Smarter 3D printing technology takes performance-driven components to the next level

VUB researcher Michaël Hinderdael coordinates large-scale GRADΞD project on innovative material combinations

At the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the ambitious GRADΞD project officially launched on October 1, 2025, under the leadership of researcher Michaël Hinderdael. With a €2.8 million grant from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), the four-year project aims to make 3D printing technology smarter and more versatile by combining multiple materials within a single component.

3D printing — or additive manufacturing — already offers significant design freedom, but until now, each component could only be made from a single material. “That forces engineers to make compromises,” explains Hinderdael. “With GRADΞD, we want to overcome that limitation by creating components with locally varied properties, exactly where they’re needed.”

To achieve this, the team is using Directed Energy Deposition (DED), an advanced 3D printing technique that allows not only the shape but also the material composition to be controlled layer by layer. This enables the creation of functionally graded materials — components that, for example, are heat-resistant on the outside and strong or lightweight on the inside. Smart simulations and sensors will further refine and automate the process to ensure that every component is built flawlessly.

The project is a collaboration between research groups from VUB (AVRG and B-PHOT) and KU Leuven (SeMPeR and SCALINT), working closely with Flemish companies through an industrial advisory board. New partners are still welcome to join.

According to Hinderdael, the Flemish manufacturing industry stands to benefit greatly from the results. “We want to develop components that last longer, require fewer raw materials, and are therefore both more sustainable and economically attractive. In doing so, we strengthen not only the technology but also the competitiveness of our companies.”