Materials and Process Development for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM).

Played a key role in the commissioning of a custom hybrid 3D directed energy deposition (DED) and subtractive machining system with components and features including: glovebox, oxygen and moisture removal/monitoring equipment, fume extractor, 1kW fiber laser, DED material deposition head, high speed machining spindle, 3-axis CNC, dual powder feeders, and multiple liquid chillers.Generated CAD files of various geometries and used slicing software to generate machine code for DED fabrication. Operated a custom DED machine and manufactured bulk and thin wall metallic structures from Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, and Ti alloys. Densified and heat treated metallic samples using a HIP machine and various furnaces.Prepared metallographic samples for microstructural and phase analysis using a bandsaw, abrasive cutoff saw, polymeric hot mounting press, grinding and polishing equipment, and chemical etching methods. Used FIB to cut and polish TEM samples.Characterized metallic materials including Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, and Ti alloys produced via DED, PBF, BJP, hot press, and conventional manufacturing processes. Microstructural, phase, and chemical charecterization techniques included optical microscopy, SEM, EDS, TEM, and XRD. Mechanical property characterization techniques included conventional (strain measured by extensometer) high temperature (600°C - 1200°C) tensile and creep testing, and unconventional (strain measured by digital image correlation (DIC) techniques) room temperature tensile and creep testing, and hardness testing using micro and nanoindentation methods.

Worked in a university based research foundry. Prepared sand for and produced green sand and resin bonded sand molds. Performed methylene blue tests to measure the amount of active clay present in recycled green sand. Prepared charge material for melting. Poured, post-processed, machined, and analyzed steel castings. Prepared metallographic samples using a bandsaw, abrasive cutoff saw, polymeric hot mounting press, grinding and polishing equipment, and chemical etching methods. Ensured correct casting chemistry using a spark spectrometer. Used optical microscopes to image etched samples. Estimated grain size using linear intercept methods. Machined tensile bars from castings using a CNC lathe. Modified a CNC lathe to enhance automation. Designed fixtures for general machining and foundry operations using commercial CAD software. Fabricated fixtures using a bandsaw, chop saw, manual mill, drill press, MIG welder, and TIG welder. Wrote SOPs for various processes.