Florida Poly professor lands prestigious award to study low-cost metal 3D printing

Sanna Siddiqui, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, has earned the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, providing $536,110 over five years to study fatigue and performance failure in metal parts manufactured through low-cost 3D printing.

Her study will evaluate whether a nickel-based superalloy used for aerospace and energy propulsion components and manufactured through 3D printing can perform as well as more expensive materials in use.

The process utilizes plastic filament mixed with metal powder. High temperature dissolves the plastic, leaving behind solid metal.

Siddiqui called the award “a dream come true” for her research.

– Janelle Irwin, Florida Politics