Additive Laser and Electron Beam Manufacturing

William E. Frazier, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist, Air Vehicle Engineering

NAVAIR

November 10, 2010

A Laser Workshop on “Laser Based Manufacturing”,

University of Virginia, VA 22904

Based upon a Navy DDM Workshop Held on 11-12

May 2010, Holiday Inn, Solomon Island, MD

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Naval Aviations Challenge

• Vision for Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM)

• Results of the May 2010 Navy DDM Workshop

• Needed DDM Systems Technology Development

• Summary and Conclusions

3

Aircraft Inventory MaturingSupply Chain has limited capability to

address needs of maturing A/C

• 3828 Aircraft

• 39 Type-Model-Series

• 19.18 yrs Avg A/C age

• 3074 Operating

Red Stripe (Grounding

Bulletin) due to part

unavailability directly

impacts Warfighter

Readiness

SUPPLY CHAIN LIMITATIONS

Maturing A/C need

replacement parts

for One-off or

Crash Damage

– As aircraft fatigue, parts that were never expected to break or fail do.

– The supply chain does not have the ability to repair or produce new parts.

– Aircraft are grounded while we spend precious time researching vendors who can repair or replace the part.

RED STRIPE EXAMPLES

UNEXPECTED REPAIRS IMPACT WARFIGHTER READINESS

Garry Newton, COMFRC, DDM Workshop 5/11/10

READINESSR

ep

air

s

Infant

Mortality

Sustainment

Sun Down/

Disposal

Time

Agile and Viable Source of

Manufacturing & Repair

Garry Newton, COMFRC, DDM Workshop 5/11/10

6

6

Notional Vision State

Solution: Insert into the operations of the Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC) a

new capability to have certified critical parts-on-demand (Conventional parts

manufacture and procurement ~ 6-12 months; DDM ~ 6-12 days)

DLA/NAVICP/PMABuild Package Database

Provide CAD file Process

& Design Spec

DDM Notional Rapid Manufacturing Life Cycle

Problem Statement: “The Navy’s inventory of aircraft is being pressed into service beyond their

design life. As a result, components fail that were never expected to be repaired or replaced. With

no replacements available in the supply system, long lead times develop for the repair or

manufacture…..” Garry Newton, Deputy Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC)

Broken Part

FRC for Rapid ManufactureUsing DDM Technology

Aircraft Ready for TaskingParts on Demand

Reverse Engineer

if necessary

Conventional Vice DDM Manufacturing

Titanium Parts Via Direct Digital Technology“Ship Electron not Parts”

Technology Needs

• Certification Methodology: A scientific and

technological approach to the rapid

certification of DDM metallic parts

• Materials Science:

Models for structure-processing-

property-performance

Effect of defects

Part life prediction (probalistic and

statistical)

• Rapid Reverse Engineering Methods

• Innovative Structural Designs using DDM

• Fusing of Technologies: Laser scanning,

database, design tool, and DDM

Technological Benefits

• Parts on Demand –

Reduced part acquisition time: 6-12 months

to potentially less than 24 hrs

• Reduced Cost –

Reduce buy-to-fly ratio from an industry

standard of 10 to 20:1 to approximately 1:1

Eliminates tooling and dies

Reduces transportation, packaging, &

storage costs

• Energy Savings - Potentially savings include

80% reduction in the energy content of part

90% reduction machining energy cost

95% + reduction the energy to produce tool

and dies - no longer required

15% reduced the logistic foot print

50% reduction in shipping energy

• Enhanced Aircraft Ready For Tasking

Richard Gilpin, NAVAIR 4.3, DDM Workshop 5/11/10

The Navy DDM Workshop

The overarching goal is to enhance Operational Readiness, and reduce Total Ownership Cost, and enable Parts-on-

Demand Manufacturing.

The workshop focused on Identifying the opportunities and the technical challenges the research approaches

associated with using DDM of metallic components. The intent is to use this information to help the Navy

formulate a robust R&D program.

Navy DDM Workshop Held on 11-12 May 2010,

Holiday Inn, Solomon Island, MD

Workshop ObjectivesInnovative Structural Design1. Reduce structural weight by 25% with no increase in acquisition cost..

2. Enable complex part fabrication with a 50% reduction in cost. (DDM processes with competitive properties and lower cost compared to how build today)

3. Reduce the design, engineering, build, test & qualification time cycle by 60%.

Maintenance and Repair1. Reduce time to acquire-out-of-production parts by 90%

2. Reduce total energy content by 60%

3. Reduce logistic foot print by 20%

Qualification and Certification Methodology1. Qualification of DDM fabrication processes

2. Eliminate the need to qualify each part individually

3. Reduce the time & cost of qualification by 90%

DDM Science and Technology1. Static and fatigue performance equivalent to wrought

2. Achieve Statistically Repeatable and Predictable Processes

3. Surface Finish / Minimize Assembly and Post Deposition Processing

Innovative Structural DesignNear Term

(1 – 5 yrs)

Mid Term

(5 -10 yrs)

Far Term

(10 yrs +)

Robust modeling & simulation tools.

Develop processes and techniques to improve the

mechanical properties of DDM parts in-situ

Bio-Mimicry: Develop structures based upon biological examples

Integrated structural and material

design optimization tool for DDM

Knowledge based design combined with

structural optimization

Material and process

standards and

specifications

A shared Database of Material Properties for DDM

accounting for anisotropy and fabrication system

New alloys specifically designed for DDM .

Maintenance and RepairNear Term

(1 – 5 yrs)

Mid Term

(5 -10 yrs)

Far Term

(10 yrs +)

Validated, structure-property-processing models for

predicting material performance

Improve surface finish and

dimensional accuracy

Non-Hip alternative to achieving full density

and wrought fatigue properties

Develop qualification-by-similarity approach to part

DDM part certification

Establish a robust test program in support

of a qualification-by-similarity

Conduct a top-level energy

content audit for various DDM

processes & materials

Versatile DDM systems. Performs multiple

processes / geometries and use wire or powder

Qualification and Certification Methodology

Near Term

(1 – 5 yrs)

Mid Term

(5 -10 yrs)

Far Term

(10 yrs +)

Complete generation of material property

databases for Ti, Al, and Ni base alloys

Advanced, in-process monitoring and controls

Machine-to-machine output must be compared,

variability understood, and controlled.

Industry standards for DDM processes

Industry specifications and standards for DDM

processes and DDM processed aerospace for alloys

Develop alternatives to conventional qualification methods. validated

models, probabilistic methods, and part similarities

DDM Science and Technology

Near Term

(1 – 5 yrs)

Mid Term

(5 -10 yrs)

Far Term

(10 yrs +)

Surface finish: process parameter effects

Physics based models that help us understand what causes defects

and correlate defect size/type to resulting properties

Develop hybrid DDM processes (e.g., electron

beam and laser)

Develop and integrate sensing

technology into the machine design

Develop a means of working the material during deposition e.g.,

vibration, friction stir processing, laser shock peening, etc.

Validated predictive structure-property-processing models

Alloys designed specifically for DDM

Closed-loop monitoring & control fabrication systems; integrates sensor

data into process control algorithms.

Recommended R&D Areas

1. Sciencea) Physics based models for microstructure, properties, and defectsb) Control of surface roughness (internal and external)c) Hybrid DDM processes (e.g., electron beam and laser)d) Develop in situ DDM processes to achieve full density and wrought fatigue propertiese) Technology Fusion: Integration of ”Vision State” component technologies

2. Process Controla) Develop and integrate in-process, sensing, monitoring, and control technologiesb) Industry specifications and standards for DDM processed aerospace alloys c) Machine-to-machine output must be compared, variability understood, and controlled

3. Qualificationa) Alternative to conventional qualification methods based upon validated models,

probabilistic methods, and part similaritiesb) Industry specifications and standards for DDM and processed aerospace for alloysc) DDM NDE techniques

4. Innovative Structural Designa) Integrate structural and material design tool for DDMb) Shared DDM database (material properties & anisotropy and fabrication system)c) Educate design community

16

Technology Areas:

1. Direct digital manufacturing technology – hybrid and/or dual beam system

2. Real-Time, Closed-Loop, Integrated Sensing and Control Technology

3. Accelerated part certification methodology

4. Fusion of DDM technologies including laser rastering, cloud map, CAD system, build package development, and fabrication.

S&T Challenges:

• Validating structure-process-property models

• Developing predictive models for thermally controlled microstructures

• Tailoring powder size, type, distribution

• Controlling or eliminating gas induced microporosity

• Thermally controlling shrinkage induced porosity

• Developing heuristic, predictive property models for part certification

• Controlling machine-to-machine variability

• Converting CAD information into DDM fabrication programming

PARTS-ON-DEMANDNEEDED SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

17

Molten Pool

Focused LaserBeam

Dual Beam and/ or Hybrid DDM for increased• Fatigue life• Surface finish• Deposition rate• Part structural integrity

HYBRID & DUAL BEAM TECHNOLOGY

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

Fati

gue

Str

en

gth

, ksi

Stress Concentration Factor, Kt

Elimination of Micro-porosity could improve fatigue strength by 5 to 10 ksi

Reduced Surface Roughness could improve fatigue strength by 20 to 40 ksi

Effect of Surface Roughness and Micro-porosityon the Fatigue Strength of Ti-6Al-4V: Kt Effects

107 Cycles

105 Cycles

18

Approach• Multi-sensor thermal imaging

system• Real time NDI• Real-time algorithms for EB/LB

beam power control • Integrated material models

and process control

Purpose• Ensure complete fusion• Surface Quality• Eliminate Micro-porosity • Control Microstructure• Control thermal stresses

REAL-TIME, CLOSED-LOOP, INTEGRATED SENSING AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

19

Purpose• Rapid method for qualifying

DDM parts• No increase in risk• Materials & process

qualification• Structural Qualification

Approach• Develop heuristic, predictive property models for

part certification• Utilize the AIR-4.3 engineering certification

community • Build upon extant processes where possible• Utilize the results of an ONR/NAVAIR SBIR project

focused on streamlining qualification of DDM parts.

MaterialsTechnology

Standardized

MaterialsTechnology Fully

Characterized

MaterialsTechnology

Demonstrated

Full Scale ManufacturingDemonstration

Full ScaleTest ArticlesTest Criteria

Full Scale Inspections

Full Scale Tests Post Test Inspections

Extant Qualification Process Summary

Materials

Structure

RAPID QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION PROCESS

20

Approach• Use extant laser scanning

technology into digital cloud map• Minor software development• Convert Digital Model into Design:

Triangulated format - .STL file

Approach• Develop tailored software specific

to the selected DDM unit.

Purpose• Accurately capture a parts form

and shape in an electronic format.• Data must be in a format usable

by CAD systems.

TECHNOLOGY FUSION AND COMPONENT SYSTEM INTEROPERABILITY

Purpose• Convert CAD information into DDM

fabrication programming needed to control the DDM fabrication process.

Capture Part Form and Shape

CAD to DDM Build Package

The development and use of Direct Digital Manufacturing because it enables

– Enhanced operational availability

– Reduces total ownership cost (TOC)

– Reduces energy content

– Innovative structural design, and

– A more rapid response to the Warfighter.

Innovative in situ processes (e.g., hybrid laser and electron beam systems) and

an improved understanding of structure-property-processing relationships are

required in order to enhance fatigue properties reduce surface roughness.

The ability to achieve the vision state of parts-on-demand requires accurate and

predictable control of the DDM fabrication process

Part-by-part certification is costly and time consuming and is antithetical to

achieving the Navy’s vision; therefore, alternatives to conventional qualification

methods must be found.

Component technologies associated with DDM fabrication, reverse engineering,

qualification, and design must be made to work together seamlessly.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS