Researchers at the匹兹堡大学斯旺森工程学院together with software company Ansys Inc. (NASDAQ:ANSS) are to carry out research in 3D printed parts with $500,000 funding from NASA. The money is from NASA’s Early Stage Innovations (ESI) grant which, this year, has been awarded to 13 different university research proposals.
Inconel 718合金激光熔化
The research, titledPrediction of Microstructure Evolution in DMLM (Direct Material Laser Melting) processed Inconel 718 with Part Scale Simulation，，，，will be headed by Dr. Albert To, Director of the Ansys Additive Manufacturing Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh. The overall goal is to‘[create a] robust simulation toolkit capable of predicting microstructure in an as-fabricated AM part given the process parameters.’ Put simply, this tool will evaluate the strength of 3D printed metal for use in aerospace engineering, focusing on Inconel 718, a Nickel-Chromium ‘superalloy’ resistant to high temperatures and tensile pressure.
In a statement at the University, Dr. To further explains the concept behind the research as follows:
现在，添加剂制造使我们能够生产出足够强的复杂金属组件，可以替代机械应用中的机械零件。但是，由于AM中使用的过程参数和材料，部分或不同部分之间的微观结构可能会差异很大。
Ansys design simulation
研究合作伙伴ANSYS是宾夕法尼亚州的计算流体动力学（CFD）模拟领导者。该公司的专有软件通过预测设计在现实生活中的表现方式来帮助解决各个工程领域的疑问。ANSYS特别备受瞩目的用例是与红牛赛车合作，他们在2010年赢得了车手和建筑商的冠军。
Early stage innovations
The ESI grant will span over two years with $250,000 awarded for each year and is given as part of空间技术任务局（STMD）侧重于高优先级的太空技术研究。有三个涉及增材制造的研究项目，今年获得ESI赠款Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University also receiving funding. Though NASA’s budget is being continually cut, it seems that additive manufacturing is one of the areas in which cost won’t be spared. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are also spending timedeveloping new materials这可以帮助他们计划到火星的任务。
Featured image of The Swanson School of Engineering. Image via GBBN.
