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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

TiNi-Based Bi-Metallic Shape-Memory Alloy by Laser-Directed Energy Deposition

In this study, laser-directed energy deposition was applied to build a Ti-rich ternary Ti–Ni–Cu shape-memory alloy onto a TiNi shape-memory alloy substrate to realize the joining of the multifunctional bi-metallic shape-memory alloy structure. The cost-effective Ti, Ni, and Cu elemental powder blend was used for raw materials. Various material characterization approaches were applied to reveal different material properties in two sections. The as-fabricated Ti–Ni–Cu alloy microstructure has the TiNi phase as the matrix with Ti2Ni secondary precipitates. The hardness shows no high values indicating that the major phase is not hard intermetallics. A bonding strength of 569.1 MPa was obtained by tensile testing, and digital image correlation reveals the different tensile responses of the two sections. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to measure the phase-transformation temperatures. The austenite finishing temperature of higher than 80 °C was measured for the Ti–Ni–Cu alloy section. For the TiNi substrate, the austenite finishing temperature was tested to be near 47 °C at the bottom and around 22 °C at the upper substrate region, which is due to the repeated laser scanning that acts as annealing on the substrate. Finally, the multiple shape-memory effect of two shape-memory alloy sides was tested and identified.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multimodal sensor fusion for real-time standoff estimation in directed energy deposition

In Laser Powder-based Direct Energy Deposition (LP-DED) systems, achieving consistency, precision and quality of produced parts requires tight control over printing parameters. One of the critical parameters is the standoff distance. Maintaining an optimal standoff height is crucial for achieving correct laser power density and powder catchment efficiency, as both laser and powder streams are focused at this distance. Here, this study introduces a novel approach using multimodal sensor fusion to predict standoff height in real-time. The proposed system integrates two low-profile, cost-effective sensors: an RGB coaxial camera and a high frequency and high dynamic range microphone. By utilizing a simple fully connected neural network, trained on a limited dataset, data fusion of these sensors allowed for the real-time prediction of the standoff height. The results demonstrate high resolution and accuracy of the predictions across multiple geometries and a wide range of standoff heights. This approach offers a simple, and cost-effective solution for real-time standoff height monitoring and lays the groundwork for future integration into commercial LP-DED systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

A comparative study of solute trapping in Fe-(33–45 at%) Cu alloys manufactured by laser directed energy deposition

The high cooling rates in laser directed energy deposition (DED-LB) of alloys lead to substantial amounts of solute trapping as solute atoms cannot diffuse away from the solid/liquid interface before it advances. In some concentrated alloys, this results in supersaturated solid phases that form nanoscale hierarchical microstructures when the solute atoms precipitate out during reheating from subsequent laser passes. We choose the Iron-Copper (Fe-Cu) binary alloy as model system as it is chemically homogeneous in the liquid phase and has negligible solid solubility at room temperature. Two alloys with nominal compositions in atomic (at.) %, Fe67Cu33 and Fe55Cu45, were manufactured using DED-LB. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) were used to characterize the nanostructures and heterogeneous chemical compositions. A non-equilibrium solute partitioning model was used to compute the supersaturated chemistries of the constituent phases and validated with experimentally measured compositions. The measured phase compositions of the two alloys were very similar, at roughly 12 at.% Cu and 4 at.% Fe in the α(bcc)-Fe and ε(fcc)-Cu phases respectively, despite having different processing parameters and mechanical behavior. This indicates that the total thermal history, that depends on both the processing parameters and laser scan pattern, plays a stronger role on the final microstructure evolution than just the initial quantity of trapped solute. In addition, we find that current non-equilibrium solute partitioning models applied on the continuum scale fall short of predicting accurate quantitative phase compositions in concentrated alloys, although the qualitative trends are captured correctly.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Directed energy deposition additive manufacturing of functionally graded Al-W composites

Directed energy deposition using laser heat sources (DED-L) is a metal additive manufacturing method that can be used to fabricate functionally graded materials by feeding multiple powder streams directly into a laser-generated melt pool. Additionally, the composition can be spatially varied by independent control of the materials feed rates. DED-L additive manufacturing is used in this work to create continuously graded Al/W composites that span 0–55 vol% W in Al over length scales from 0.6 to 1.2 mm with individual layers on the order of 0.1 mm and powder particle sizes on the order of 10 µm. The obtained composition and thickness ranges are comparable to those typically achieved using conventional powder metallurgy approaches and enables fabrication of composites to be used as a high impedance graded density impactor (GDI) in dynamic ramp compression experiments to study matter under extreme conditions. DED-L additive manufacturing of a GDI presents an opportunity to reduce GDI fabrication time to less than a day compared to many weeks by conventional methods. It is also possible to scale the deposition by DED-L to essentially unlimited dimensions in the lateral directions, whereas conventional methods become limited.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Directed energy deposition of Haynes 282 nickel superalloy

Laser powder directed energy deposition was employed to fabricate Haynes® 282 Ni-based superalloy for high temperature creep testing. Material was heat treated using a single-step aging heat treatment of 800 °C for 4 h. Microstructural analysis was conducted in the as-deposited, solution-annealed, and age-hardened conditions. γ′ precipitates were absent in the as-deposited and annealed condition but formed during aging with an average size of 48.5 ± 12 nm. γ’ denuded zones ranging in thickness from 73 to 469 nm were observed adjacent to an effectively continuous grain boundary carbide film that covered 72.5% of the measured boundary length. The heat-treated material contained a high-volume fraction of TiC carbides ranging in size from 38 to 457 nm. Electron backscatter diffraction showed partial recrystallization, with 77-83% recrystallized area and a heterogeneous grain-size distribution. Creep testing at 750 °C at 300, 320, and 350 MPa revealed significantly inferior performance compared to wrought material, with higher strain rates, earlier tertiary onset, and shorter rupture lives. Fractography shows that failure was dominated by intergranular rupture. Post rupture microstructural analysis results suggest that the creep behavior was primarily governed by the non-equilibrium interface network rather than the bulk γ/γ’ matrix. In conclusion, the findings indicate that achieving wrought-like creep performance necessitates substantial improvements in the additive process, specifically focusing on enhanced homogenization, full recrystallization, and precise control over the morphology and distribution of carbides.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Prediction Method for Catchment Efficiency Loss due to Coaxial Nozzle Wear in Powder Fed Directed Energy Deposition Systems

Abstract Powder fed laser directed energy deposition systems show significant promise and their widespread adoption could greatly advance manufacturing technology; however, a significant amount of gas atomized metal powder is wasted during material deposition. As contaminated powder must be collected and disposed of as hazardous waste, this process is often criticized for its low catchment efficiency. This presents potential implementation and scaling issues, as widespread use of this technology would directly increase the amount of contaminated powder in need of safe disposal. A direct contribution to this waste issue was identified in past work as wearing exterior and interior surfaces on a replaceable nozzle component within the additive head of such a system integrated into a hybrid manufacturing machine tool. A computational fluid dynamics simulation is developed specifically for use within the manufacturing process by predicting catchment efficiency losses before a deposition operation is performed. The model is robust enough to calculate a catchment efficiency estimate within a reasonable transition time before deposition and is designed to replace visual estimation of nozzle deterioration by the machine operator. Both of two previously identified wear modes are represented in the simulation. Their effects on powder stream geometry are discussed in detail and the results are compared with in-situ measurements of powder stream geometry and concentrations. The resulting work contributes to the growing understanding of using prediction and prevention methods on catchment efficiency related part defects within these systems.

DeWitte, Lisa↗
DOE OSTI2021

In-situ digital image correlation and thermal monitoring in directed energy deposition additive manufacturing

As in welding, directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) generates complex residual stresses and distortions commensurate with the complexity of the scan pattern used for deposition. To date, measuring DED distortions on complex geometries has only been achieved post process, discarding the complex thermomechanical history that leads to that final material state. In this work, surround stereo digital image correlation (DIC) is used to 3D map surfaces and strain tensors in-situ in a powder-blown laser DED system. Infrared thermography is then projected onto these surfaces to record the full thermomechanical history of printed parts. DIC presents a unique challenge to DED AM, as no part exists at the beginning of deposition, which (a) prevents application of an appropriate speckle pattern and (b) denies the user a zero strain reference frame. Solutions to these problems are proposed and their limitations explored herein. In sum, this work presents a relatively low-cost solution to monitoring and optimizing the unique temporal artifacts induced by complex scan strategies that was previously unobtainable.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Property-structure-process relationships in dissimilar material repair with directed energy deposition: Repairing gray cast iron using stainless steel 316L

Directed energy deposition (DED) based remanufacturing leverages the flexibility of additive manufacturing to add value to broken or worn components. DED offers the ability to repair cast iron, a material difficult to repair with traditional welding techniques. Despite this, development of appropriate DED process conditions for bimetallic cast iron structures lags low- and medium-carbon steel repair. Thermal stresses and porosity generated by high-temperature deposition on cast iron often lower mechanical properties and hinder the qualification process. In this report scanning speed, powder mass flow rate, and stepover width are studied in multiple-track structures deposited on gray cast iron. Dilution and residual stresses are found to be highly dependent on the selected process parameters. Samples with a higher volumetric energy input, e.g., slower scanning speeds and higher powder feed rates, showed improved density and lower residual stresses but suffered lower dilution into the substrate. The presented conditions further the development of additive manufacturing technologies for automotive repair.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Tailoring material microstructure and property in wire-laser directed energy deposition through a wiggle deposition strategy

Developing effective strategies to directly control material microstructure, property, and anisotropy is an active research area in metal additive manufacturing. This work develops a wiggle deposition pattern for wire-laser directed energy deposition (DED) of 316L stainless steel (SS) to modify the solidification texture, particularly in the building direction, in as-deposited samples. Through multi-physics simulation, operando near-infrared imaging, and synchrotron x-ray characterization, it is found that the wiggle deposition strategy induces highly dynamic melt flow and oscillating thermal gradient in the melt pool, which is responsible for the variation of preferable grain growth direction and crystallographic texture in the sample. The specific texture reduces the anisotropy in the tensile strength of as-printed 316L SS samples cut along different directions. Also, it largely increases the ductility along the build direction. Crystal plasticity simulation is performed to correlate the sample texture with mechanical property. In conclusion, this work offers a unique approach for tailoring local properties through the control of melt pool instability by applying different tool paths.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Process parameter translation strategies for variable directed energy deposition spot size using 316L, copper, and Inconel 625

Directed energy deposition (DED) is a form of additive manufacturing available across a variety of laser spot diameter values, often referred to as spot sizes. However, there is no method to easily transfer process parameters across discrete spot sizes, leading to DED process parameters that are equipment specific and not widely applicable. In this study, a strategy is proposed and investigated for five spot sizes that keep the areal energy density constant while varying power, feed rate, and powder flow during the deposition of 316L stainless steel. An assessment of trends in hardness and microstructure is possible due to the novel production of components of a single material across several spot sizes using a single nozzle on a single DED system. The proposed strategy was used to nullify the hardness drop during functional grading of Inconel 625 and pure copper, enabling fabrication of multi-material sample that does not compromise desirable properties. This application shows the value in establishing more efficient process parameter development and understanding spot size influences on geometric and material property flexibility, to enable a more diverse powder-based DED design space and to increase the industry adoption of DED systems.

316L↗
DOE OSTI2024

Strength-ductility synergy through microstructural and compositional heterogeneity in directed energy deposition additive manufacturing of face-centered cubic materials

Directed energy deposition (DED) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process based on welding technology and offers the advantages of large build volume, high deposition rate, and ability to fabricate multi-material parts. Epitaxial continuous columnar grain growth is a characteristic microstructural feature of DED processed alloys. In this study, a bamboo-like microstructure (periodic alternation of equiaxed and columnar structure) was produced by adopting an intermittent deposition strategy in 316L stainless steel and Inconel 625. The formation of a bamboo-like alternating microstructure was confirmed through electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis. Hardness mapping showed that the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) occurred at the region right below the fusion line. A finite element (FE) model was used to investigate the relationship between the temperature gradient (G) and the solidification rate (R). The FE model showed a low G/R ratio at the region right below the interface promoting the CET. The grain size and material-dependent deformation behaviors are analyzed using digital image correlation (DIC). The lower deformation on the fine-grain regions observed in DIC analysis is attributed to a higher strain hardening rate, which is confirmed through dislocation density analysis on a tensile-interrupted specimen. The periodically alternating grain size coupled with the microstructural changes caused by intermittent deposition strategy result in a better strength-ductility synergy in both single-material and bimetallic specimens.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

In-situ Nondestructive Evaluation of In-flight Particle Dynamics and Intrinsic Properties for Directed Energy Deposition

The objective of this exploratory project is to determine the feasibility of using laser diffraction, structured light 3D scanning, and x-ray diffraction for in-situ assessment and inspection of metal directed energy deposition (DED) that is applied to repair components such as engine parts in remanufacturing. During this project, we have successfully published or submitted at least one journal article for each subtask that we identified. One of our conference paper and presentation has won “best paper award” from Manufacturing & Design Division in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference 2021. Through this seed grant, we successfully validated the concepts and proved the three in-situ monitoring techniques work well to predict some defects generation during direct energy deposition. We submitted follow-up proposals to continue work on this topic.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2021

Segregation Evolution and Diffusion of Titanium in Directed Energy Deposited NASA HR-1

Titanium segregation in single-pass directed energy deposited (DED) NASA HR-1 is very difficult to control because grain size varies considerably and many large grains (>100 μm) are present. Therefore, homogenization kinetic analysis was performed to see how the homogenization process should be adjusted to mitigate titanium segregation. A basic model for titanium diffusion in NASA HR-1 was developed to project titanium segregation as a function of homogenization temperature, time, and grain size. The homogenization kinetic analysis provides a valuable reference on how the homogenization treatment should be adjusted to reduce titanium segregation to a very low level for DED NASA HR-1.

liquid rocket engine↗
DOE OSTI2023

Directed Energy Deposition Process Modeling, Validation, and Process-Informed Optimization

The directed energy deposition (DED) process, one of the most popular additive manufacturing techniques in use today, involves various complex physical mechanisms that are not yet well understood. In this regard, computational tools show promise for elucidating the manufacturing process and enabling nondestructive performance evaluations of manufactured parts. To better control and optimize the DED process?thereby improving the manufactured product? the present work develops and demonstrates a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based process control and optimization technique. Specifically, a geometry-free thermo-mechanical model with adaptive subdomain construction is developed to accurately capture the material?s thermo-mechanical response under cyclical reheating and high cooling rates [1]. The model is demonstrated and validated with experimental measurements, in light of various geometries and processing parameters. Moreover, based on this thermo-mechanical model, a physics-informed reduced-order model is developed to enable quick predictions of the temperature field at every time step. Furthermore, an AI-based controller is developed that can adapt to the ever-changing system states by automatically adjusting the manufacturing process parameters. This entire work is based on the open-source Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) [2] and its recent integration with Libtorch (the C++ frontend of PyTorch [3]). The combined development of the adaptive material deposition scheme, thermo-mechanical model, associated reduced-order model, and AI-based process controller carries great potential for improving advanced manufacturing processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigation of Additive Manufactured GRCop-42 Alloy Developed by Directed Energy Deposition Methods

GRCop is an alloy family constructed of copper, chromium, and niobium and was developed by NASA for high heat flux applications. GRCop-alloys were specifically formulated for the requirements in channel-cooled main combustion chambers allowing for repeat use in high heat flux environments[1]. GRCop-84 was evolved using additive manufacturing techniques under a NASA development program. To further increase thermal conductivity while maintaining material strength characteristics, the percentage of alloying elements were cut in half and GRCop-42 was developed. In recent years, NASA has successfully additively manufactured GRCop-42 with comparable material characteristics to extrudedGRCop-42 using a Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process. Benefits of this process include fabrication of intricate internal cooling channels as well as a decrease in manufacturing time. However, there are some large disadvantages in using this process. The nature of the powder bed process imposes a strict volume constraint as well as an excessive amount of material inventory required. A Directed Energy Deposition (DED) process addresses these limitations while also speeding up the manufacturing process. With little data on how DED performs with GRCop-42, an investigation into the mechanical properties was conducted. More specifically, Blown Powder Directed Energy Deposition (BPD), was used to compare material properties to that of the L-PBF manufactured GRCop-42. The DED manufactured material was found to have less than 0.1% porosity. Tensile tests concluded that the DED manufactured GRCop-42 had lower tensile strengths at room temperature. The results point towards a process capable of producing fully dense parts capable of meeting mechanical strength requirements with some possible refinement of printing parameters.

GRCop-42↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Effect of Interlayer Delay on the Heat Accumulation, Microstructures, and Properties in Laser Hot Wire Directed Energy Deposition of Ti-6Al-4V Single-Wall

Laser hot wire directed energy deposition (LHW-DED) is a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing technique that permits the fabrication of large-scale Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) components with a high deposition rate and has gained traction in the aerospace sector in recent years. However, one of the major challenges in LHW-DED Ti64 is heat accumulation, which affects the part quality, microstructure, and properties of as-built specimens. These issues require a comprehensive understanding of the layerwise heat-accumulation-driven process–structure–property relationship in as-deposited samples. In this study, a systematic investigation was performed by fabricating three Ti-6Al-4V single-wall specimens with distinct interlayer delays, i.e., 0, 120, and 300 s. The real-time acquisition of high-fidelity thermal data and high-resolution melt pool images were utilized to demonstrate a direct correlation between layerwise heat accumulation and melt pool dimensions. The results revealed that the maximum heat buildup temperature of the topmost layer decreased from 660 °C to 263 °C with an increase to a 300 s interlayer delay, allowing for better control of the melt pool dimensions, which then resulted in improved part accuracy. Furthermore, the investigation of the location-specific composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties demonstrated that heat buildup resulted in the coarsening of microstructures and, consequently, the reduction of micro-hardness with increasing height. Extending the delay by 120 s resulted in a 5% improvement in the mechanical properties, including an increase in the yield strength from 817 MPa to 859 MPa and the ultimate tensile strength from 914 MPa to 959 MPa. Cooling rates estimated at 900 °C using a one-dimensional thermal model based on a numerical method allowed us to establish the process–structure–property relationship for the wall specimens. The study provides deeper insight into the effect of heat buildup in LHW-DED and serves as a guide for tailoring the properties of as-deposited specimens by regulating interlayer delay.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Deposition Height Prediction in Directed Energy Deposition

Using 316L stainless steel as a model material, reduced-order models are developed to predict capture efficiency, deposition height, and site-specific hardness in directed energy deposition. Capture efficiency is predicted over a 15 to 55 pct range using a dimensionless number derived from processing conditions and thermophysical properties. Deposition height is predicted over a 0.3 to 1.3 mm range without in situ sensing or prior training data, using two models based on the same mass and energy-balance principles. Predictions are compared with machine learning approaches. A quantitative relationship links deposition height, primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS), and hardness: heights of 0.3 to 1.1 mm correspond to PDAS values of 2.7 to 5.1 µm and Vickers hardness (HV) of 160 to 219. Thinner layers cool more rapidly, producing finer microstructures and higher hardness. Samples fabricated with in situ variations in deposition height exhibited up to 55 HV differences between thick and thin regions, demonstrating that local control of deposition height enables predictive, site-specific hardness within a single build. These results establish deposition height prediction as a pathway for a priori process design and property control in directed energy deposition for 316L stainless steel.

Kunkel, William [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (↗