NSF Award for Chou and Starr
June 13, 2017
Drs. Kevin Chou and Tom Starr are leading a new NSF award “Pore Formation Mechanisms in Laser Powder-Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing.”
Pores generated during the additive manufacturing (AM) process can degrade part mechanical performance. Pore formation in metal AM is complex and difficult to predict and control. The objectives of this research are to identify pore formation mechanisms in selective laser melting (SLM) and to predict, analyze and characterize porosity in SLM parts. A hybrid numerical modeling technique will produce particle-resolved simulations of various pore formation mechanisms. SLM experiments to be conducted in the Additive Manufacturing Research Center will validate the model using in-situ thermal imaging to capture process temperatures and melt-pool dynamics and post-build characterization to identify and quantify porosity using a high resolution micro-CT scanner.
This collaborative research project also includes Dr. Alexey Volkov from the University of Alabama.
