REM CHEMICALS, INC. — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z3

Description

<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in">The objective of this proposal is to develop a surface finishing technology for Inconel 625 Additive Manufactured (AM) workpieces.&nbsp;&nbsp; The following methodologies will be evaluated and optimized: vibratory finishing, chemical milling and electropolishing.&nbsp; Once optimized, the project will explore combinations of these aforementioned methodologies in order to identify a surface finishing process that can remove 0.02 inches (0.51 mm) of stock in the shortest practical time.&nbsp; The deliverable will be a practical surface finishing procedure that is amenable to commercial industrial scale-up.</p><p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in">Inconel 625 is a nickel-based superalloy that is used in critical aerospace parts that require mechanical strength, resistance to thermal creep deformation, surface stability and resistance to corrosion or oxidation.&nbsp; AM Inconel 625 parts are lighter, can be more complex and consist of fewer components than those made by conventional machining.&nbsp; AM parts, however, suffer from very rough surfaces having initiation sites that lessen their mechanical strength and fatigue properties.&nbsp; A process is urgently needed to reduce the surface roughness so as to eliminate stress raisers in order for the aerospace industries to take full advantage of AM Inconel 625.&nbsp; Currently, there are no known processes to accomplish this proposal&rsquo;s objectives.</p>