Smart in-situ X-ray-based probing system for novel additively manufactured products and materials

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Additive manufacturing (AM or 3D printing) is an advanced manufacturing technique that uses computer-aided design to build objects layer by layer. Common AM techniques for metals are assisted by laser power for material fusion, where metal powders are melted and solidified to form the designed solid object. Some mechanical properties of AM materials such as yield strength (the stress at which a material permanently deforms) have been shown to improve with AM processes; however, failure properties such as strain-at-failure and fatigue life are generally reduced by the available AM processes. It is imperative to understand these complex processes to improve the failure properties of AM materials and enable the development of novel materials with optimized lifetime for utilization in extreme applications, such as harsh weather in Alberta. With this two year project, we propose the development of an intelligent software-aided system for additive manufacturing of metallic alloys coupled with a novel high-repetition-rate X-ray diagnostic system for probing defect formation during the AM process and aiding the development of novel materials. This work will employ hard X-rays generated by a laser driver to probe samples printed at different rates, orientations, and temperatures to optimize the process for the generation of robust AM products and novel material development using Artificial Intelligence techniques. The commericalizable outcomes of this work are two-fold: development of a hardware system for optimized X-ray probing of dense materials, and the development of automated intelligent software for the control and production of consistent, reliable, and entirely novel 3D printed products. Over the course of 2 years, this project will provide opportunities for training of eight highly qualified personnel in highly marketable areas of AM, materials, programming, and optical science with the potential for spin-off companies in both hardware and software development.