MRI: Acquisition of Open-Source Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion Platform to Expand Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education

该主要研究仪器（MRI）奖支持采购一种新型开源电子束粉末床融合（EPBF）系统。作为美国首个此类系统，该仪器将使德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校（UTEP）的研究人员和大型合作者网络能够在金属增材制造的关键领域进行基础研究，从而实现新材料系统并增强过程理解和控制。这些知识可以带来更轻、更强、更高质量和更通用的材料和部件，从而可以以更低的成本生产更省油的汽车，微创医疗器械和植入物，以及效率更高、显著减少排放和燃料消耗的先进飞机发动机。该仪器还将通过在本科研究和教育以及K-12外展活动中使用，加强对下一代先进/智能制造劳动力的培训。该仪器将丰富该地区初中和高中的外展活动，招收主要来自代表性不足的西班牙裔背景的学生从事STEM职业。该仪器将使研究人员能够深入了解EPBF工艺的加工-结构-性能联系，并结合新型扫描策略的能力，将提供制造复杂材料所需的知识，如耐火合金、高强度铝合金、Ni-Ti形状记忆合金和金属基陶瓷复合材料。该仪器的过程监控功能将使研究人员能够获得与物理相关的过程现象的基本见解，如粉末喷射、粉末充电和氧化，这些都会导致缺陷。该仪器的高温处理能力将使研究人员能够更好地了解加工过程中与热历史相关的相变、缺陷形成和微观结构演变的复杂性。这将为制造能够承受恶劣条件的材料，以及开发更耐用、更有弹性的智能部件和能源、航空航天、国防、交通和医药所需的新材料奠定基础。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a novel open-source electron beam powder bed fusion (EPBF) system. As the first system of its kind in the US, this instrument will enable University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) investigators and a large network of collaborators to perform fundamental research in key areas of metal additive manufacturing—enabling new material systems and enhanced process understanding and control. This knowledge can lead to lighter, stronger, higher quality and more versatile materials and parts--enabling more fuel-efficient cars that can be produced at lower cost, minimally invasive medical instruments and implants, and advanced aircraft engines with higher efficiencies and significantly reduced emissions and fuel consumption. The instrumentation will also enhance training for the next generation advanced/smart manufacturing workforce through use in undergraduate research and education and K-12 outreach activities. The instrumentation will enrich outreach activities in regional middle and high schools, to recruit students from predominantly underrepresented Hispanic backgrounds to pursue STEM careers. The instrumentation will enable researchers to gain insight into processing-structure-property links for the EPBF process and, together with the capability for novel scan strategies, will provide knowledge needed to fabricate complex materials such as refractory alloys, high strength aluminum alloys, Ni-Ti shape memory alloys and metal matrix ceramic composites. The instrumentation’s process monitoring capabilities will enable researchers to gain fundamental insight into physically relevant process phenomena such as powder ejecta, powder charging and oxidation that can cause defects. The instrumentation’s high temperature processing capabilities will enable researchers to better understand the intricacies of phase changes, defect formation, and microstructural evolution in relation to the thermal history during processing. This will provide a foundation for advances in fabrication of materials that withstand harsh conditions and the development of more durable and resilient smart parts and novel materials needed for energy, aerospace, defense, transportation and medicine.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.