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Completed TRL 3 (started at 1, targeting 4)
To reduce costs associated with the fabrication of low volume, complex components in many industries, use of Additive Manufacturing processes are being explored. This approach greatly reduces the time and cost by eliminating multiple processing steps, such as brazing and welding, to fabricate the component in one process. While processes such as powder bed fusion (PBF) can print monolithic components, directed energy deposition (DED) methods are used to print components using a combination of materials including bimetallics. One application for DED processing is in high heat flux applications that require materials with high thermal conductivity such as copper based alloys to work in conjunction with a higher strength-lower density material such as Inconel for structural stability. While DED processes are being developed, little is known about the reliability and stability of the resulting interface formed as the metals are directly deposited onto one another. This study considers the mechanisms of mixing at the interface as affected by the processing parameters and feedstock chemistry.
Through this project, the manufacturing variables that influence the melt pool currents will be determined and correlated with their effect on the robustness and reliability of the resulting bi-metallic interface. By understanding not only the effect of the manufacturing variables, but also the interaction with the various materials considered for the NASA applications, consistency in the robustness and quality of additively manufactured components can be obtained. These efforts are needed to increase the technical readiness level of Additively Manufactured bimetallic components, thus furthering the implementation and qualification of hardware to be used in support of the fabrication of components for integration into the SLS in support of the Artemis Mission.
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