Developing Partnerships for Diversifying Materials Research through Additive Manufacturing

Researchers from Penn State: 
(PI) Allison Beese, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
(co-PI) Andrea Arguelles, Assistant Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics 

Researchers from Clark Atlanta University:
(co-PI) Ishrat Khan, Professor, Department of Chemistry 

Project Summary

Binder jet printing is a promising additive manufacturing technology that can be implemented at much lower cost than fusion-based methods for metals. However, printing and post-processing steps can yield significant variations in the microstructure which can directly impact the mechanical properties. The proposed research aims to establish linkages among microstructure, mechanical properties, and signals obtained through nondestructive evaluation modalities, specifically ultrasound, in binder jet 316L and stainless steel 316 infiltrated with bronze.  

Impact

The proposed research will increase collaboration between Penn State and the HBCU institute Clark Atlanta University (CAU). This includes student exchanges between the partner institutions, an increase in CAU entering graduate school, and new outreach initiatives and jointly funded external grants. On the research side, the work will enable binder jet AM users to fabricate components, assess the part using ultrasound technologies, and confidently determine if the part has a suitable microstructure to meet the performance requirements.