Enabling Hybrid Aerospace Structures

Novel Processing Approach to Enable Hybrid Material System Designs for Turbine and Rocket Engines Demonstrate feasibility of using electron beam melting (EBM) for a hybrid disk, where a state-of-the-art powder metallurgy alloy (LSHR) is bonded to single-crystal Ni-alloy (LDS). The successful completion of this effort will demonstrate that direct deposition is a viable technique to successfully fabricate hybrid components of two dissimilar materials that typically are bonded to create the final structure. These type of dissimilar metal bonds is a technology that has yet to be demonstrated using additive manufacturing (AM). Only recently have monolithic advanced nickel-based superalloys AM builds been observed and reported in the literature. No known work has been published of satisfactory fabrication of even monolithic high strength powder metal disk alloys, which have been verified to be durable for rotating, fatigue-critical hardware. If successful, the work here would establish the proof-of-concept of an AM hybrid disk, as well as platform for the creation of new hybrid components.

Space: Simplified and cost-effective manufacturing process for turbopumps used in rocket propulsion; simplified process for hybrid high temperature material components for space nuclear power Aeronautics: Enable increase in temperature capability of disk system for turbine engines; Enable manufacturing of blisks (bladed disks) for compressor in small core turbine engines; reduce fuel burn

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