Cluster: novel quantitative nondestructive quality evaluation of advanced joining and consolidation manufacturing processes

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The project is focused on the development of new non-destructive quantitative quality characterization of material joints, including real time monitoring of joint quality, which is very important for controlling the formation of reliable material joints. The strength of metallurgical bonding between joint materials such as a weldment or coating/substrate structure greatly depends on the microstructure and quality of the interface. The nature of the bonding mechanism may considerably vary for different types of material joints and includes mechanical interlocking, diffusion bonding, melting/solidification, and other chemical and physical bonding mechanisms. Since bonding strength of material joints directly correlates with the quality of the interface, the characterization of the interface becomes critical for the timely adjustment of the technological parameters of the material joint forming process, and, thus, allows for the improvement of the technological process efficiency. From this viewpoint, express characterization of material joints quality is of primary importance to the industrial users of welding and coating technologies, since it enables rapid control of the product and, therefore, answers advanced manufacturing needs. Among methods for express characterization of material joints, ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is a proven leader.The overall goal of the proposed project is the development of ultrasonic nondestructive testing methodology and portable systems for quantitative material bond quality evaluation, and the application of these to two material bonding technologies:(i) Low Pressure Cold Spray-formed composite coating/substrate structures (hand-held ultrasonic rapid evaluation device will be developed) and (ii) Resistance Spot Weld-formed joints of steel, aluminum and dissimilar metals (in-process ultrasonic monitoring system will be developed). Both the developed material bonding technologies and the bond quality evaluation devices will be trialed at sites designated by the project industrial partners.