Facilities
The UNSW Materials and Manufacturing Futures Institute (MMFI) is a landmark interdisciplinary research institute serving as a hub between UNSW, Researchers, Manufacturers and Industry to facilitate dynamic collaboration and interdisciplinary engagement. Our world-leading research facilities include some of the most precise measuring equipment available and provide a foundation for interdisciplinary research, advanced manufacturing and innovation.
Research facilities
Materials characterisation facilities
Laser Flash
High precision and reproducibility, short measurement times, variable sample holders and defined atmospheres are outstanding features of LFA measurements over the entire application range from -120°C to 2000°C.
Technical Specifications
• Furnaces: -120°C to 2000°C
• Heating rates: 0.01 K/min to 50 K/min
• Isothermal stability: 0.02 K/min
• Laser system: Nd:Glass; wavelength 1054 nm, Variable energy up to 25 J/pulse and pulse width between 0.1 ms and 1.5 ms, Patented pulse mapping for finite pulse correction (patent no.: US7038209B2; US20040079886; DE1024241)
• Sensors: MCT (-120°C to 500°C, recommended), LN2-cooled, optional LN2 refill system including 35 litre dewar, InSb (RT to 2800°C), optional LN2 refill system including 35 liter dewar
• Measuring range: Thermal diffusivity: 0.01 mm2/s to 1000 mm2/s, Thermal conductivity: 0.1 W/(m·K) to 2000 W/(m·K)
• Accuracy:Thermal diffusivity: ± 3%, Specific heat capacity: ± 5%
• Measurement atmospheres: Inert, oxidising or vacuum
High Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)
STM Aarhus 150 HT SPM with ultimate atomic performance allows scientists to observe processes on surfaces at a scale of nanometers.
The miniaturized design, with the smallest mechanical loop between tip and surface, results in extreme stability unique to the STM market. Fast scan rates are achieved by high resonant frequencies of this scanner head design. The SPECS STM 150 Aarhus is equipped with a fast approach mechanism for full approach speeds of more than 1 mm/min. The tip may be cleaned by parallel ion beam etching, field emission, or short voltage pulses with no necessity for tip replacement as in other STMs.
With the STM Aarhus 150 HT SPM as the new STM Aarhus 150 standard SPECS introduces a modified suspension mechanism with permanent wire cooling to allow ultimate stability temperature control without sacrificing mechanical stability of the STM Aarhus 150 HT SPM.
Furthermore, SPECS developed a high temperature version of the STM Aarhus 150 HT SPM to allow imaging metals and semiconductors at elevated temperatures up to 1300k with STM tip by radiative heating during STM operation.
Features
• Outstanding mechanical stability
• Ultra-fast handling
• Temperature range 90 - 400 K
• Excellent temperature stability
• No need for tip replacement
Dilatometer Measurement System - Netzsch DIL 402C
It is the first horizontal dilatometer series on the market which allows for force modulation and, by this means, bridges the gap between dilatometry and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) under oscillatory load.
This DIL 402C Dilatometer Measurement System is specially designed for both research & development and sophisticated industrial applications: The comprehensive, fully-equipped Supreme model and the upgradable Select type.
Key Technical Data
• Heating Rates : 0.001 to 100 K/min
• Sample Holder Systems: Single and Dual/Differential System
• Measuring System: NanoEye
• Temperature Accuracy: 1 K
• Temperature Precision: 0.1 K
• Repeatability of m. CTE: 10-8 1/K
• Measuring Range: ± 10000 μm ... ± 25000 μm
• Resolution: 0.1 nm to 1 nm (over the entire measuring range)
• Gas Control: 1-way, optional 3-way switch and MFC (Mass Flow Controller)
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
The DSC 404 F3 Pegasus®, High-Temperature Differential Scanning Calorimeter, is part of the economical NETZSCH F3-product line, which is specially tailored to the requirements of comparative material characterization and quality control.
The DSC 404 F3 Pegasus®, High-Temperature Differential Scanning Calorimeter, can be operated from -150°C to 2000°C with various DTA and DSC sensors that are easily exchangeable by the user and various furnace types (please see accessories).
The sample chamber can be purged with inert or oxidizing gases in order to remove gases evolved from the sample.
The measuring system is vacuum tight (10-4 mbar).
Key Technical Data
• Temperature range: 25°C to 1500°C
• Heating rates: (dependent on furnace) 0.001 K/min to 50 K/min
• Measuring sensors for DSC and DTA
• Thermocouple types: S, E, K, B, W/Re, SProtected, P
• Atmospheres: inert, oxidising, static, dynamic
Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) TGA+ DSC - NETZSCH 449 F1 Jupiter
The simultaneous thermal analyzer NETZSCH STA 449 F1 Jupiter® allows the measurement of mass changes and thermal effects between -150°C and 1500°C. The high flexibility caused by the various sensors, the great variety of sample crucibles and the wide TGA-measuring range make the system applicable for analysis of all kinds of materials including also inhomogenous substances.
Easily interchangeable sample holders allow the optimal system adaption to the diverse application areas (TGA, TGA-DTA and TGA-DSC measurements).
Thin film fabrication facilities
Oxide Molecular Beam Epitaxy System
Oxide molecular-beam epitaxy system (OMBE, M600, DCA Instruments Oy, Finland) is a fabrication system for synthesizing ultraclean oxides thin-film materials with atomic-scale precision, in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) condition. The cassette load lock chamber allows for quick loading of the substrate into the system, before transferring into the growth chamber. The UHV chamber is equipped with 9 pumped effusion cells, which allows 9 types of high purity metallic sources to work together. The quality of the growth is monitored by a real-time reflection high energy electron diffraction system (RHEED) and a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, SQM-160, INFICON, Switzerland) is applied to measure the absolute deposition rates. Electro-pneumatic linear shutters provide an accurate control of the layer-by-layer deposition process with the small fraction precision of an atomic monolayer. The modular design of the OMBE system allows for fast easy reload and metal source replacement, which provides greater flexibility when depositing high-quality complex oxides and their heterostructures at the atomic layer level, including high temperature superconductors.
Molecular-Beam Epitaxy & Scanning Probe Microscopy System
MBE – SPM system is a fully equipped UHV (10-11 mbar) system that allows local surface structure analysis with atomic resolution and single crystal thin-film fabrication. It is capable of surface analysis under cryogenic and high temperature conditions.
Radio Frequency (RF) Magnetron Sputtering Systems
Auto load lock co-sputter system
• Two Chambers: loading, co sputter transfer
• Substrate: 2''-6'' wafer or others
• Sputter Cathode: 4*2'' sputter cathodes
• Substrate heater: 300 to max 950°C
• Automatic Transfer
Thin Film Printer
TFC 02 Thin Film Coater is an ultra-precise laboratory instrument that combines a slot die coater, gravure and doctor blade. It is servo-motor-driven, which ensures a high level of precision and reproducibility of the test parameters and granting users with precise control over the thickness and structure of the patterns to the nanometre range. Ultra-precise granite and vacuum table is also installed for easy scalability during production processes.
Inkjet Printer - DMP-2850 Dimatix Materials Printer
The DMP-2850 Dimatix Materials Printer allows the deposition of fluidic materials on an 8x11 inch or A4 substrate, utilizing a disposable piezo inkjet cartridge. This printer can create and define patterns over an area of about 200 x 300 mm and handle substrates up to 25 mm thick with an adjustable Z height. The temperature of the vacuum platen, which secures the substrate in place, can be adjusted up to 60°C. The DMP-2850 offers a variety of patterns using a pattern editor program. Additionally, a waveform editor and a drop-watch camera system allowsmanipulation of the electronic pulses to the piezo jetting device for optimization of the drop characteristics as it is ejected from the nozzle. This system enables easy printing of structures and samples for process verification and prototype creation.
Manufacturing facilities
Industrial 3D printers
The Materials and Manufacturing Futures Institute is equipped with some of the most advanced 3D printed part production systems that are currently available. We can do metal, plastic or ceramic 3D printing all in-house at UNSW Sydney. 3D Printers by 3D Systems are some of the most powerful and precise available so we take pride in our quality and consistency. Get in touch today to sort out all your research, industry or commercial 3D Printing needs!
3D Systems ProX DMP 300 - metal 3D printer
The 3D Systems ProX DMP 300 is a high-performance, high-quality metal 3D printed part manufacturing system, offering reduced waste, greater production speeds, shorter set up times, dense metal parts, and the ability to produce complex assemblies as a single part. The ProX 300 offers a build volume of 250 x 250 x 300 mm, and features an automated material loading and recycling system. More than 15 materials are available for use, including stainless steels, superalloys, and some ceramics. A surface finish quality of up to 5 Ra μm is achievable, meaning less post-processing and less material usage.
ProJet 3500 HD MAX - plastic 3D printer
The high-capacity ProJet 3500 HDMax by 3D Systems offers greater productivity by using a high-speed printing mode and high-definition prints for the production of functional, durable, beautifully precise plastic parts. Users also benefit from increased throughput, part size, feature detail and quality only possible with ProJet printers. The HDMax printer has four printing modes (HD – High Definition, HS – High Speed, UHD – Ultra High Definition, and XHD – Xtreme High Definition) with a maximum resolution of 750 x 750 x 1600 DPI (XYZ);16μ layers. The typical accuracy of the printer is 0.025-0.05 mm per 25.4 mm of part dimension.
Roll-to-roll and nano-imprint facility
The Materials & Manufacturing Futures Institute ('MMFI') at UNSW is home to Australia's most advanced high-performance roll-to-roll printer and nano-imprint facility. This state-of-the-art machine was tailor-made to fill the gap between fundamental research and high throughput manufacturing. It is a production line capable of fabricating devices with specific structures at various scales, therefore creating new and improved materials with various properties for diverse applications. This includes materials with stretchable and flexible biosensors, batteries, supercapacitors, photovoltaic surfaces, thin-film electronic devices, circuits, displays, sensors, and so on.
This printer is multi-modular, equipped with the most advanced printing technologies, including inkjet printing, slot-die coating, micro-roller, screen-roller, engrave-roller, hot-embossing-roller, nanoimprint, to name a few. The R2R printer can use multiple and mixed techniques at the same time in one pilot line and is the first and only industrial-scale printer in Australia capable of printing at nano-level accuracy for both academic research and industrial application. Its unique automatic registration system also enables high precision overlapping multi-layer print to accomplish a 2D to 3D printing conversion.
Australia's most advanced, high-performance roll-to-roll and nanoimprint gacility
High temperature materials manufacturing
High Temperature Carbon Free Hydrogen/Vacuum Furnace
This High Temperature Carbon Free Hydrogen/Vacuum Furancecontains a 1 cubic foot (28l) usable zone capable of temperatures up to 2200°C and can be equipped with numerous options.
The unit shown features a turbo system and our HMI computer interface package. Other options include operation in Hydrogen, diffusion and cryogenic pumping systems, a heat exchanger for rapid cooling in gas, pyrometer, etc. We customize our furnaces to your specific needs.
The hot zone features tungsten rod or mesh heating elements, ensuring excellent uniformity and longevity.
This furnace comes equipped with an intuitive and easy-to-use computer interface, allowing fully automated runs. It provides Data acquisition, display and logging of alarms, unlimited recipe profiles for temperature control, security, configuration settings, etc. The PC is an industrial flat panel PC mounted in the control console and is built to withstand harsh environments.
3D Ceramic/Metal Printer (500W Laser)
The 3D Systems ProX DMP 300 is a high-performance, high-quality metal 3D printed part manufacturing system, offering reduced waste, greater production speeds, shorter set up times, dense metal parts, and the ability to produce complex assemblies as a single part. The ProX 300 offers a build volume of 250 x 250 x 300 mm, and features an automated material loading and recycling system. More than 15 materials are available for use, including stainless steels, superalloys, and some ceramics. A surface finish quality of up to 5 Ra μm is achievable, meaning less post-processing and less material usage.
Hot Isostatic Press System AIP6-30H
The AIP6 -60H Hot Isostatic Press has consistently set the standard by which research systems are judged. Economical, safe, reliable, and capable. When you combine advanced computer control, superior furnace design, simple operation and AIP support you have a combination that can not be rivalled.
FURNACES: Fe, Mo, C, Pt, W
DIAMETER x LENGTH: 3”/75 mm x 5”/125 mm
GASES: Ar, N, Ar-20% O
PRESSURE: 60,000 psi / 414 MPa
VESSEL: ASME U3 Threaded or Frame
For more information, please contact Doctor David Miskovic
Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) Machine
Technical Specifications
• Maximum sintering temperature: 2500°C
• Pressure System: Hydraulic Control System with a Proportional Relief Valve
• SPS Electrode:With Special Sealed Water Cooled System
• Water-Cooled Vacuum Chamber:Stainless Steel with Front Door, Vertical Cylinder, Bore 450mm Upper and Lower Split Water Cooled Vacuum Chamber, Bore 450mm
Radio Frequency (RF) Magnetron Sputtering Systems
Auto load lock co-sputter system
• Two Chambers: loading, co sputter transfer
• Substrate: 2''-6'' wafer or others
• Sputter Cathode: 4*2'' sputter cathodes
• Substrate heater: 300 to max 950°C
• Automatic Transfer
Gleeble 3500 Multifunctional Facility
The Gleeble 3500 is one of the most powerful and versatile materials processing facilities of its kind in the world, for investigating the thermal and mechanical behaviour of metals, alloys and metal-based composites (conducting materials).
The Gleeble® facility housed in this Laboratory was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC)-LIEF scheme, with additional support from Universities of New South Wales, Sydney, Queensland, Monash and Deakin. A wide range of materials and metallurgical experiments and simulations are possible in the facility, including:
Physical simulation of major industrial processes such as casting, multi-pass hot rolling, extrusion, forging, roll bonding, hot isostatic pressing, continuous strip annealing, resistance welding etc.;
Systematic studies of ambient- and elevated-temperature material properties including tensile and compressive strength, ductility, formability, creep, and
Investigations of fundamental phenomena including solidification, recovery and recrystallization (static & dynamic), work hardening and flow softening, precipitation reactions, high temperature oxidation etc.
Further details about the general capabilities of the Gleeble facility and some interesting case studies are available on the manufacturer’s official website: www.gleeble.com
Due to the multi-functionality of the Gleeble facility, which is capable of carrying out numerous types of tests, our services range from a complete training program for both internal and external users, thereby enabling them to be independent use of the machine, through to full technical support. The latter requires highly trained staff to carry out a specific testing program, unless an extended program of work requires individual training. We also provide advice for costing of experiments for grant applications.
For more information, please contact Doctor David Miskovic at d.miskovic@unsw.edu.au or +61 (2) 9385 0762, or Professor Michael Ferry at m.ferry@unsw.edu.au.
The Automated Composites Laboratory
Home to the 'only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere' Automated Fibre Placement robot, and world-class research, design, analysis, testing and manufacturing facilities all under one roof, the Automated Composites Laboratory is a one-stop shop for research and industry.
Composite Manufacturing Robot
This state-of-the-art Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) robot is the centrepiece of the Automated Composites Laboratory, and allows for the integration of computeraided design, analysis and manufacture of composite components. The AFP facility features a coordinated multi-axis robot and spindle system for maximum control over fibre trajectories and part geometry.
Technical specifications:
- 6 axis robot platform with coordinated spindle
- 4 tow thermoset prepreg processing head
- High-temperature thermoplastic placement head
- Part processing up to ~4m
- Integrated software for CATIA and Solidworks
- A range of flat and revolute tooling
Instron 8804 Axial Servohydraulic Machine
Features a high-stiffness 4 column frame for testing up to 500kN. It can be used for static and fatigue testing of metals, composites and a large range of applications.
Instron CEAST 9350 Drop Tower Impactor
High-energy and high-velocity impact testing machine up to 1800J and/or 24m/s. Caters for a range of impact specimen types in a thermally controlled environment (-70 to 150°C).
Instron 8852 Biaxial Servohydraulic Testing System
This +/- 100 kN +/- 1000 N.m Axial-Torsion actuator unit comprises of both linear and rotary actuator assemblies. The two are separated by a coupling mechanism enabling high speed, low friction torque and linear transmission.
ASC Econoclave
Industrial grade autoclave for specimens up to 1.1m diameter x 1.5m long. Maximum working pressure of 7 bar and maximum working temperature of 250°C.
For more information, please contact Professor Gangadhara Prusty
High Frequency Fatigue Test Machine
Compact tabletop servohydraulic dynamic material testing system that can achieve +/-25 kN force capacity and >100 Hz cyclic test frequencies (at lower forces).
Hydraulic Multiaxial Test Bed
16-square-metre envelope, 4-100kN Instron dynacells, designed to test large components under multi-axial loading.
Through interdisciplinary and collaborative research with leading academics and some of the most advanced equipment available in any educational organisation, the Automated Composites Laboratory enables students, academics and industry to develop ground-breaking composite technologies to solve real-world challenges.
For more information about the Automated Composites Laboratory,