Component-level combustor research, design, and testing enables future, more sustainable small-core turbofan engines. Credit: NASA

QuesTek Innovations, an expert in computational materials engineering is working with an expert in niobium production to develop a high-temperature alloy design concept optimized for additive manufacturing.

The effort aims to support the development of next-generation alloys for the aerospace and energy industries, with a focus on scalability, supply chain resilience, and application-specific performance.

 The concept is being shaped with input from respected industry leaders—including GE Vernova and Technetics Group—to ensure it aligns with real-world manufacturing demands and performance goals across propulsion, power generation, and advanced equipment sectors.

Addressing industry pressures


As manufacturers across advanced industries face growing pressures from supply chain disruptions, materials scarcity, and performance demands, this partnership aims to deliver a timely solution: a printable alloy that reduces dependence on traditional manufacturing bottlenecks while enabling high-performance parts to be made faster, lighter, and more efficiently.

By designing this material for additive manufacturing, QuesTek is helping to future-proof production strategies. The new alloy will eliminate long tooling lead times and forge limitations that often slow development in high-temperature applications, offering flexibility and agility for manufacturers navigating a rapidly shifting global landscape.

Enabling a cleaner, more scalable future


The alloy development is also aligned with broader energy and sustainability goals. By supporting hotter, more efficient engines and reducing manufacturing waste, it offers a path to lower emissions and increased system efficiency.

The multi-phase project is moving rapidly from digital simulation to physical validation, leveraging QuesTek’s ICMD® design and engineering platform to create material ready for modern manufacturing challenges.

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