1. Presenter name, Associates and Collaborators
Department of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, College of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Bahram Asiabanpour, Abbas Fahami, Aron Zamora, Maedeh Dabbaghianamiri
Ingram School of Engineering & Material Science, Engineering, and Commercialization,, Texas State University
An Investigation on the Effects of the Metal Surface Coating Factors on the Mechanical
Properties of Parts Fabricated by Fully Dense Freeform Fabrication Process
Introduction
Fully Dense Freeform Fabrication(FDFF) process is a freeform fabrication
process based on thin line cutting processes, variable thickness layering, and bulk
layer attachment. Combination of these capabilities enables the production of
complex parts of metals and various other materials. Building highly dense
metallic parts using Additive Manufacturing concept. The FDFF process uses an
integrated layer aligning, compression, and heat based bonding method that can
accurately align, position, bond layers together leading to fully dense metallic
parts in a short time and cost effective way.
FDFF Process Using Metal Surface Coating
The objective of this research is to investigate a method of bulk bonding of
stacked layers using external coating generating by the Electroplating Processes.
Electroplating Process is where a coating of metal is added to a conductor using
electricity through a reduction reaction. Metal ions in a solutions are reduced onto
the electrode to form a layer. Combining this two processes of FDFF and
Electrodepositing can increase the mechanical properties of a metal surface and
then create a layered complex geometrical metal part. This research investigates,
the mechanical (tensile strength) and physical (coating thickness) properties on
the fabricated bonded samples.
Methods and Processes
Steel samples were cut in the size of 4”X1” according to the STM 2294-6
standard. Nickel was used as the coating material and the following chemical were
used as the solution composition. Under adjusted solution composition, voltage,
current, process time, and temperature, successful bonding were produced
between two rectangle samples overlapping 0.5 inch.
Characterizations and Results
Mechanical property: Tensile strength test of the samples were conducted
based on ASTM Standard 2294-6 using Using Tinius Olsen Electro
Mechanical Tester, 600kn capacity.
The results for two runs were both above 10,000 psi. Below graph illustrate
the Stress – Strain Curve.
Coating composition and thickness:
Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA) method was used to measure
the composition and thickness of the electroplated nickel coating on the
substrates. As shown in below image, the percentage of Ni in the selected
area was at 88.88 weight %.
Also, coating thickness results ranged from 417.06µm to 395.08µm and an
average thickness of Ni coating of 408.69µm
Conclusion and Future Works
Bonding two metals by Electroplating process was
successfully achieved.
Layered electroplated parts tensile strength had good layer
attachment.
The process is highly experimental and any variation in the
impacting factors such as materials’ compositions, process
voltage, current, temperature, time, and sample surface
preparation make significantly different results.
The process can be expanded to many layers samples and
none flat layers.
The process can be extended to other materials and coating
processes.
Geometrical changes due to the coating can be predicted and
compensated in the CAD and metal cutting stage.
Acknowledgments
Authors would like to thank Ingram School of Engineering,
Material Science, Engineering, and Commercialization
(MSEC), Engineering Technology department, MicroPower
Inc., Dr. Casey Smith, and Reenergize-MSEIP grant for the
funding, lab space, materials, technical advice, and equipment
support and access. The content of this article are solely the
responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the sponsors and supporting individuals and
institutions.
ASTM Standard
2294-6