| Abstract Scope |
Conditions during solidification in additive manufacturing (AM) differ substantially from those in conventional processes. As a result, processing conventional alloys adapted from their original processing context yields dramatically different microstructures, with corresponding departures from desired properties. An alternative approach is to design new alloys specifically to take advantage of AM thermal conditions. A good example is the development of new near-eutectic aluminum alloys. Early explorations into new compositions showed interesting results but also presented many scientific challenges. This presentation will show the progress through exploring possible compositions, discovering new phases and microstructure characteristics, and refining the alloy design to get desirable microstructures and properties. In principle, computational process modeling can help influence those thermal conditions by guiding our manipulation of process conditions. The evolution of tools for exploring these capabilities will be discussed, including recent development for large-scale predictions of thermal conditions and grain structure. Finally, a perspective will be given for combining contemporary computational tools and new alloys for the next generation of high-performance AM components, as well as discussion of remaining limitations and research needs, especially with respect to success deployment of new materials in industrial applications. |