基于净形加工的高精度液滴制造技术

Abstract

In collaboration with the University of California at Irvine (TJCI), we are working on a new technology that relies on the precise deposition of nanoliter molten-metal droplets that are targeted onto a substrate by electrostatic charging and deflection. By this way, three dimensional (3D) structural materials can be manufactured microlayer by microlayer. Because the volume of the droplets are small, they rapidly solidify on impact, bringing forth a material component with fine grain structures which lead to enhanced material properties (e.g., strength). UC1 is responsible for an experimental investigation of the manufacturing feasibility of this process. LLNL has unique expertise in the computational modeling of 3D heat transfer and solid mechanics and has the large-scale computer resources necessary to model this large system. Process modeling will help move this technology from the bench-top to an industrial process. Applications at LLNL include rapid prototyping of metal parts and manufacturing new alloys by co-jetting different metals.