DMLS and Manufacturing

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) has been used for manufacturing prototypes, functional metal components and prototype tools for more than 10 years. During this period the technology has advanced to a level where direct production of complex metallic parts for various applications is everyday life and manufacturing with its various challenges is its main target. The shift from prototyping to production requires changes in the technology and also in the organizations taking part in the shift. This paper presents the latest status of the DMLS technology and materials development trends for different application areas using EOSINT M270 laser sintering machine. Commercially launched materials include presently biomedical materials like Titanium and Cobalt Chrome alloys, ultra high strength Maraging Steel alloy, Stainless Steels and other high-end engineering materials. In addition, there are many materials which have been developed for evaluation purposes, waiting for industrial applications.Mechanical Engineerin

Materials processing in space: Future technology trends

NASA's materials processing in space- (MPS) program involves both ground and space-based research and looks to frequent and cost effective access to the space environment for necessary progress. The first generation payloads for research are under active design and development. They will be hosted by the Space Shuttle/Spacelab on Earth orbital flights in the early 1980's. hese missions will focus on the acquisition of materials behavior research data, the potential enhancement of Earth based technology, and the implementation of space based processing for specialized, high value materials. Some materials to be studied in these payloads may provide future breakthroughs for stronger alloys, ultrapure glasses, superior electronic components, and new or better chemicals. An operational 25 kW power system is expected to be operational to support sustained, systematic space processing activity beyond shuttle capability for second generation payload systems for SPACELAB and free flyer missions to study solidification and crystal growth and to process metal/alloys, glasses/ceramics, and chemicals and biologicals

Progress in advanced high temperature materials technology

Significant progress has recently been made in many high temperature material categories pertinent to such applications by the industrial community. These include metal matrix composites, superalloys, directionally solidified eutectics, coatings, and ceramics. Each of these material categories is reviewed and the current state-of-the-art identified, including some assessment, when appropriate, of progress, problems, and future directions

LTA structures and materials technology

The state-of-the-art concerning structures and materials technology is reviewed. It is shown that many present materials developments resulting from balloon and aircraft research programs can be applied to new concepts in LTA vehicles. Both buoyant and semi-buoyant vehicles utilize similar approaches to solving structural problems and could involve pressurized non-rigid and unpressurized rigid structures. System designs common to both and vital to structural integrity include much of the past technology as well. Further research is needed in determination of structural loads, especially in future design concepts

Trends in high temperature gas turbine materials

High performance - high technology materials are among the technologies that are required to allow the fruition of such improvements. Materials trends in hot section components are reviewed, and materials for future use are identified. For combustors, airfoils, and disks, a common trend of using multiple material construction to permit advances in technology is identified

Structures and materials technology for hypersonic aerospacecraft

Major considerations in structural design of a transatmospheric aerospacecraft are discussed. The general direction of progress in structures and materials technology is indicated, and technical areas in structures and materials where further research and development is necessary are indicated. Various structural concepts under study and materials which appear to be most applicable are discussed. Structural design criteria are discussed with particular attention to the factor-of-safety approach and the probabilistic approach. Structural certification requirements for the aerospacecraft are discussed. The kinds of analyses and tests which would be required to certify the structural integrity, safety, and durability of the aerospacecraft are discussed, and the type of test facility needed to perform structural certification tests is identified

Space Transportation Materials and Structures Technology Workshop

The Space Transportation Materials and Structures Technology Workshop was held on September 23-26, 1991, in Newport News, Virginia. The workshop, sponsored by the NASA Office of Space Flight and the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, was held to provide a forum for communication within the space materials and structures technology developer and user communities. Workshop participants were organized into a Vehicle Technology Requirements session and three working panels: Materials and Structures Technologies for Vehicle Systems, Propulsion Systems, and Entry Systems

Variable frequency microwave (VFM) processing facilities and application in processing thermoplastic matrix composites

Microwave processing of materials is a relatively new technology advancement alternative that provides new approaches for enhancing material properties as well as economic advantages through energy savings and accelerated product development. Factors that hinder the use of microwaves in materials processing are declining, so that prospect for the development of this technology seem to be very promising. The two mechanisms of orientation polarisation and interfacial space charge polarisation, together with dc conductivity, form the basis of high frequency heating. Clearly, advantages in utilising microwave technologies for processing materials include penetration radiation, controlled electric field distribution and selective and volumetric heating. However, the most commonly used facilities for microwave processing materials are of fixed frequency, e.g. 2.45 GHz. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of microwave technologies, processing methods and industrial applications, using variable frequency microwave (VFM) facilities. This is a new alternative for microwave processing

Filming seismograms and related materials at the California Institute of Technology

As part of a world-wide effort to create an international earthquake data bank, Caltech's seismology archive has been organized, labeled, described, and microfilmed. It includes a wide variety of original records, documents, and printed materials relating to local and distant earthquakes. At present, we are filming significant seismograms prior to 1963; more than 50,000 records written between 1924 and 1935 have been filmed to date. Seismograms are the principal source of information about earthquakes and the earth's interior. These records, housed at Kresge Laboratory, the headquarters for Caltech's seismological network of stations, are important because they span so much of the period for which instrumental data exists. The early history of the Laboratory points up the role technology has played in the advancement of the science