State-of-the-art additive friction stir deposition for advancing manufacturing research and cultivating next-generation workforce
Abstract
The objective of this DURIP proposal is to acquire a state-of-the-art Additive Friction Stir Deposition system (MELD L3) at Virginia Tech to support and enhance DoD-critical research programs in structural repair, additive manufacturing, and new materials development, while promoting manufacturing education and cultivating the next-generation DoD workforce. Virginia Tech is a global leader inthe research, development, and education of additive friction stir deposition, an emerging solid-state metal additive manufacturingtechnology that combines the friction stir principle with a robust material feeding mechanism to enable location-specific deposition and free forming in 3D space. Thanks to the compressive and shear stress states and extensive material flow during printing, the as-printed material is typically fully-dense without the need for post-process sintering or hot isostatic pressing. In addition, its thermomechanical processing nature leads to forging or wrought-like microstructure and mechanical properties rather than casting properties. This excellent characteristic is rare, if not unique, among metal additive manufacturing technologies. This acquisition will support and enhance several DoD funded research projects at Virginia Tech which seek to utilize additive friction stir deposition.These include Rapid Repair of Corroded Fastener Holes and Modeling of Solid-State Materials Consolidation Repair Process for Static Strength and Fatigue Life Predictions through the Office of Naval Research, along with Advanced Solid-State Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing of Innovative Structural Materials with the Army Research Office. The proposed acquisition will promote new research activities around additive friction stir deposition, including smart manufacturing, innovative materials development, and integration of physics simulation with artificial intelligence for process control and optimization. In addition to benefiting DoD-critical research, the acquisition will significantly enhance manufacturing education activities at Virginia Tech. This includes educating the DoD workforce via seminars or short courses, interactive work with K-12 students, and integration with Virginia Tech s additive manufacturing curriculum, wherein the topic additive friction stir deposition is included in a graduate-level course, MSE 5154 Processing Science in Advanced Manufacturing . The to-be-acquired additive friction stir deposition facility will also become key infrastructure for the newly established Manufacturing Spine education initiative at Virginia Tech, which seeks to equip the undergraduate and graduate students with access to next-generation technologies associated with Industry 4.0.The proposed equipment to fulfill thisneed is the MELD L3 system; a turnkey additive friction stir deposition solution produced in Christiansburg, VA. Currently, MELD Manufacturing Corporation is the only organization producing a commercially available machine capable of additive friction stir deposition. A robust mechanical system capable of printing a wide range of metal alloys at high deposition rates within a 14.2 cubic foot build space, the MELD L3 system would represent a seismic shift in capabilities for Virginia Tech s research team, which has long relied on an aged prototype machine with wear and mechanical instability. The ability to complete printing operations with improved speed and consistency would allow researchers to fulfill research obligations to the DoD in a fraction of the time currently projected. Such research includes fundamental work in characterizing the physics of the process, evaluating practical applications, and usingadditive friction stir deposition to produce entirely new materials. With a modern additive friction stir deposition system, the Virginia Tech team will be able to work to their full potential and drive this exciting new process towards maturity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 12, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312204
Entities
People
- Hang Yu
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Virginia Tech