Modelling and Control of Plasma Deposition for Enhanced Materials Production

研究的目的是开发一种闭环控制系统，用于感应等离子体沉积，以提高制造材料的质量，并扩大加工能力。这样的系统还将提供新的能力来检查通过等离子沉积可以实现的结构/性能关系。研究的重点是：1)工艺低阶模型的实验验证及其改进；2)控制结构的发展、控制实施和初步的加工/材料特性研究；3)相关系统的扩展。等离子体火炬用于熔化和加速金属和/或陶瓷颗粒，以便在高生产率下形成致密的涂层。等离子沉积用于各种不同的应用，包括腐蚀，热和耐磨涂层，近净形状制造和金属基复合材料的生产。成功的建模和控制过程将减少在感应等离子沉积过程中材料质量的变化。

The objective of the research is to develop a closed loop control system for induction plasma deposition in order to improve manufactured material quality and also expand the processing capabilities. Such a system will also provide new capabilities to examine the structure/performance relations achievable by plasma deposition. The research is focused on the following areas: 1) experimental verification of a low order model of the process and its refinement, 2) development of control structure, control implementation, and preliminary processing/materials property studies, and 3) extension to related systems. Plasma torches are used to melt and accelerate metallic and/or ceramic particles in order to form dense coatings at high production rates. Plasma deposition is used in a variety of different applications including corrosion, thermal and wear resistance coatings, near net shape manufacture, and production of metal matrix composites. Successful modeling and control of the process will reduce variations in material quality in induction plasma deposition processes.