SBIR Phase II: Automation of a Novel Low Cost Aluminum Additive Manufacturing Method

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The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve aluminum additive manufacturing (AM). AM remains of great interest to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for its promise of producing parts on-demand; however, low throughput and high costs of aluminum powder limit adoption. The proposed technology produces consistent parts with established alloys, such as the commonly used 6061 aluminum alloy. These alloys have immediate commercial applications in servicing legacy equipment parts and for making vehicles more lightweight, thus improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Further, this technology can support low-to-medium production volumes, allowing smaller manufacturers to take advantage of AM as a platform for innovation. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to deliver on-demand production at the unit cost of casting. The research objectives will optimize core processes for a novel aluminum metal-to-metal sheet bonding technology, and achieve process automation. This technology provides on-demand parts with high strength wrought alloy properties and the capability to design innovative components that could not be previously considered with traditional manufacturing processes. The anticipated results are improved material and mechanical properties, system integration, and increased throughput and part complexity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.