Metal additive manufacturing at INFN-LNGS laboratory: Facilities, testing and future capabilities

INFN “Gran Sasso National Laboratory” (Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso - LNGS) is the largest underground laboratory in the world devoted to neutrino and astroparticle physics. Internally, the Mechanics service is focused on design and manufacturing of complex devices for both nuclear and astroparticle physics research and industrial technology transfer. Among its activities there are: traditional and CNC machining, quality control, mechanical design, multi-physics simulations, reverse engineering, and Additive Manufacturing (AM) both for plastic and metallic materials. In the INFN context, it poses itself as a reference for Additive Manufacturing (AM), quality analysis and chemical characterization. Intense activities, often in collaboration with other international laboratories, universities, and industries, are ongoing in this field. The service is equipped with an L-PBF machine, based on the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology. Materials such as Copper (e.g., OFHC / 99.8%), Copper alloy (e.g., CuCrZr), Steel alloys (e.g., AISI 316L) and Aluminum alloys (e.g., SCALMALOY®) are currently used.