Mechanics Guided Design of a Hybrid Laser/Water-Jet (LWJ) Manufacturing Process

本研究的目的是研究脆性材料的混合激光/水射流制造工艺中材料去除的热冲击诱导断裂模式，并开展教育和推广活动，重点关注混合非传统加工工艺，并加强当地的制造基础设施。本项目将利用低功率激光和低压水射流的协同组合，通过热冲击断裂机制，而不是能量密集型的侵蚀磨损或熔化蒸发机制，实现混凝土、花岗岩等脆性材料的精确材料去除。结合实验室尺度加工实验的热-力学模型将用于探索与混合制造过程相关的设计参数空间和特性。如果成功，该研究将克服现有金刚石锯、激光和水射流方法的局限性，如能源效率低、刀具磨损快、表面处理质量低、有害噪音、大量废物碎片和机械应力诱导，从而实现节能、经济和环境的社会效益。这项研究将通过让研究生和本科生接触多种能源的相互作用、流体流动科学、机械磨损、加热和溶解等科学和技术基础，有助于培养受过先进制造技术培训的劳动力。将这一研究结果纳入必修的制造课程将提高机械工程课程在爱荷华州立大学。与本地制造商的合作伙伴关系将有助于将研究结果广泛传播给工业部门。

The goal of this research is to investigate the thermal shock-induced fracture mode of material removal in a hybrid laser/water-jet manufacturing process for brittle materials and to develop educational and outreach activities that focus on hybrid non-traditional machining processes and enhance the local manufacturing infrastructure. In this project, a synergistic combination of low-power laser and low-pressure water-jet will be utilized to accomplish precise material removal of concrete, granite and other brittle materials by thermal shock-induced fracture mechanism rather than energy-intensive erosive wear or melting and evaporation mechanisms. A thermo-mechanical model coupled with laboratory scale machining experiments will be used to probe the design parametric space and properties associated with the hybrid manufacturing process.If successful, the research will overcome the current limitations of the existing diamond saw, laser, and water-jet methods such as energy inefficiency, rapid tool wear, low-quality surface treatment, hazardous noise, significant waste debris, and mechanical stress-induction, with the resulting societal benefits of energy savings, economics and environment. This research will contribute to the development of a workforce trained in advanced manufacturing technology by exposing graduate and undergraduate students to scientific and technological underpinnings such as interactions of multiple energy sources, science of fluid flow, mechanical abrasion, heating, and dissolution. Incorporating the results of this research in the required manufacturing courses will enhance the Mechanical Engineering curriculum at Iowa State University. Collaborative partnership with local manufacturer will facilitate broad dissemination of the results to the industrial sector.