Mechanics Guided Design of a Hybrid Laser/Water-Jet (LWJ) Manufacturing Process

这项研究的目标是研究脆性材料激光/水射流混合制造工艺中材料去除的热冲击导致的断裂模式，并开展教育和推广活动，重点关注混合非传统加工工艺和加强当地制造基础设施。在本项目中，将利用低功率激光和低压水射流的协同作用，通过热冲击诱导的断裂机制而不是能量密集型的冲蚀磨损或熔化和蒸发机制来实现混凝土、花岗岩和其他脆性材料的精确去除。将使用热机械模型和实验室规模的加工实验来探索与混合制造过程相关的设计参数空间和特性。如果研究成功，这项研究将克服现有金刚石锯、激光和水射流方法目前的局限性，如能源效率低下、刀具磨损迅速、表面处理质量低、危险噪音、大量废屑和机械应力诱导，从而产生节能、经济和环境的社会效益。这项研究将使研究生和本科生接触到多种能源的相互作用、流体流动科学、机械磨损、加热和溶解等科学技术基础，从而有助于培养一支接受过先进制造技术培训的劳动力队伍。将这项研究的结果纳入必要的制造课程将加强爱荷华州立大学的机械工程课程。与当地制造商的合作伙伴关系将有助于将结果广泛传播给工业界。

The goal of this research is to investigate the thermal shock-induced fracture mode of material removal in a hybrid laser/water-jet manufacturing process for brittle materials and to develop educational and outreach activities that focus on hybrid non-traditional machining processes and enhance the local manufacturing infrastructure. In this project, a synergistic combination of low-power laser and low-pressure water-jet will be utilized to accomplish precise material removal of concrete, granite and other brittle materials by thermal shock-induced fracture mechanism rather than energy-intensive erosive wear or melting and evaporation mechanisms. A thermo-mechanical model coupled with laboratory scale machining experiments will be used to probe the design parametric space and properties associated with the hybrid manufacturing process.If successful, the research will overcome the current limitations of the existing diamond saw, laser, and water-jet methods such as energy inefficiency, rapid tool wear, low-quality surface treatment, hazardous noise, significant waste debris, and mechanical stress-induction, with the resulting societal benefits of energy savings, economics and environment. This research will contribute to the development of a workforce trained in advanced manufacturing technology by exposing graduate and undergraduate students to scientific and technological underpinnings such as interactions of multiple energy sources, science of fluid flow, mechanical abrasion, heating, and dissolution. Incorporating the results of this research in the required manufacturing courses will enhance the Mechanical Engineering curriculum at Iowa State University. Collaborative partnership with local manufacturer will facilitate broad dissemination of the results to the industrial sector.