I-Corps: In-situ Non-Destructive Evaluation for Higher Yields at Metal Additive Manufacturing Installations

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是更安全和更可靠的3D打印金属结构，在商业上也被称为添加剂制造部件。随着3D打印技术应用于航空航天和汽车等要求越来越高的领域，该项目将探索3D打印行业的需求。在航空航天中，每个部件都必须通过验证和确认的程序生产，而现场检查可以满足这一需求。在汽车工业中，必须对具有代表性的部件进行评估，以验证生产程序和设备操作；同样，现场检查可以满足这一需求。除了航空航天和汽车，3D打印金属结构预计将有广泛的商业应用，从健康到国防。在这些应用中，安全性和可靠性是最重要的。例如，3D打印的骨折替代物必须具有高度的抗骨折能力。然而，骨置换的质量限制要求设计上的效率和制造上的信任。该I-Corps项目是一种非破坏性评估(NDE)方法，用于在印刷或完成制造过程中观察金属结构。从历史上看，金属零件在制造后必须接受破坏性检测，以满足高可靠性要求。这种替代的无损探伤是基于一种新的X射线成像方法，即大约十年前首次引入的基于光栅的干涉测量方法。在该方法中，利用微细制作的X射线光学元件来增强X射线图像，特别是用于亚微米特征的检测。用显示亚微米特征的覆盖图像改进了传统的X射线图像。最近，3D打印金属部件的亚微米特征与疲劳应力下的初始裂纹形成相关。因此，基于X射线光栅的新印刷结构(无论是正在进行的还是已经完成的)的干涉图像可以揭示故障点的存在。通过向3D打印部件的潜在用户展示这种独特的无损检测方法的可行性，预计新的细分市场可以在部件可靠性方面获得足够的信心，将这些3D打印部件纳入关键部件。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this i-Corps project is safer and more reliable 3D printed metal structures, also commercially known as additive manufactured parts. The project will explore the needs of the 3D printing industry as the technology is applied to ever more demanding areas such as aerospace and automotive. In aerospace, each component must be produced by a verified and validated procedure, and in-situ inspection can meet that need. In the automotive industry, representative components must be evaluated to verify production procedures and equipment operation; again, in-situ inspection can meet this need. In addition to aerospace and automotive, 3D printed metal structures are expected to have wide commercial applications, ranging from health to defense. In these applications, safety and reliability are paramount. For example, a 3D printed replacement for a broken bone must be highly resistant to breakage itself. However, the mass limitations for a bone replacement require efficiency in design and a trust in fabrication. This I-Corps project is a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method that is used to observe the metal structure while it is being printed or upon completion of the manufacturing process. Historically, metal parts must be subjected to destructive inspection methods to meet high reliability requirements after manufacturing. This alternative NDE is based on a novel X-ray imaging method, grating-based interferometry, first introduced about ten years ago. In this method, micro-fabricated X-ray optics are used to enhance the X-ray image, especially for the detection of sub-micron features. The traditional X-ray image is improved with an overlay image that reveals the presence of sub-micron features. Recently, sub-micron features in 3D printed metal components have been correlated with preliminary crack formation under fatigue stress. Therefore, an X-ray grating-based interferometry image of a freshly printed structure (either in-progress or completed) can reveal the presence of failure points. By demonstrating the viability of this unique NDE methodology to potential users of 3D printed parts, it is anticipated that new market segments can gain sufficient confidence in part reliability to incorporate these 3D printed parts into critical components.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.