Micro-Mechanical Behaviour of High Deposition Rate Additive Manufactured Components (Advanced Metallic Systems CDT)

Additive manufacturing (AM) is of great interest to the aerospace industry because of its potential to reduce the cost and machining waste involved in producing complex components in expensive materials, like titanium alloys. There is thus currently high demand to qualify candidate AM processes that can be used to produce large-scale structural airframe components. Such processes typically use a wire fed into a moving heat source, such as an electric arc/plasma or electron beam, to build up the material and can achieve build rates of 10’s of kg/hour. However, large scale AM involves a larger layer thickness and melt pool size, which results in lower cooling rates and greater material anisotropy and heterogeneity in components compared that seen in the more mature small-scale powder bed 3D printing of metal parts. The microstructures of the parts produced are also very different to those of traditional forged components.

It is therefore important to fully understand the implications of the specific microstructure developed in high deposition rate AM on the micromechanical behaviour of the material and how this affects its failure behaviour under dynamic in-service conditions. This project aims to address this issue by using advanced in-situ analysis tools to study the local deformation and damage development in AM components, as a function of position and direction, and correlate the behaviour to the local microstructure and texture variation. An additional aim is to understand how modification to the microstructure, through process control, can be used to optimise performance.

The project will contribute to research aimed at supporting the qualification of high deposition rate additive manufacture of large-scale titanium airframe components. The research will be supervised through the Advanced Metallic Research Programme (AMRP) within Airbus Airframe R&T.

Advanced Metallic Systems Centre for Doctoral Training
The Advanced Metallic Systems CDT is a 4 year programme hosted jointly by the universities of Manchester and Sheffield building on their complimentary expertise and international reputations in materials science and engineering research. In year 1, students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds undertake taught courses in core materials topics. PhD research begins after 6 months. Our transferable skills and personal development programme leads to a Diploma in Professional Skills. Visit our website for more information www.metallicsCDT.co.uk.