MRI: Development of an Advanced Materials Additive Manufacturing (AM2) System for Research and Education

这一重大研究仪器奖将开发一种独特的添加剂制造(AM)系统，以使用先进材料制造自由曲面零件。AM是从数字模型中直接存储3D实体对象的过程，它使得在几乎不影响成本的情况下产生几乎任何几何复杂性成为可能，但当前的AM技术尚未充分发挥其潜力。该项目将开发研究基础设施，以推进AM技术，重点是不同于传统制造工艺的能力，例如创造具有自然界中未被普遍观察到的性能的材料的能力，以及具有多种材料的结构的能力。这些能力将带来突破性的制造技术，例如生产目前无法制造的更坚固、更轻的产品，以及修复零部件以增强它们的强度。研究生和本科生将直接参与乐器的设计和集成，从而培养下一代乐器演奏家。AM2设计概念将用于高级和研究生课程的团队设计项目，仪器将与NSF REU添加剂制造基地的研究项目和GAN直接数字制造的博士研究和培训相结合。该仪器还将通过航空航天制造技术中心供工业和其他机构使用。该项目将建立关键的研究基础设施，通过高性能的沉积系统、实时监测和控制以及控制工艺所需的知识，有效地制造新型材料。开发工作将集中在高速沉积机制、衬底液体冷却设计、腔体冷却策略、基本材料输送系统和传感器集成方面的进展。开发的系统将使研究人员能够1)研究比不锈钢更硬和更坚固的材料的自由形式制造；2)研究材料的自由形式制造，这种材料可能将多种传统上不兼容的材料集成到一个统一的部件中；并修复结构，使其比原始条件更坚固，这将使再制造产品发生革命性变化；3)使用元素粉末制造部件，以便能够实现实时材料定制；4)增强和验证AM过程的关键多尺度和多物理建模和分析；5)开发新型先进制造应用；以及6)极大地增强现有的几个研究和教育AM项目。该仪器将通过航空航天制造技术中心向业界提供，以促进合作和技术转让。

This Major Research Instrumentation award will develop a unique additive manufacturing (AM) system to fabricate freeform parts with advanced materials. AM, the process of directly depositing a 3D solid object from a digital model, makes it possible to produce virtually any geometric complexity with very little impact on cost but current AM technologies have not achieved their full potential. This project will develop the research infrastructure to advance AM technologies, with the focus on capacities that differ from conventional manufacturing processes, such as the ability to create materials with properties not generally observed in nature and structures with multiple materials. These capabilities will lead to breakthrough manufacturing technologies, such as producing much stronger and lighter products that cannot be currently made and repairing parts so that they have enhanced strength. Graduate and undergraduate students will be directly involved in the instrumentation design and integration, thereby training the next generation of instrumentalists. AM2 design concepts will be used for team design projects in senior and graduate courses and the instrumentation will be integrated with research projects for the NSF REU Additive Manufacturing site and GAAN Doctoral Research and Training in Direct Digital Manufacturing. The instrumentation will also be available for use by industry and other institutions through the Center for Aerospace Manufacturing Technology. This project will establish the critical research infrastructure to effectively fabricate novel materials through a high performance deposition system, real-time monitoring and control, and the knowledge required to control the process. Development efforts will focus on advances in the high speed deposition mechanism, substrate liquid cooling design, chamber cooling strategy, elemental material delivery system and sensor integration. The developed system will enable researchers to 1) investigate freeform fabrication of materials that are several times harder and stronger than stainless steels; 2) investigate freeform fabrication of materials that can potentially integrate multiple materials with traditionally incompatible properties into one unified part; and to repair structures to be stronger than their original condition which will revolutionize remanufacturing products; 3) fabricate parts using elemental powders so that real-time material customizability can be achieved; 4) enhance and validate critical multi-scale and multi-physics modeling and analysis for AM processes; 5) develop novel advanced manufacturing applications; and 6) greatly enhance several existing research and education AM projects. The instrumentation will be available to industry through the Center for Aerospace Manufacturing Technology to facilitate collaboration and technology transfer.