Saarland University researchers have successfully 3D printed fully amorphous metallic glass motor components using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology. The project, titled Additive Manufacturing of Amorphous Metals for Soft Magnetics (AM2SoftMag), concluded in early 2026 after four years of development supported by €3.5 million in EU Horizon Europe Pathfinder funding. Led by Professor Ralf Busch and doctoral candidate Amirhossein Ghavimi, the team demonstrated that precise control of cooling rates in 50-micrometre layers prevents crystal lattice formation in iron-rich powders. This process creates components that maintain structural integrity while significantly reducing hysteresis losses during motor re-magnetization.

This development addresses the inherent energy inefficiencies in small-scale electric motors caused by the magnetic properties of conventional crystalline iron alloys. By replacing these standard materials with amorphous metallic glass, the researchers aim to improve energy conversion efficiency at the material level. While current motor manufacturing relies on stamped silicon steel laminations, this LPBF-based approach offers a path toward complex, high-performance geometries that were previously impossible to produce. The technology positions metallic glass as a viable candidate for high-efficiency electric vehicle and industrial motor applications, provided the process can scale beyond laboratory environments.

Transitioning this technology from a research environment to industrial production requires solving the inherent challenges of scaling LPBF cooling rate control for larger, high-volume batches. Manufacturers should evaluate the trade-offs between the energy efficiency gains of amorphous components and the current throughput limitations of the LPBF process. The immediate focus for the Saarland team is proving the repeatability of these magnetic properties in complex, multi-layer geometries outside of controlled test conditions.