About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T25: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Materials and Manufacturing in Low Earth Orbit (and Beyond)
|
| Presentation Title |
Instrumentation for the Testing of Laser Beam Welding under Simulated Space Conditions via Parabolic Flight |
| Author(s) |
Aaron Brimmer, Eugene Choi, Will McAuley, Kaue Riffel, Boyd Panton, Antonio Ramirez |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Aaron Brimmer |
| Abstract Scope |
Welding and joining are critical enabling processes for in-space manufacturing yet no metallurgical joining processes are fit-for-service for applications in space conditions. A fundamental lack of understanding of the effects of the space environment on welding and welded joints remains a major impediment to long-term space exploration and habitation. Researchers at Ohio State’s Welding Engineering Program, in cooperation with NASA Marshall, AFRL, OFRN, and others, developed equipment for space-simulative testing of laser beam welding. Laser welds were instrumented with real-time measurement of attributes including weld plate temperature, gravity level, and pressure are captured via a data acquisition system and multiple cameras were integrated to monitor the weld pool. Success rates exceeding 98% were achieved on initial and follow on flights. Autogenous welds were completed on a combination of Aluminum 2219, Titanium 6Al-4V, and Stainless Steel 316L. Preliminary results indicate differences in defect formation between microgravity and Earth gravity conditions. |