DURIP - THz Instrumentation for NDE of Additive Manufacturing W911NF18S0002
Abstract
Our research laboratory has in place, and fully operational, the 3D printing tools that will be used as part of the proposed research. These 3D tools are routinely used in our ongoing collaboration with ARDEC at Picatinny Arsenal. We also have extensive relevant experience in THz imaging including the peer-reviewed publication of directly applicable prior art. We emphasize that this DURIP equipment proposal for Additive Manufacturing (AM) is different and distinct from other DURIP proposals in that we are not requesting new 3D or 2D printing tools. Rather, this proposal focuses on the acquisition of equipment to address a critical research issue for AM, namely non-destructive evaluation (NDE), its instrumentation, and its methodology. The reason NDE is critical for widespread industrial and military adoption of 3D printing is both simple and compelling: the user must be confident that 3D printed parts are reliable. The goal of certified reliability of 3D parts has proved elusive. The importance of this barrier is so fundamental that quality assurance has been identified by the Federal Government (both defense and non-defense oriented) as the single biggest hurdle to widespread adoption of AM processes. We believe that THz imaging has an important role to play. The new THz instrumentation will be used to explore the capabilities of THz imaging and spectroscopy for in-situ as well as postprint NDE of 3D printed components. In order to investigate that possibility we need in our lab more sensitive THz capabilities with improved spatial resolution and faster scanning speed. Our current THz equipment is 14 years old. Modern systems deliver ten times the signal-to-noise ratio, 100 times the imaging speed, and the higher (0.8um) spatial resolution necessary to resolve the layers laid down by the 3D printer. By leveraging the PIÕs expertise in THz imaging and THz NDE with an extensive research laboratory dedicated to 2D and 3D printing, the research team will use the requested THz instrumentation to investigate the potential of four different THz imaging modalities for NDE of 3D printed components: (a) time-of-flight THz tomography (b) THz Tomosynthesis, (c) THz computed tomography (CT), and (d) photoelastic THz CT imaging which measures the internal stresses of 3D printed parts. In addition to development of THz NDE for 3D printing, the new instrumentation will be used for materials characterization of solid amorphous energetics. The primary drawback of amorphous explosives is their tendency to crystallize. The new THz instrumentation will be used to monitor the amorphous versus crystalline phases to optimize the understanding and formulation of the energetics to improve aging characteristics. The longer term goal is to eventually additively manufacture amorphous explosives. The research-training of this DURIP project will focus on a Summer and academic year project-based learning experience for undergraduates and use of the equipment in Graduate Level PhD and MasterÕs thesis research. The goals of the projectÕs research-related education are to (a) expose undergraduate and graduate students to topics of interest to the US Army (b) enable graduate students to utilize the proposed equipment for their US Army sponsored thesis research and (c) acquire preliminary data for future research proposals to the Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 11, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1910140
Entities
People
- John Federici
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- New Jersey Institute of Technology
- United States Army