In view of the increasing demand for secondary aluminum, which is intended to partially replace the very energy- and resource-intensive primary aluminum production, effective treatment methods can maintain the high quality level of light metal castings. The transition from a linear to a circular economy can result in an accumulation of oxides or carbides in aluminum. Therefore, melt purification is crucial, especially as foundries aim to increase the use of often dirty end-of-life scrap. Nonmetallic inclusions in the melt can impact its flowability and mechanical properties. As the purity of the melt increases, its flow length also tends to increase. Available assessment methods like reduced pressure test or K-mold are capable of ensuring high levels of purity. This study demonstrates the implication of inclusions originating from dirty scrap. An experimental test run deals with various scrap contents in an AlSi7Cu0.5Mg alloy and shows correlations between impurity and performance, expressed by flowability and mechanical properties. These performance indicators have been connected to inclusion and porosity rates. In conclusion, these findings emphasize the need for further extensive research on contaminants in the field of scrap melting and the development of methods for easy-to-handle assessment methods.

Linear particle accelerators (Linacs) are essential for numerous applications in industry, medicine, and research. However, their use is often constrained by high investment costs, which are largely driven by conventional manufacturing methods. Studies have shown that additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to significantly reduce these costs while simultaneously enhancing Linac performance. This study investigates this potential for the production of radio-frequency quadrupoles (RFQs), one of the most important Linacs for ion acceleration. For the first time, a multi-material RFQ prototype was fabricated using multi-material (MM) laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) AM, integrating the copper alloy CuCr1Zr for the internal cavity and tool steel (1.2709) for the outer shell in a single manufacturing step. The prototype’s design features six ConFlat® (CF) flanges for sealing without O-rings, highlighting the advantages of MM AM in simplifying assembly and enhancing functionality. Experimental evaluations included assessments of geometric precision, surface roughness, microstructural integrity, vacuum performance, resonance frequency (f_R), and quality factor (Q₀). The results demonstrated the successful application of MM PBF-LB/M for RFQ production, achieving a vacuum pressure below 8.3 ∙ 10^–8 mbar in the prototype. However, challenges in geometric precision and material transition zones necessitate further process optimization. This work underscores the potential of MM PBF-LB/M to address limitations in mono-material AM, particularly for Linac applications. Future developments, such as enabling pure copper processing and improving thermal and mechanical performance, could establish MM PBF-LB/M as a transformative technology for advanced Linac designs, paving the way for enhanced Linac applications.