From rubble to rockets: Turning scrap metal into essential equipment

(Press-News.org) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has been awarded $6.3 million for a groundbreaking initiative that could transform additive manufacturing by enabling the rapid production of high-quality components from scrap metal. This innovative approach to additive manufacturing, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), aims to ensure that essential components can be produced even in the most resource-limited environments, including where access to traditional supply chains is limited, such as battlefields or remote search-and-rescue locations.

The initiative, called “Rubble to Rockets,” applies a machine-learning approach to identify materials—like scrap metal and mixed alloys—and understand how they react and bond together before being melted, mixed, and 3D-printed to form new parts that are strong and reliable. Traditional 3D-printing methods require carefully controlled materials and repeated testing and adjusting, something that’s not always possible in real-world settings.

“This work is crucial as it allows us to build high-quality components from unknown source materials with new confidence,” said Associate Professor Danielle Cote, Harold L. Jurist ’61 and Heather E. Jurist Dean’s Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and the lead researcher on the project. “Our goal is not just to build a single solution but to create a framework that guides future innovations. By improving our predictions and understanding of material performance, we can pave the way for new advancements in additive manufacturing from diverse and unpredictable sources.”

The team will use artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by a WPI PhD student to predict material behavior at various compositions, optimizing and automating the characterization processes. By streamlining the procedure, the product can be manufactured at a rapid pace but not at the expense of durability and strength.

Researchers will design a proof-of-concept sounding rocket to test the structural integrity of mixed metals and measure performance and reliability.

Wider applications and future impact

Beyond defense applications, this work has broad applications across industries such as energy and transportation. The approach could be deployed in submarines, aircraft carriers, disaster relief zones, and remote locations where traditional supply chains are difficult to maintain. By addressing key risks, including material performance, equipment size, and predictive model accuracy, the innovation is paving the way for more resilient and sustainable manufacturing solutions that support both emergency response and long-term infrastructure needs.

As part of the project, the WPI team will work with subcontractors, including two WPI-alumni led companies as well as Siemens and two small businesses out of California: Nightshade Corporation will convert scrap into powder and Citrine Informatics will focus on AI and machine learning. This underscores the project’s crucial role in workforce development. By integrating advanced material informatics, AI-driven decision-making, and innovative additive manufacturing technologies, the initiative is helping to train the next generation of engineers and scientists, ensuring a skilled workforce that can sustain and expand these innovations into the future.

“The future of manufacturing is at the intersection of so many disciplines, including software, robotics, AI, materials science, and mechanical engineering,” said Aaron Birt ’17, CEO of Solvus Global, a subcontractor on the grant. “This is one of those rare opportunities that demonstrates the breadth of technical expertise required to deliver a solution for manufacturing at the point of need anywhere on Earth, the moon, or beyond. That proposition shows the genuine ability of this team to imagine and deliver solutions of tomorrow.”

“VALIS was founded on the mission of delivering enabling technology to maximize the recovery of valuable materials for future generations,” said Emily Molstad ’19, MS ’19, co-founder and CEO of VALIS Insights, a grant subcontractor. “We see the recycling industry becoming increasingly vertically integrated as raw material producers and manufacturers aim to secure a reliable supply of scrap material and increase recycled content to drive down costs. The technology being developed through this program will unlock new levels of upcycling capabilities not only in remote, resource-restricted locations, but across the recycling value chain with the potential to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities.”

At WPI, in addition to Cote, assistant research professor Kyle Tsaknopoulos will work on the project with several PhD, master’s, and undergraduate students. The project is expected to be completed in November 2027.

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