Open, Customizable Laser Additive Manufacturing of Multifunctional Materials for Thermal Management, Energy Conversion, Structural, and Diagnostic Applications
Abstract
This project will result in an open, customizable laser additive manufacturing tool that will enable in situ process diagnostics and material characterization, pre- and post- thermal and optical processing, and multi-materials fabrication. The project would support planned and current Office of Naval Research-funded projects in advanced structural materials for thermal management, additive manufacturing of hypersonic components, and optical diagnostics for experimental fluid dynamics.Advanced technologies rely on advancedmanufacturing techniques, and additive manufacturing is a game-changer with its ability to create large, lightweight parts with small, complex features. Additive manufacturing has the potential to enable novel high temperature materials, advanced hypersonic components, and custom opto-mechanical components for diagnostics of fluid-thermal structural interactions. However, using additive manufacturing for Department of Defense applications will require understanding the technology in much more depth, advancing it far beyond where it is now, and deploying it in state-of-the-art research facilities. Such progress will only be achieved by working #under-the-hood# of additive manufacturing equipment. Current laser additive manufacturing tools are designed to make parts with a limited set of process parameter and only a few materials, so investigating and creating specialized, defense-relevant materials and parts are cumbersome, at best, and unattainable, at worst. For example, most tools completely lack in situ process diagnostics such as thermal and optical imaging to reveal temperature gradients, hotspots, and defects during fabrication. Moreover, the tools# capabilities are hidden from the user, crippling our ability to understand and investigate how the process parameters impact materials and parts.In short, most commercial additive manufacturing tools used for high-performance metals and ceramics are not designed for the advanced research and development required for defense priorities # particularly with respect to discovery, development, and characterization of high temperature, multifunctional materials and investigation of fluid-thermal structural interactions.The open, customizable laser additive manufacturing platform will allow us to discover and manipulate process-structure-property relationships for defense-relevant parts and materials (e.g., ultra-high temperature materials, hierarchically structured components, functionally graded parts, and nano- and micro-structured surfaces) as well as fabricate intricate, optical components for diagnostics and sensing. The instrumentation will bring cutting-edge additive manufacturing research capability to the DC metro region situated next to a myriad ofdefense facilities, including the Naval Research Laboratory and the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Carderock and Dahlgren Divisions. Finally, the research instrumentation will build human capital in the form of an early career PI who is a woman of color, and it will be used to train the next generation of undergraduate and graduate students in materials science and engineering, advanced manufacturing, applied physics, and mechanical engineering. The research training will specifically target veterans, enabling them to transition into careers in defense-related research and development.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 12, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312313
Entities
People
- Saniya LeBlanc
Organizations
- George Washington University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy