Hardware Podcasts

NASA Update: Master Class, Alloys, AI & the Future Engineering Generations

Additive Snack · 6 Aug 2025 · 54m · Episode 18

AI in practice: 2 real uses of AI described

What this episode covers

Paul Gradl, Principal Engineer at NASA, discusses the expansion of additive manufacturing materials, highlighting high-performance alloys like GR COP and GRX 810 developed for extreme environments and now used in semiconductors and energy. He explains how AI and modeling are accelerating alloy development, while NASA shares public data to help the industry overcome qualification challenges. Gradl also details the scaling of large-scale parts via Directed Energy Deposition (DED), the role of additive in space infrastructure including lunar regolith printing, and a recent test stand failure that underscored the importance of understanding process sensitivities like build interruptions.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Engineering & simulation

NASA uses machine learning to analyze large datasets of material test results to predict how slight changes in chemistry or parameters will affect material properties, accelerating the understanding and potential qualification of new alloys.

“I can use some machine learning to help analyze some that data and predict, you know, further, okay, if I were to change this chemistry slightly or these parameters slightly, how is that going to change some of the properties?”

Paul Gradl · Hear it at 13:47

Engineering & simulationsimulations and modeling techniquesdeveloped within months vs. years

NASA uses thermodynamic simulations and custom software to model potential material properties and limitations during the development of new alloys like GRX 810, significantly accelerating the development timeline from years to months.

“our initial material development, like GRXA 10, we use a lot of simulations and modeling techniques, you know, both off the shell software and some custom software that allows us to, you know, model it thermodynamically, understand potential material properties with it, some of the limitations of it. So certainly that side of it has accelerated.”

Paul Gradl · Hear it at 13:47

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
NASA, EOS, Google, Glenn Research Center
Tools
AlphaFold, Directed Energy Deposition, Cold Spray, Additive Friction Stir Deposition
Materials
GR COP, GRX 810, Inconel, Haynes alloys, Titanium, Aluminum, Lunar Regolith

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