:

Couchaux M., Vyhlas V., Kanyilmaz A., Hjiaj M., Passing-through I-beam-to-CHS column joints made by laser cutting technology: Experimental tests and design model, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Volume 176, 2021, 106298, ISSN 0143-974X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2020.106298

Das R., Kanyilmaz A., Couchaux M., Hoffmeister B., Degee H., Characterization of moment resisting I-beam to circular hollow section column connections resorting to passing-through plates, Engineering Structures, Volume 210, 2020, 110356, ISSN 0141-0296, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2020.110356

Kanyilmaz, A., Castiglioni C.A., Fabrication of laser cut I-beam-to-CHS-column steel joints with minimized welding, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Volume 146, 2018, Pages 16-32, ISSN 0143-974X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2018.02.039

Kanyilmaz, A., The problematic nature of steel hollow section joint fabrication, and a remedy using laser cutting technology: A review of research, applications, opportunities, Engineering Structures, Volume 183, 2019, Pages 1027-1048, ISSN 0141-0296, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.12.080

Menghini A., Kanyilmaz A., Calado L., Castiglioni C.A., Experimental Assessment of the Behavior of Tubular Truss Girder Joints Fabricated with Laser Cutting Technology (2023) Journal of Structural Engineering (United States), 149 (6), https://doi.org/10.1061/JSENDH.STENG-12019

Related news

Alper's lecture in Munich

Visiting research in Technical University of Munich, Germany

10 July 2024

Alper Kanyilmaz visited Prof. Martin Mensinger at his Metal Structures chair at the Technical University of Munich, marking the start of an exciting new collaboration. This partnership aims to accelerate advancements in sustainable large-part metal 3D printing.

Prof Kanyilmaz, TUM, in a lecture

Alper Kanyilmaz, lecture in Bologna

Lecture in Bologna, Italy

8 July 2024

Alper Kanyilmaz gave a lecture with title “Life cycle driven strategies for large-scale metal 3D printing” in the 2nd edition “Summer School of Metal 3D Printing in Construction” in University of Bologna. He was invited by Vittoria Laghi, coordinator of the summer school.

constructadd group foto in italy 2024

ConstructAdd team is growing.

10 April 2024

Beyond dreaming, the EU-funded R&D project ConstructAdd is making steps toward a future where metal 3D printing becomes “normal” in the construction and automotive industries. Companies willing to take part in this are invited to get in touch with the project coordinator Alper Kanyilmaz.

Alper Kanyilmaz, speaking in the video of ConstructAdd project meeting

fatigue metal 3d printing kanyilmaz

New article “Fatigue analysis of hybrid steel construction parts using LPBF on hot-rolled steel”

8 February 2024

In his recent article, Dr. Kanyilmaz and his colleagues looked into the ways to successfully connect metal 3D printed (LPBF) parts to the conventional steel. In particular, they tested fatigue performance of hybrid metal additive manufactured joints vs EN 1993-1-9 steel joints, measured the defects shape and orientation

ConstructAdd Turing meeting

3rd coordination meeting of ConstructAdd project

21-22 September 2023

3rd coordination meeting of ConstructAdd project took place in Turin, Italy. ConstructAdd is a EU-RFCS project coordinated by Alper Kanyilmaz, and it aims to place the Metal Additive Manufacturing in the mainstream of Architecture Engineering, Construction (AEC), and Automotive industries. It will be achieved by developing design guidelines and processes for sustainable steel building and electric car

ConstructAdd 2nd coordination meeting in Madrid

9 February 2023

ConstructAdd 2nd coordination meeting in Madrid took place in Madrid, Spain.

Project coordinator Alper Kanyilmaz from the Politecnico di Milano, Gorka Iglesias from ArcelorMittal Europe Tubular Products and Sastry Y Kandukuri from Det Norske Veritas (DNV-GL) share their thoughts on ConstructAdd at the six month mark.

ConstructAdd coordination meeting, Madrid, Spain

Nature-inspired optimization of tubular joints for metal 3D printing

1 August 2021

New article published: “Nature-inspired optimization of tubular joints for metal 3D printing”. We analyzed new tubular joint shapes using solid isotropic material with the penalization method (SIMP) in cooperation with multiple players (architects, manufacturers, producers). The article is open access, and can be downloaded from here.

Hybrid bolted joints composed of conventional and additively manufacturated steel profiles

22 July 2021

Our MSc student Muyao Li discussed successfully his thesis

Fatigue, metal 3d printing, Alper Kanyilmaz

Resource efficient joint fabrication by welding metal 3D printed parts to conventional steel: A structural integrity study

03 March 2021

New article: Resource efficient joint fabrication by welding metal 3D printed parts to conventional steel: A structural integrity study: Together with Filippo Berto (Chair of Mechanics of Materials, Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue, NTNU Norway) and Martina Chierici (PhD candidate, Politecnico di Milano), we presented a ‘hybrid’ manufacturing approach

The problematic nature of steel hollow section joint fabrication, and a remedy using laser cutting technology: A review of research, applications, opportunities

15 March 2019

New article published: “The problematic nature of steel hollow section joint fabrication, and a remedy using laser cutting technology: A review of research, applications, opportunities” by Alper Kanyilmaz.