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

该项目的重点是开发新的材料接头无损定量质量表征，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/基材结构等接头材料之间冶金结合的强度在很大程度上取决于界面的组织和质量。对于不同类型的材料连接，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/凝固和其他化学和物理连接机制。由于材料接头的结合强度直接关系到界面的质量，因此，界面的表征对于及时调整材料接头成形工艺参数，从而提高工艺效率具有重要意义。从这一观点来看，材料接头质量的快速表征对于焊接和涂层技术的工业用户至关重要，因为它能够快速控制产品，从而满足先进的制造需求。在材料接头的表征方法中，超声无损评价(NDE)是公认的领先方法。该项目的总体目标是开发超声无损检测方法和便携式材料结合质量定量评价系统，并将这些技术应用于两种材料结合技术：(I)低压冷喷射成形复合涂层/基材结构(将开发手持超声波快速评估仪)和(Ii)钢、铝和异种金属的电阻点焊接头(将开发过程中的超声波监测系统)。开发的材料粘接技术和粘接质量评估装置都将在项目产业合作伙伴指定的地点进行试验。

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.