QUESTEK INNOVATIONS LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N172-106

Description

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a novel process of fabricating components in a layer-by-layer method under the control of computer-aided design (CAD) information, rather than by the traditional use of specially-made casting molds and forming dies. AM produced materials are highly susceptible to fatigue due to presence of large number of pores and defect, limiting its use in fatigue critical applications. Without a proper understanding of how HT/HIP affects the microstructural features that cause fatigue failure, optimization of fatigue performance and hence the use of AM built parts in fatigue critical application will be limited.<br>Under this SBIR program, QuesTek Innovations LLC will utilize its knowledge and expertise in Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) to assemble a suite of modeling tools capable of optimizing Additive Manufacturing (AM) post-build processes of metal parts for fatigue performance, without deteriorating other mechanical properties. As a leader in ICME and a pioneer in development of processing-structure-property models and ICME databases, QuesTek is uniquely qualified to extend its modeling capabilities to simulate porosity reduction, microstructural evolution and its effect on mechanical properties, residual stress and distortion as a function of heat treatment parameters.