研究人员University of Texas at San Antonio(UTSA) have received a $659,970 grant from the USDepartment of Defense’s(DoD) Army Research Office to improve the reliability of metal 3D printing processes.
使用计算设计,项目seeking to improve the US military’s capabilities to produce parts using additive manufacturing for critical machinery, including its aircraft.
UTSA机械工程系的助理教授David Restrepo说：“金属AM的挑战之一是很难以100％确定的确定性（例如刚度和强度）在印刷组件中是什么。”“与设计规格相比，预测或降低组件的尺寸可变性也很具有挑战性。
“These challenges mean that printed parts currently cannot be certified to use in critical components – those that, if a failure occurs, may compromise human lives.”
国防部’s 3D printing adoption
自从揭露它的自从之后first official additive manufacturing strategyin February last year, the DoD has awarded numerous grants and contracts to advance its use of 3D printing in various defense-related sectors.
Shortly after announcing its 3D printing policy, the DoD awarded binder jet 3D printer OEMExOnewith a $1.6 million contract to develop aportable 3D printing factorycapable of spare part production in the field. Housed in a 40-foot shipping container, the ‘rugged 3D printing pod’ will be deployable on land, sea, and air to support war theaters, disaster relief missions, and other remote operations.
The DoD has since handed anew round of fundingto additive manufacturing data specialist Senvol to develop itsSenvol MLmachine learning software, and awarded 3D printed rocket makerRelativity Spaceanorbital launch contract使用其3D打印Terran 1发射车将有效载荷推入低地球轨道（LEO）。
最近，国防部授予了19个大学领导的19个项目，总计2550万美元advance research into hypersonic flight利用3D打印等技术。合同已分发给University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics(UCAH) and will focus on composite aircraft materials, flight control systems, and solid propulsion fuels among other areas.
Improving AM reliability
Led by Restrepo, the UTSA team is using the DoD grant to develop new computational designs that could lead to more reliable metal 3D printed products in the future.
尽管添加剂制造的定制和按需优势是众所周知的，但该技术仍然在零件质量方面受到挑战，尤其是在基于激光烧结的过程中。特别是，当粉末冷却并巩固为当前3D打印过程中的重大挑战时，研究人员已经确定了组件机械性能和稳定性的不确定性。
Restrepo说：“我们正在对激光烧结过程进行建模，以预测用AM制造的组件的机械性能和尺寸稳定性。”“我们模型中的独特成分是一种用于灵敏度分析的UTSA开发技术。这项独特的技术将使我们能够预测AM生成零件的机械性能，可靠性和资格。”
For the project, the team is utilizing resources within UTSA’s Makerspace, including a雷尼沙3D打印机。该机器将帮助研究人员制造零件并收集数据，以证明其计算模型的有效性，或者揭示他们对计算所需的更改。
“UTSA’s state-of-the-art Makerspace offers technology to students and faculty that greatly expands opportunities to conduct research, explore and build,” said Harry Millwater, UTSA Professor. “The Renishaw 3D printer is an industry-leading tool that our students can work with throughout their time as a Roadrunner so they emerge ready to contribute to their careers from day one.”
According to Restrepo, the DoD project is also an opportunity for the university’s students to develop hands-on skills within additive manufacturing and other advanced technologies. The UTSA Classroom to Career initiative is key to giving students the skills demanded by employers, and this will prove important going forwards in order to fill添加剂制造业的当前技能差距.
“Our students are offered many opportunities to develop hands-on skills through experiential learning opportunities, such as this research project,” said JoAnn Browning, Dean of Klesse College at UTSA.
“Our new MakerSpace and the technology it houses only furthers the potential for students to engage in unparalleled research and design opportunities, beginning as early as freshman year of their undergraduate degrees.”
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Featured image showsUTSAresearchers Arturo Montoya, Harry Millwater and David Restrepo stand in front of the Renishaw 3D printer at the Makerspace in the Science and Engineering Building. Photo via UTSA.
