Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Laser Additive Manufacturing of Structural Materials
Abstract
The project will enable a new stage for the PI to conduct innovative hybrid additive manufacturing research for defense applications and education activities to students in a Hispanic Serving Institution (Texas Tech University). The major goal of this proposal is to establish the technical foundations and explore physical mechanisms in a novel process of ultrasonic vibration-assisted (UV-A) laser additive manufacturing (LAM) for metallic structural materials. The proposed research closely aligns with the AROÕs Broad Agency Announcement (BAA W911NF-17-S-0002-12) for Fundamental Research with the topic of Advanced Methods for Structural Materials Processing under Synthesis and Processing of Materials program. The proposed research will generate fundamental understanding on liquid material movement and rapid solidification affected by ultrasonic vibration to enhance the capabilities of LAM processes for fabrication of structural materials. Structural materials are defined as Òmaterials used or studied primarily for their mechanical propertiesÓ, which are materials responses to applied force. In defense manufacturing industries, metals, ceramics, and composites are major structural materials. It is crucial to efficiently and effectively fabricate high-quality structural materials with enhanced mechanical properties. Among different additive manufacturing technologies, LAM is considered as an efficient and effective process for the direct fabrication of metallic materials and is capable to fabricate ceramic and ceramic-metal composites. (The proposed research will focus on LAM of high-performance metallic materials.) However, there are deposition defects with the LAM process, including cracking, porosity, cavities, disordered microstructures, etc., leading to worse mechanical properties. The PI has proposed to apply the ultrasonic vibration to the LAM process to affect its melting and solidification procedure and enhance the quality and mechanical properties of the workpiece. In pursuit of the research goal, the research in this proposal is to conduct three research question-driven tasks to discover the mechanism of ultrasonic vibration influences in UV-A directed energy deposition (DED) LAM of metal structural materials. Preliminary result-based research question-driven tasks include (1) Exploring liquid material movements affected by ultrasonic vibration under different fabrication variables; (2) Analyzing changes in temperature in molten pool and temperature distribution influenced by ultrasonic energy; and (3) Investigating effects of ultrasonic vibration on solidification process, microstructure, and part quality. With these tasks, the relationships among ultrasonic vibration actions, molten pool liquid material movements and solidifications, and workpiece microstructures and properties will be established in UV-A LAM. Based on the proposed research, three educational plans are proposed to enhance additive manufacture education for future defense manufacturing desired workforce, provide research opportunities to underrepresented groups, and develop K-12 training and education. Specifically, the proposed research will provide an engineering solution to reduce or eliminate uncertainties and common defects in the DED LAM of metal materials by integrating ultrasonic vibration. Such a solution will broaden the applications of AM processes in the major defense manufacturing-related industries in the U.S., including the aerospace industry, automotive industry, medical instrument and apparatus industry, etc. The proposed research also can be extended to ceramic and ceramic-reinforced metal matrix composites. The successful completion of the proposed research can help to reduce overall costs and enhance the quality of parts, which will benefit defense industries, the economy, and society.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 24, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310223
Entities
People
- Weilong Cong
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Texas Tech University