Curtin University has added two cutting-edge research facilities to its infrastructure that will strengthen advanced manufacturing and scientific capabilities across mining, critical minerals, energy and geoscience sectors.

The John de Laeter Centre at Curtin officially launched its new Photon Forge Additive Manufacturing (PFAM) and Geoscience Atom Probe facilities yesterday.

The Photon Forge Additive Manufacturing Facility is Curtin’s hub for metal additive manufacturing, bringing together small and large-scale manufacturing systems that can manufacture, repair and enhance metal components used in mining, critical minerals and energy industries.

Containing the largest metal 3D printer in Western Australia, the facility can work with materials including stainless steel, aluminium and copper alloys, titanium alloys, nickel superalloys and refractory metals.

The Geoscience Atom Probe Facility is a world-leading facility focussed on the application of atom probe tomography to the Earth and planetary sciences. Its latest acquisition, the CAMECA LEAP 6000 XR Atom Probe, ­is the first of its type in Australia and will allow researchers to analyse the composition of materials and minerals at near-atomic scale.

Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said the new instruments would place world-class research and manufacturing tools in the hands of students, researchers, and industry.

“This infrastructure strengthens Curtin’s research capability and gives industry access to the expertise and technology needed to turn new ideas into practical solutions for Australia’s critical industries,” Professor Hayne said.

“By giving students and emerging researchers access to world-class technology, this investment will help nurture the next generation of research talent and grow the highly skilled workforce Australia needs for the future.”

PFAM Facility Lead Dr Karl Davidson said the facility would help industry identify where additive manufacturing could deliver the greatest operational and commercial value, while advancing research, training and collaboration.

He said the PFAM facility was part of the national Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) and had recently partnered with AMCRC and Austal on a $600,000 project exploring additive manufacturing opportunities in Australia’s maritime and defence supply chains.

“This facility gives us the ability to work with industry across the full additive manufacturing process, from component and alloy design to production, analysis, qualification and certification,” Dr Davidson said.

“By working with industry on real-world projects, we can accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing, strengthen capability and build more resilient Australian supply chains.”

Geoscience Atom Probe Facility Leader Associate Professor David Saxey said the Atom Probe could reveal nanoscale variations in the chemistry and isotopic composition of materials that were impossible to access using conventional analytical techniques.

The CAMECA LEAP 6000 XR Atom Probe was funded by AuScope and the Australian Government via the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, with support from the Western Australian Government and Curtin University.

“Atom probe tomography allows us to reconstruct a three-dimensional picture of a material atom by atom, providing remarkable insights into its elemental and isotopic composition,” Associate Professor Saxey said.

“This helps us understand how minerals and other materials formed, how they have changed over time and how tiny features within them can influence their properties and performance.

“The new instrument’s improved detection efficiency and shorter-wavelength ultraviolet laser will allow us to analyse a broader range of minerals and materials, opening new research opportunities in geochemistry, mineralogy, planetary science and materials characterisation.”

JdLC Director Professor William Rickard said the new infrastructure reinforced the Centre’s position as a world-leading research infrastructure hub.

“Together, Photon Forge and the new atom probe create a unique end-to-end research capability, enabling breakthrough discoveries and accelerating solutions to real-world industry challenges,” Professor Rickard said.