Developing and validating a model for better predicting the relationship between the process, the structure and the properties of an end product is the key aim of our Materials Processing Modeling research.
By enhancing predictive modeling capabilities, product and process development times can be greatly accelerated by reducing the required number of real-life development cycles. A secondary aim is the development of process-structure-property maps for identification of key microstructure-sensitive phenomena. Achieving this will require significant multi-scale and multi-physics research including thermal, fluid, chemical and metallurgical mechanical modeling.
Process Modeling is what links the three core research areas of I-Form. It is taking the materials, processing and part performance data and understanding (Theme 1) to develop process- specific, multi-scale computational models. These models will better predict end-part properties and will be used to allow the operator to better control, amend and correct the process in real time (Theme 3).
Projects underway in this area include
- Development of a computational platform for multi-scale, multi-physics AM modelling.
- Development of a process-structure-property model for metal PBF.
- Committed Polymer AM Spoke Support Project: Develop process understanding and modelling for polymer 3D printing (DLP-SLA and FDM) and post processing.
