Studying the effects of advanced manufacturing approaches, especially additive manufacturing, on materials properties and part performance.
Our expertise in laser-based advanced manufacturing is informed by a detailed understanding of the physics of laser-materials interactions. We focus primarily—but not exclusively—on metal manufacturing, and we also work with ceramics.
Our goal is to understand how materials evolve throughout the manufacturing process, which we achieve by developing and implementing high-speed diagnostics. We study how advanced manufacturing processes influence thermal history, materials chemistry, mechanical deformation, and other key process features. What we learn from these studies provides insight into how and why the final manufactured product behaves as it does.
To determine impacts on final component function, we perform microstructure characterization and macroscopic feature identification, as well as mechanical testing to understand materials behavior. These studies allow us to link information about processing to performance and are a critical part of understanding how manufacturing influences part behavior.
