INDUSTRIAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS INC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z3

Description

<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in">This Phase I program addresses the NASA needs for Technical Area TA12 which provides technologies supporting advanced manufacturing, structures, and materials.&nbsp; In this program, ultrasonic thermometry methods will be adapted to enable real time, temperature measurements during a friction stir weld, FSW.&nbsp; While FSW it has been successfully used at NASA-MSFC in the robust joining of thinner panels of aluminum alloys, the production of high quality welded joints in thicker panels or higher melting temperature materials remains challenging.&nbsp; Knowing and controlling the temperature is essential to optimize the process to ensure the production of repeatable, robust components.&nbsp; <u>Using sensors attached to the stir</u> <u>weld tool</u>, precise time-of-flight (ToF) measurements of ultrasound propagating through the weld zone will be used to estimate temperature.&nbsp; This temperature measurement made in the weld zone is non-intrusive and does not influence the thermal transport.&nbsp; Temperature data can be obtained at data rates as high as 1 kHz with the precision of a few degrees Centigrade.&nbsp; Once this &ldquo;smart&rdquo; stir weld tool temperature sensor is demonstrated, this technique can be incorporated into a control strategy and readily migrated to any of the FSW variations under development at the NASA-MSFC.</p>