MTE5886 Additive manufacturing of metallic materials
Faculty of Engineering
MTE5886 Additive manufacturing of metallic materials is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Engineering, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Clayton and Suzhou (SEU). It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Clayton, Suzhou (SEU)
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MTE5886
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After MTE5886
No unit lists MTE5886 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must be currently enrolled in a master’s course in engineering or related STEM and in a related discipline. The unit assumes that you have the necessary foundational knowledge.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
Additive Manufacturing (AM) of metallic materials is an integral part of modern manufacturing. AM allows to produce complex engineering products from a powder stock using a layer by layer deposition. This unit will provide an overview of existing additive manufacturing processes such as 'selective laser melting', 'electron beam melting' and 'direct energy deposition'.
The first part of the unit will focus on powder metallurgy covering aspects of powder production, blending and characterisation. The second part of the unit will investigate different additive manufacturing processes and establish a relationship between processing parameters, resulting microstructure and mechanical properties of 3D printed materials. Furthermore, various post-processing techniques for additive manufactured products will be reviewed.
Examples of the use of these technologies for the design and fabrication of production parts for aerospace and biomedical application will be critically assessed. You will undertake a 3D printing project and obtain practical skills in computer-aided design and 3D printing of metals.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
| Term 3 | Suzhou (SEU) | On campus |
Assessment
- AssignmentsWrittenThreshold hurdle50%
- Final assessmentExaminationThreshold hurdle50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe powder feedstock in terms of its particle shape, size, and distribution and assess its effect on the accuracy and surface finish for different Additive Manufacturing processes.
- 2
Recognise the benefits and drawbacks of different metal additive manufacturing technologies.
- 3
Demonstrate in-depth understanding of processing parameters such as laser-related parameters or scan-related parameters governing different Additive Manufacturing processes and their relationship to mechanical properties of 3D printed materials.
- 4
Discuss in detail the factors that affect the density, surface finish and detail resolution of parts produced by AM processes.
- 5
Choose appropriate strategy for the orientation of a 3D printed part on the build platform and the generation of the support structure in order to minimise post-processing activities.
- 6
Demonstrate practical skills in computer-aided design and 3D printing of metals.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops24 hours
- Practical activities24 hours
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
Where it fits
MTE5886 is part of 1 area of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Xinni Tian
- Professor Jian Nie
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Jian Nie
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTE5886?
MTE5886 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTE5886 offered?
In 2026, MTE5886 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton and Suzhou (SEU).
How much work is MTE5886?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does MTE5886 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.
Which majors and minors include MTE5886?
MTE5886 is part of Materials engineering.