Additive manufacturing of advanced aluminum alloys for transportation industry

运输行业正在迅速开发更高效的电动汽车设计，无论是汽车还是潜在的航空航天应用;电动飞行将是下一个重大挑战。减轻重量是未来使用轻金属和先进制造技术进行设计修改的重要组成部分，起着关键作用。轻质先进铝合金在运输行业中需求量很大，主要是由于其高比强度（强度与密度比），耐腐蚀性，可焊接性和可回收性。此外，随着工业化增材制造（AM）技术的快速出现，机械设计可以更加灵活;即通过允许减轻重量的3D拓扑结构。然而，大多数AM技术在铝合金中的应用目前受到很大限制。这是由于高能束和铝合金之间的相互作用导致的冶金复杂性，其中最终部件的机械性能受到整个AM工艺中温度历史的高度影响。拟议的研究计划旨在解决这些冶金问题，并提高生产具有上级性能和优化设计的优质铝AM产品的技术诀窍。将采用自下而上的综合方法，从优化铝原料性能（即具有上级性能的粉末）开始，然后优化AM和AM后处理。该项目将专注于粉末床激光增材制造技术，并选择在运输行业具有最高吸引力的铝合金（例如AA 5xxx和AA 6xxx系列铝合金）。** 铝合金的AM工艺能力目前非常有限，这是由于对这些合金的冶金复杂性了解甚少且很少解决。在这项研究计划中开发的科学知识和优化程序将为更深入的学术研究以及AM市场的扩展提供巨大的机会。特别感兴趣的，例如，空中客车集团有限公司，AA 5xxx系列铝合金（AlMgSc）的特定等级的3D打印部件正在严格开发中，拟议的研究计划将提供关键的专有技术。此外，这些知识将广泛适用于加拿大工业感兴趣的其他合金（例如庞巴迪的AA 7 xxx系列）。** 本研究项目的毕业生将获得高质量的培训，使他们能够在工艺设计和故障排除方面发展一套独特的技能，以提高敏感金属（如铝合金）增材制造的质量。在快速增长的金属增材制造行业以及学术研究中，全球的研发中心和学术机构对此类专业知识的需求很高。

The transportation industry is quickly developing higher-efficiency designs for electric vehicles, both for automotive and potentially aerospace applications; electrical flight will be the next big challenge. Weight reduction, which is an essential part of future design modifications in the use of light metals and advanced manufacturing technologies, plays a key role. Light-weight advanced aluminum alloys are in high demand in transportation industries, mainly due to their high specific strength (strength to density ratio), corrosion resistance, weldability and recyclability. Moreover, with the fast emergence of industrialized Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques, mechanical design can be more flexible; i.e. through 3D topologies that allow for weight reduction. The use of most AM techniques for aluminum alloys, however, is currently quite restricted. This is due to metallurgical complexities originating from the interaction between high energy beams and aluminum alloys, where final parts' mechanical properties are highly influenced by temperature history throughout the AM process. The proposed research program aims at addressing such metallurgical issues and elevating the technical know-how for producing sound aluminum AM products with superior properties and optimum designs. A bottom-up, comprehensive approach will be employed, starting with optimization of aluminum feed-stock properties (i.e. powders with superior properties), and then optimization of both AM and post-AM processing. This project will focus on the powder-bed laser AM technique and select aluminum alloys (e.g. within AA5xxx and AA6xxx families of aluminum alloys) with highest appeal in transportation industry. ******The AM process capability for aluminum alloys is currently very limited, which is due to poorly understood and rarely-addressed metallurgical complexities associated with these alloys. The scientific knowledge and the optimization procedure, developed in this research program, will open a huge opportunity for more in-depth academic research as well as the expansion of the AM market. Of special interest for e.g., the Airbus Group GmbH, 3D printed components of specific grades of AA5xxx series aluminum alloys (AlMgSc) are under rigorous development for which the proposed research program will provide critical know-how. Also, this knowledge will be widely applicable to other alloys of interest to Canadian industry (e.g. AA7xxx series for Bombardier). ******The high-quality training the graduates of this research program will receive will allow them to develop a unique set of skills in process design and trouble-shooting for quality improvement in additive manufacturing of sensitive metals, such as aluminum alloys. Such expertise is in high demand for R&D centers and academic institutions around the world in a rapidly-growing metal additive manufacturing industry as well as academic research.