Cluster: novel quantitative nondestructive quality evaluation of advanced joining and consolidation manufacturing processes

本项目重点发展新型材料接头的无损定量质量表征，包括对接头质量的实时监测，这对于控制可靠材料接头的形成非常重要。焊接件或涂层/衬底结构等接头材料之间的冶金结合强度在很大程度上取决于界面的微观结构和质量。根据不同类型的材料接头，连接机制的性质可能会有很大的不同，包括机械联锁、扩散连接、熔化/凝固以及其他化学和物理连接机制。由于材料接头的结合强度与界面质量直接相关，因此界面的表征对于及时调整材料接头成形过程的工艺参数，从而提高工艺过程效率至关重要。从这个角度来看，材料接头质量的明确表征对焊接和涂层技术的工业用户至关重要，因为它可以快速控制产品，因此可以满足先进的制造需求。在材料接头表达表征的方法中，超声无损评价（NDE）已被证明是一种领先的方法。

The project is focused on the development of new non-destructive quantitative quality characterization of material joints, including real time monitoring of joint quality, which is very important for controlling the formation of reliable material joints. The strength of metallurgical bonding between joint materials such as a weldment or coating/substrate structure greatly depends on the microstructure and quality of the interface. The nature of the bonding mechanism may considerably vary for different types of material joints and includes mechanical interlocking, diffusion bonding, melting/solidification, and other chemical and physical bonding mechanisms. Since bonding strength of material joints directly correlates with the quality of the interface, the characterization of the interface becomes critical for the timely adjustment of the technological parameters of the material joint forming process, and, thus, allows for the improvement of the technological process efficiency. From this viewpoint, express characterization of material joints quality is of primary importance to the industrial users of welding and coating technologies, since it enables rapid control of the product and, therefore, answers advanced manufacturing needs. Among methods for express characterization of material joints, ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is a proven leader. The overall goal of the proposed project is the development of ultrasonic nondestructive testing methodology and portable systems for quantitative material bond quality evaluation, and the application of these to two material bonding technologies: (i) Low Pressure Cold Spray-formed composite coating/substrate structures (hand-held ultrasonic rapid evaluation device will be developed) and (ii) Resistance Spot Weld-formed joints of steel, aluminum and dissimilar metals (in-process ultrasonic monitoring system will be developed). Both the developed material bonding technologies and the bond quality evaluation devices will be trialed at sites designated by the project industrial partners.