Kellen Traxel, Ph.D.
About Kellen Traxel, Ph.D.
Kellen Traxel, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, specializing in additive manufacturing and materials science. He has extensive experience in mechanical engineering, having worked with notable companies such as SpaceX and Xerox, and has contributed to various research projects in the field.
Work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Kellen Traxel has been serving as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory since 2021. In this role, he focuses on advancing research in additive manufacturing, particularly in liquid metal jetting. He has designed and tested custom multi-axis robotic motion stage gantry systems that enhance R&D lab prototyping platforms. His work contributes to the development of innovative solutions in 3D printing technologies.
Education and Expertise
Kellen Traxel holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University, where he studied from 2017 to 2021. He also earned a Master of Science (MS) in Materials Science and Engineering from the same institution, completing his studies in 2018. Prior to his graduate studies, he obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University from 2015 to 2017. His educational background provides a strong foundation in engineering principles and materials science.
Background in Research and Development
Kellen Traxel has a diverse background in research and development, having worked in various engineering roles. He was a Graduate Research Assistant at the W.M. Keck Biomedical Materials Research Lab from 2016 to 2021. He also interned at Magnum Venus Products as a Research and Development Mechanical Engineering Intern in 2016, and at Aerojet Rocketdyne as a Thermal Fluids Analysis Engineering Intern in 2017. Additionally, he gained experience as an Associate Engineer in the Propulsion Materials Engineering Group at SpaceX in 2020.
Collaborations and Projects
Traxel has collaborated with Xerox on an industry project that involved manipulating printing parameters using custom additive manufacturing build files and G-code programmed in Python. He has also mentored student interns in developing process parameter-property relationships for the Xerox ElemX printer, contributing to a larger property database for liquid metal jetting efforts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His projects include ongoing development for printing aluminum lattice structures and assembly tooling prototypes.
Publications and Presentations
Kellen Traxel has presented his research findings at four conferences, showcasing his work in the field of materials engineering and additive manufacturing. He is currently in the process of publishing two technical papers that focus on aluminum and copper alloys processed via liquid metal jetting. His contributions to the field are aimed at advancing the understanding and application of these materials in 3D printing technologies.