POLARONYX INC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 30g

Description

Additive manufacturing (AM), esp. laser AM, becomes a powerful tool to replace conventional methods such as casting and hot spray, due to its cost effectiveness and capability of making complex structure and composition. However, there is lack of efficient ways to do pre-, in-, and post process detection of defects, cracks, surface roughness, and alloy composition, to make nuclear quality parts. Statement of how this problem or situation is being addressed. Based on our patented laser AM technology and the world’s first fs fiber laser AM system (2016 R&D Award, Tungsten LAM System), PolarOnyx proposes, for the first time, a pulsed fs fiber laser based AM process to overcome these difficulties and meet the requirement of making high temperature and high quality nuclear reactor components. Our AM system will use only one single fs fiber laser source to detect/inspect in-process and post process quality, and manufacture additively and subtractively. This all-in-one multi-functional capability (NDI, SM and AM, controllable laser energy/power, controllable melting temperature and HAZ) is not achievable for CW laser AM and will significantly reduce the building time and cost. Its material absorption independent feature opens a new and unprecedented opportunity for multi-material 3D manufacturing. By integrating with fs laser SM, controllable layer-by-layer and line-by-line process can be done to micron level precision, so complex shape with fine structure is achievable. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: In addition to the metal 3D AM applications, material processing is another major commercial application for this project. This includes (1) Photonic device fabrications, such as waveguide, coupler, WDM, modulator, and switching; (2) all types of metal processing such as welding, cutting, annealing, and drilling; (3) semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing such as lithography, inspection, control, defect analysis and repair, and via drilling; (4) marking of all materials including plastic, metals, and silicon; (5) other materials processing such as rapid prototyping, desk top manufacturing, micromachining, photofinishing, embossed holograms, and grating manufacturing.