MRI: Development of Plasma Shielding Instrumentation Enabling Electron Beam Materials Processing in Air

这项重大研究仪器（MRI）奖项的主要目标是开发基于等离子弧屏蔽电子束（e-beam）的新型金属连接和沉积设备，或所谓的“等离子弧窗口”，使电子束加工能够在空气中进行。我们计划开发基于等离子弧屏蔽电子束的新型金属连接和沉积设备。 在证明等离子弧窗口和电子束仪器的长期稳定运行后，该项目将重点展示扩展窗口以产生足够长度的等离子柱或“裙部”的能力，以实现仪器的一般用途和商业化所设想的使用广度。仪器开发的最后一部分将集中于展示实用/用户友好的X射线屏蔽装置和惰性气体管理机制。该设备的开发将能够引入与等离子体物理学、材料科学、传感、控制和系统集成相关的研究、培训和教育的新方向，这些都将在空气中的电子束材料处理中遇到。如果该项目成功，它将为2005年9月在下一代制造技术倡议下启动的题为“直接数字制造的发展”的计划以及由赖特-帕特森空军基地的空军研究实验室赞助的金属沉积增材和直接制造计划提供无与伦比的沉积技术。这两个项目都专注于开发一种技术，该技术可以彻底改变制造/铸造行业，特别是在制造具有高服务可靠性的部件的情况下。 PI将与少数民族和妇女工程项目主任以及德克萨斯州达拉斯保罗奎因学院合作，以吸引更多的女性和少数民族学生进入SMU的研究生工程项目。他们还将积极参与实现SMU最近成立的工程计划研究所的目标。联邦政府一直在帮助SMU成立一个全国性的研究所，该研究所将促进从幼儿园到高中的工程学。该项目的研发成果将通过期刊出版物、会议报告、研讨会、网站以及研究生和本科生课程进行传播。

The main objective of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is to develop novel metal joining and deposition equipment based on an electron beam (e-beam) shielded by a plasma arc, or so-called "Plasma Arc Window", enabling electron beam processing to be performed in air. We are planning to develop novel metal joining and deposition equipment based on an electron beam shielded by a plasma arc. Upon demonstrating lengthy, stable operation of the plasma arc window and electron beam instrument, the project will focus on demonstrating the capability to extend the window to produce a plasma column or "skirt" of sufficient length to enable the breadth of utilization envisioned for general use and commercialization of the instrument. The final portion of instrument development will focus on demonstrating practical/user friendly means for X-ray shielding and mechanisms for inert gas management.Development of this equipment will enable the introduction of new directions in research, training and education related to the physics of plasma, materials science, sensing, control, and system integration that will be encountered in e-beam materials processing in air. If the project is successful, it will provide an unparalleled deposition technology for the program entitled "Development of the Direct Digital Manufacturing" launched in September of 2005 under the Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative as well as for the Additive and Direct Manufacturing by Metal Deposition Program sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Both programs are focused on developing a technology, which can revolutionize the manufacturing/casting industry especially in the case of manufacturing components with high service reliability. The PI will work with the Director of the Minority and Women Engineering program, as well as with Paul Quinn College, Dallas, TX in order to attract more female and minority students into SMU's graduate engineering program. They are also going to participate very aggressively in achieving the goals of the recently founded Institute for Engineering Program at SMU. The federal government has been helping SMU to launch a national institute that will promote engineering from kindergarten through high school. Dissemination of the project's R&D results will be done through journal publications, conference presentations, seminars, website, as well as through graduate and undergraduate courses.