Author(s) |
Omar Mireles, Fernando Reyes, Justin Milner, Eric Brizes, Lauren Abbott, Toren Hobbs, Carly Romnes, Brandon Colón, Jarvis Caffrey, Kevin Wheeler |
Abstract Scope |
High temperature refractory metals are required for higher temperature propulsion applications. Additive manufacture (AM) is under development to produce Niobium (Nb), Molybdenum (Mo), Tungsten (W), and Rhenium based components such as thruster reaction chambers, thermal stand-offs, nozzle extensions, wing leading edges, etc. Refractory AM is in development and like traditional AM alloys requires substantial powder feedstock development, novel AM methods and specialized post-processing heat treatment, surface finish enhancement, coatings, non-destructive evaluation, and machining before placed in service. The combination of limited feedstock sources, high temperature processing, oxygen sensitivity, fracture prone nature, and need for elevated temperature mechanical testing limit the number of qualified facilities, which add to cost and schedule constraints. However, properly implemented AM can overcome existing manufacture limitations by increasing design flexibility, new material options, reduced price, decreased lead-time, and leveraging the growing AM technologies. This presentation details ongoing efforts to mature refractory metal AM for aerospace applications. |