42 MPR May/June 2013

additive manufacturing

0026-0657/13 ©2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

NAMII names AM projects chosen for fundingThe National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII), driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), has named seven additive manufacturing (AM) applied research and development projects that will receive US$4.5 million in funding.

This funding will be matched by US$5 million from the project teams.

“NCDMM and NAMII found that the submitted propos-als detailed highly innova-tive additive manufacturing project ideas, featuring applied research and develop-ment, efficient use of digital data, high sustainability, and aggressive education outreach and workforce training plans,” said Ed Morris, NCDMM vice president and NAMII director. “NAMII’s fundamental objec-tive is to spawn the creation of new, innovative products and the corresponding US jobs to support them based on the unique capabilities of additive manufacturing.”

The initial call for project, released in November 2012, focused on three technical topic areas: materials under-standing and performance; qualification and certifica-tion; and process capability and characterisation/process control. The projects had to cover educational outreach and workforce development training as well.

The seven selected projects cover variety of metal and polymer additive manufacturing processes and materials with near-term technical achievements impacting multiple key markets within a few months. Projects covering metal processing are as follows:

Qualification of Additive • Manufacturing Processes

and Procedures for

Repurposing and

Rejuvenation of Tooling,

Case Western Reserve

University: led by Case Western Reserve University, in partner-ship with several additive

manufacturers, die casters, computer modellers, and the North American Die Casting Association, this project will develop, evalu-ate, and qualify methods for repairing and repur-posing tools and dies. Die casting tools are very expensive – sometimes exceeding US$1 million each – and require long lead times to manufacture. The ability to repair and repurpose tools and dies can save energy and costs, and reduce lead time by extending tool life through use of the additive manu-facturing techniques devel-oped by this team.T• hermal Imaging for

Process Monitoring

and Control of Additive

Manufacturing, Penn

State University Center

for Innovative Materials

Processing through Direct

Digital Deposition (CIMP

3D): led by Penn State University, in partnership with several industry and university team members, this project will expand the use of thermal imag-ing for process monitoring and control of electron beam direct manufactur-ing (EBDM) and laser engi-neered net shaping (LENS) additive manufacturing processes. Improvements to the EBDM and LENS systems will enable 3D visualization of the meas-ured global temperature field and real-time control of electron beam or laser power levels based on thermal image character-istics. These outcomes will enable the community to have greater confidence on part properties and quality using these tech-nologies.

Rapid Qualification • Methods for Powder Bed

Direct Metal Additive

Manufacturing Processes,

Case Western Reserve

University: led by Case Western Reserve University, in partnership with leading aerospace industry companies and other industry and uni-versity team members, this project will improve the industry’s abil-ity to understand and control microstructure and mechanical proper-ties across EOS Laser Sintering and Arcam Electron Beam Melting (EBM) powder bed proc-esses. Process-based cost modeling with variable production volumes will also be delivered, provid-ing the community with valuable cost estimates for new product lines. The outcomes from this project will deliver much needed information to qualify these production processes for use across many industries.“The announcement of

NAMII’s first project call awardees is the continua-tion of the industrious and high-energy pace that NCDMM has established for NAMII since its found-ing a mere seven months ago as the pilot institute for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) infrastructure,” said Ralph Resnick, NCDMM president and executive director and NAMII founding director. “This initial award of projects marks the begin-ning of additional awards to come that will accelerate the integration of additive man-ufacturing into mainstream manufacturing.”The Courthouse in Youngston, Ohio, where the NAMII is located.

MPR0313_AM news 42 23-05-13 12:28:26