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Additive Manufacturing: Emerging Opportunities for Microwave Components
Presenter: Prof. Cristiano Tomassoni, University of Perugia
Abstract: Additive Manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing, offers several advantages, including rapid prototyping, enhanced design flexibility, and the ability to create customized components at potentially lower costs. However, its application in microwave devices presents unique challenges, as these technologies were not specifically intended for this type of use. As a result, specific adaptations and post-processing steps are often necessary.
Among the various AM technologies available, this presentation will focus on two: Stereolithography (SLA) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). By examining examples of microwave components manufactured using these techniques, we will highlight some key advantages and potential applications of AM—for instance, the ability to create complex geometries that are difficult or even impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. Another significant benefit is the possibility of producing monolithic cavity components, eliminating the need for assembly screws and flanges—something unfeasible with conventional techniques such as drilling. Through these examples, the importance of post-processing and AM-oriented design will also be demonstrated.
Bio: Cristiano Tomassoni received his Ph.D. in Electronics Engineering from the University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy, in 1999. In the same year, he joined the Lehrstuhl für Hochfrequenztechnik, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany as a Visiting Scientist, where he worked on the mod-eling of waveguide structures and devices using the generalized scattering matrix technique. In 2001, he was a Guest Professor at the Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Otto-von-Gue-ricke University, Magdeburg, Germany. In the early stages of his career, he contributed to the enhance-ment of several analytical and numerical methods for electromagnetic component simulation, includ-ing the finite-element method, mode-matching technique, generalized multipole technique, method of moments, transmission-line matrix, and mode matching applied to spherical waves. In 2001, he joined the University of Perugia, where he is currently an Associate Professor and teaches the ‘Electromagnetic Fields’ course and the ‘Advanced Design of Microwave and RF Systems’ course. His main research in-terests include modeling and designing of waveguide components and antennas, miniaturized filters, reconfigurable filters, dielectric filters, and substrate integrated waveguide filters. He is currently stud-ying the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology for the fabrication of microwave components, considering various technologies such as Stereolithography (SLA), Lithography-based Ceramic Manu-facturing (LCM), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and PolyJet tech-nology.
Prof. Tomassoni has been elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow, Class of 2025. He serves as the Chair of the MTT-5 Filters Technical Committee of the IEEE MTT-S. Currently, he is a Distinguished Lecturer for the IEEE MTT-S. From 2018 to 2022, he served as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. Prof. Tomassoni is also the recipient of the 2012 Microwave Prize, awarded by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society.