Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing Research Articles

Data-Driven Overlapping-Track Profile Modeling in Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing

Cold spray additive manufacturing is an emerging solid-state deposition process that enables large-scale components to be manufactured at high-production rates. Control over geometry is important for reducing the development and growth of defects during the 3D build process and improving the final dimensional accuracy and quality of components. To this end, a machine learning approach has recently gained interest in modeling additively manufactured geometry; however, such a data-driven modeling framework lacks the explicit consideration of a depositing surface and domain knowledge in cold spray additive manufacturing. Therefore, this study presents surface-aware data-driven modeling of an overlapping-track profile using a Gaussian Process Regression model. The proposed Gaussian Process modeling framework explicitly incorporated two relevant geometric features (i.e., surface type and polar length from the nozzle exit to the surface) and a widely adopted Gaussian superposing model as prior domain knowledge in the form of an explicit mean function. It was shown that the proposed model could provide better predictive performance than the Gaussian superposing model alone and the purely data-driven Gaussian Process model, providing consistent overlapping-track profile predictions at all overlapping ratios. By combining accurate prediction of track geometry with toolpath planning, it is anticipated that improved geometric control and product quality can be achieved in cold spray additive manufacturing.

Tuning the mechanical properties of CrCoFeMnNi high entropy alloy via cold spray additive manufacturing associated with heat treatment

The CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy (HEA) is the most studied HEA because of its excellent combination of strength and ductility. However, despite the advantage of CoCrFeMnNi HEA, its application is limited owing to its low yield strength. In this study, an emerging cold spray additive manufacturing technique was applied to fabricate a bulk CrCoFeMnNi high entropy alloy to improve the yield strength of CrCoFeMnNi. The paper presented an experimental investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-sprayed and heat-treated CrCoFeMnNi high entropy alloy samples under compressive loading conditions at different strain rates. The microstructural analysis of the as-sprayed samples exhibited undeformed particles, numerous refined grains, and an interparticle incomplete interface. Post-heat treatment was applied to tune inter-particle bonding and ductility. Quasi-static compression tests (at 0.001 s−1) and dynamic impact tests (up to 3900 s−1) were carried out on the as-sprayed and heat-treated samples along the printing direction (vertical samples) and perpendicular to the printing direction (horizontal samples). The extraordinary mechanical properties of the as-sprayed vertical samples reached a yield strength of ∼ 1036.6 MPa and an ultimate compressive strength of ∼ 1117.8 MPa at a strain deformation of 10.1%. The as-sprayed horizontal samples had a yield strength of ∼ 1033.1 MPa and an ultimate compressive strength of ∼ 1102 MPa at a strain of 5.6%. Thus, the as-sprayed (vertical and horizontal) samples showed mechanical anisotropic properties. Further, the as-sprayed samples showed brittle behavior. However, as-sprayed samples exhibit high ductility, up to 70%, and high plastic deformation after heat treatment. The deformation mechanism of as-sprayed and heat-treated samples is dominated by deformation twinning. This work showed excellent yield and ultimate compressive strength compared to other CrCoFeMnNi high entropy alloy manufacturing methods.

Importance of feedstock powder selection for mechanical properties improvement of cold spray additively manufactured Ti6Al4V deposits

CSAM (cold spray additive manufacturing) of Ti6Al4V is a challenging task and high-quality deposits conforming to the AM application standards have not been developed so far. In our study, two distinct feedstock Ti6Al4V powders with different morphology and microstructure, spherical and crystalline, were used and their influence on the deposits was investigated in terms of microstructure as well as tensile properties. The results indicate the mechanical strength and ductility of the as-deposited samples to be in the range of 8–30 % compared to wrought Ti6Al4V and highlight a significant anisotropy in different in-plane directions. The post-treatments of the deposits from the spherical, plasma atomized powder effectively reduced the porosity and triggered microstructural homogenization and recrystallization, leading to a significant increase in the yield and tensile strengths, reaching 892 MPa and 954 MPa, respectively, while achieving an enormous enhancement in the elongation to 21.6 % at the same time. This was in a striking contrast to the deposits from the crystalline powder: despite the yield and tensile strength increase to 853 MPa and 1058 MPa, respectively, the elongation remained virtually zero, highlighting the importance of the feedstock powder selection in cold spray additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V.

Effect of strain rate on compressive behavior and deformation mechanism of CoCrNi medium entropy alloy fabricated via cold spray additive manufacturing

The equiatomic CoCrNi medium entropy alloy (MEA) has shown better mechanical properties than many MEAs and high entropy alloys (HEAs) at room temperatures. However, the mechanical behaviors and deformation mechanisms of CoCrNi MEAs have yet to be studied, especially at different strain rates. In this study, cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) was applied to fabricate freestanding CoCrNi deposits. The investigation of compressive behaviors and deformation mechanisms were studied at a low-strain rate of 0.001 s−1 and at a high strain rate ranging from 2300 s−1to 4200 s−1. The as-fabricated sample exhibited refined grains, unfused powders, and large porosity, resulting in limited metallurgical bonding within the bulk CoCrNi deposit and deformed particle interface. Therefore, post-heat treatment at 1350 °C was applied to improve the interparticle bonding and strengthen the as-fabricated CoCrNi deposits. As expected, the annealed deposit significantly improved the ultimate compressive strength (UCS) and strain elongation of the as-fabricated deposits from ∼90 MPa and ∼5% to ∼1400 MPa, and ∼70% at a strain rate of 0.001 s−1. Besides, the annealed samples showed improvement twofold in UCS and ductility of the as-fabricated deposits from ∼67 MPa and ∼8.6% to ∼1266 MPa and ∼34% at a strain rate of 4200 s−1 and 3800 s−1 respectively. The TEM image of the annealed CoCrNi sample showed deformation twining, nano twins, planar slips, and microbands, which are the dominant deformation mechanisms that help to promote the plasticity and the work hardening behavior of this alloy. This work validates the compressive behavior and deformation mechanism of cold-sprayed CoCrNi MEA associated with post-heat treatment at different strain rates.

Examining the contribution of tamping effect on inter-splat bonding during cold spray

In Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM), the 'tamping effect'—resulting from continuous impact of incoming particles enhances the mechanical properties of deposited layers. While the impact of tamping on porosity is well-studied, its influence on inter-splat bonding remains unexplored. In this study a multiparticle simulation based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is employed, featuring 120 particles distributed across 12 layers to model the deposition process in cold spray. A methodology is developed to discern the effect of tamping, enabling the estimation of particle boundary temperatures under conditions with and without tamping. Energy analysis and inter-splat boundary temperature variations obtained from simulations are examined to understand the contribution of tamping to bonding. Our findings reveal a significant increase in inter-splat boundary temperatures, attributed to energy transfer from overlying layers, positively impacting bonding. The proposed hypothesis is substantiated through mechanical testing and the assessment of inter-splat bonding-related properties, including hardness, tensile strength, scratch resistance, and corrosion resistance, as a function of deposit thickness. CSAM IN718 and Cu deposits with a thickness of 4 mm are used as subjects for this study.

Microstructure and tribology of cold spray additively manufactured multimodal Ni-WC metal matrix composites

Cold spray produces thick and dense deposits that can be applied in additive manufacturing or as a repair to recover damaged components. One potential materials system is WC-reinforced Ni composites, which are known for a combination of high hardness and toughness. WC particle size and distribution are some of the most important variables that impact the mechanical properties and wear resistance. In this study, thick multimodal Ni-24 vol%WC composite coatings were additively manufactured using the cold spray technique. Spherical Ni powder and two types of WC particles, i.e., cast and agglomerated, were used as feedstock materials. The microstructure, porosity, WC distribution, and microhardness of coatings were investigated in comparison with cold-sprayed Ni and Ni-agglomerated WC coatings with similar WC fill ratios. Dry sliding wear of multimodal Ni-WC coatings was studied with a sliding speed of 3 mm/s under normal loads of 5 and 12 N and was then compared to Ni and composite coatings made with only agglomerated WC. Multimodal Ni-WC coatings with an altered distribution of WC particles offered an improvement in friction and wear as compared to Ni-agglomerated WC coatings. Characterization of worn surfaces revealed the formation of tribofilms following compaction of wear debris. A more stable tribofilm that developed to a higher coverage was identified for coatings with multimodal WC particles at both tested loads. However, the protective role of tribofilms was reduced at a higher load, caused by subsurface crack propagation. Subsurface microstructure of worn surfaces that are induced by sliding wear was studied, and a correlation between the mechanical properties and microstructure and wear mechanism of coatings was made. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of cold spray additive manufacturing in producing multimodal Ni-WC composite coatings with enhanced wear resistance.

Spray Trajectory Planning for Complex Structural Components in Robotized Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing

Spray Trajectory Planning for Complex Structural Components in Robotized Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing

An application of cold spray additive manufacturing for thermoelectric generator thermal interfacing

The influence of thermal interface resistance is an important design problem for the optimisation of heat transfer systems. For thermoelectric generators (TEG), it can limit the ability to convert thermal energy directly to electrical energy. This paper describes an experimental and numerical study of the influence of thermal interface resistance on TEG module performance. A test apparatus was constructed to evaluate TEGs under varying temperature and heat source/sink conditions. The effect of heat source/sink interface finish grades, corresponding to medium quality (N8-N6) and very fine (N5-N4) surface finishes, at varying clamp forces, is evaluated. Then the application of cold spray additive manufactured copper, as a novel method of TEG module thermal interfacing is explored. Experimental data is accompanied with numerical analysis using TEG ideal equations and the effective material properties approach with the incorporation of temperature dependency and fabrication quality factors to improve modelling accuracy. A system of simultaneous heat flow equations is then established to numerically solve for the presence of thermal interface resistance. The results show that high clamp forces (3600 N) and very fine finish grades were sufficient to minimise thermal interface resistance to the range 0–5.98 ×10−5m2KW−1, representing a loss of 0–9.9% in maximal achievable power. For the cold spray thermally interfaced TEG module, resistance estimates were lower and in the range 0–5.4 ×10−6m2KW−1, corresponding to a 0–1.0% loss in power.

A continuous toolpath strategy from offset contours for robotic additive manufacturing

Toolpath planning is an essential component of robotic additive manufacturing. An efficient toolpath strategy allows parts to be made that are geometrically accurate, free of defects, have good mechanical properties and have low residual stress. Toolpaths for cold spray additive manufacturing have some technical constraints that need to be considered compared to their counterpart designed for conventional 3D printing machines. This study presents an automated toolpath planning method based on offset contours. The generated toolpath is globally continuous, layer-wise setting, making it suitable for robotic cold spray additive manufacturing. The toolpath algorithm was tested on a variety of geometries to demonstrate its robustness. One model was selected for printing using a commercial high-pressure cold spray system. The experimental results show that our method is applicable to cold spray robotic additive manufacturing for near-net shape construction. The method is particularly good for web-rib structures.

Unraveling microforging principle during in situ shot-peening-assisted cold spray additive manufacturing aluminum alloy through a multi-physics framework

Cold spray (CS) is a highly potential solid-state additive manufacturing (AM) technique. In situ shot-peening-assisted CSAM was proposed to additively manufacture fully dense deposits using cost-effective and renewable nitrogen gas. The role of in situ shot-peening particles is critical but remains unclear. Here, the process was quantitatively modeled to visualize the dynamic deformation, energy conversion, as well as cell/sub-grain size and microhardness evolutions, compared to those during the conventional CSAM process, identifying the key role of in situ shot-peening particles in the AA6061 extreme deformation and microstructure characteristics during in situ shot-peening-assisted CSAM. High-fidelity modeling was verified fully by comparing the experimental and model-reproduced deformation profiles, cell/sub-grain size distributions, and increases in microhardness. The results show that the kinetic energy of in situ shot-peening particles was 470 times higher and dissipated mainly through AA6061 plastic deformation (86.36% of total energy), leading to significant enhancement of microhardness and tensile strength. Moreover, the mixing ratio of large-size SS410 particles required to create a fully dense deposit was evaluated from an energy perspective, in good agreement with the experiment. This study elucidates the microforging principle during in situ shot-peening-assisted CSAM, providing scientific guidelines for high-quality and low-cost CSAM of high-strength aluminum alloys.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of cold spray additive manufactured and post heat treated high-entropy alloys with mixed CoCrFeNi and Ti powders

Solid-state cold spray additive manufacturing has the potential to fabricate high-strength bulk high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Through systematic experiments, this study examined the microstructure and mechanical properties of cold spray fabricated bulk HEAs with mixed CoCrFeNi and Ti powders and explored the effects of Ti content in 4 and 7 at% and post-heat treatment at 800 °C/6 h and 1000 °C/6 h. It is found that the bulk HEAs are highly densified and remain nearly defect-free after the post-heat treatment. The addition of Ti serves as an mixing powder effect to further densify the alloys. Moreover, the addition of Ti and post-heat treatment promote the formation of fine precipitates, including Fe2Ti, Co2Ti, CrFe, CoTi2, and Ni3Ti, which contributes to the strengthening of the alloys. Furthermore, post-heat treatment improves the cohesion of the alloys and yields fine and relatively uniform grains by stimulating static recovery and recrystallization. These synergistic effects improve the hardness, elastic modulus, strength, and ductility properties. The average hardness and elastic modulus of the bulk alloys are as high as 377.6 HV and 94.8 GPa, respectively; the best ultimate tensile strength and elongation to failure are 626.7 MPa and 22.1 %, respectively. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction validates the complex precipitates formed and confirms that there is no phase change during tension. The study offers insights into the microstructure and mechanical properties of cold spray additive manufactured HEAs and the effects of mixed powders and post-heat treatment on tuning microstructure and properties.

Cold spray forming: a novel approach in cold spray additive manufacturing of complex parts using 3D-printed polymer molds

The solid-state additive manufacturing (AM) process cold spraying (CS) offers advantageous properties such as melt-free near-net-shape part fabrication and high deposition rates. Compared to other metal-based AM processes such as the powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) or directed energy deposition (DED) processes such as laser metal deposition (DED-LB), CS features lower part resolution. One solution to increase the achievable level of detail is spraying onto removable molds. No study exists that investigates the general feasibility and manufacturing boundaries, from which design guidelines could be derived. In this paper, the applicability of material extruded and thermally bonded polymer (MEX-TRB/P) shapes, which is especially suitable for flexible low-cost production of small batches, as molds for cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) is investigated. For this purpose, material extruded thermoplastics are examined regarding their suitability for the CS process. Furthermore, geometrical and thus constructive restrictions of this new approach “Cold Spray Forming” (CSF) are analyzed using an industry-relevant use case. It was shown that the feasibility of this approach could be determined by the material value hardness of the sprayed polymer substrates.

Antimicrobial property, corrosion resistance and tarnish resistance of cold-sprayed additive manufactured copper-nickel alloy

The management of infectious diseases has posed a significant challenge in recent years, drawing the attention of scientific communities. Copper is renowned for its robust antimicrobial properties; however, it is susceptible to tarnishing. In contrast, copper-nickel alloy demonstrates not only commendable mechanical strength and corrosion resistance but also exceptional antimicrobial efficacy. A suitable copper-nickel alloy was synthesised using cold spray additive manufacturing, blending copper and nickel powders. The resultant as-printed coupons underwent heat treatment at varying temperatures to ensure alloy formation, porosity reduction, and property enhancement. Both corrosion properties and hardness were investigated across different selected heat treatment conditions. The specimens exhibiting the highest corrosion resistance and hardness were selected for antibacterial and tarnish resistance testing. Stainless Steel 316 was employed in the antibacterial evaluation as a negative control for comparison. Notably, a fair well distribution of copper and nickel was observed within the as-printed product. The optimal heat treatment condition for the copper-nickel alloy was determined to be 1030 °C followed by air cooling, as it exhibited superior material properties compared to alternative heat treatment conditions. An assessment of antimicrobial performance underscored the alloy’s effectiveness in rapidly eradicating bacteria. Additionally, the highest strength samples underwent a tarnish resistance study, revealing elevated tarnish resistance. The nature of material performance in response to the heat-treatment process and antibacterial performance are discussed.

Impact and adhesion mechanics of block copolymer micro-particles with a silicon substrate

Deformation of a two-phase block copolymer (BCP) during high velocity impacts is studied experimentally and theoretically with an aim to use this material in cold spray (CS) additive manufacturing. Micron scale (10–20 μm) spherical particles of polystyrene-block-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS) are impacted on a silicon substrate by using a laser-induced projectile impact test (LIPIT) setup with impact velocities in the range of 50–600 m/s. Experiments indicate that polymer particles adhere to the substrate when their impact velocities fall within the range of 140–500 m/s. A constitutive model that accounts for the effects of both strain rate and temperature on the mechanical behavior of such materials is developed. A critical energy release rate function which depends on the surface temperature and rate of separation is formulated and used in a cohesive zone model (CZM) to model bonding of the BCPs on the substrate. The model parameters are calibrated by comparing the deformed and computed deformed particle shapes and coefficient of restitution values of the rebounding particles. Simulations show that the particles experience ultra-high strain rates (>104 s−1), large deformation, and temperature elevation due to plastic dissipation and interfacial friction. The outer rim of the contact interface is predicted to experience temperature levels above the glass transition temperature of the PS-domain of the BCP. Bonding is correlated with increase of contact area, plastic dissipation and temperature rise in the interface.

Life Cycle Assessment of Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing and Conventional Machining of Aluminum Alloy Flange

Cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) is generally used to repair worn components and build complex on-demand parts by depositing metal powder layer-wise using compressed air. Previous studies on CSAM were focused on printing parameters, materials properties, and printed part mechanical performance. However, the energy consumption and environmental impacts of CSAM processes have not yet been investigated, which are essential factors for sustainable manufacturing. This study aims to investigate the carbon footprint of the CSAM process and compare it with conventional machining processes and other additive manufacturing. The life cycle assessment methodology was followed to calculate the carbon footprint of a pipe flange, considering rod or tube as a feedstock. Results revealed that the machined flange from the tube had the lowest CO2-eq emissions of 31 kg CO2-eq due to low rough machining energy consumption and scrap production, compared to the machined flange from a rod and a printed flange from powder. Moreover, the life cycle carbon emissions increased by 8% and 19% in case of the printed and machined flanges, with uncertainties of 4% and 9%, respectively, when changing feedstock CO2 emissions. From a regional perspective, the CSAM process was responsible for the lowest CO2-eq emissions in Tasmania and South Australia.

What is cold spray AM?

Titomic, a US company that has developed cold spray additive manufacturing (AM), explains the potential of the technology.

Significant improvement of mechanical properties of cold-spray-additive manufactured FeCoNiCrMn high-entropy alloy via post-annealing

In this work, equimolar FeCoNiCrMn high-entropy alloy (HEA) was fabricated by solid-state cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) technique and post-annealed. The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the deposits before and after annealing were systematically evaluated. The tensile test results revealed that the deposit annealed at 1000 °C for 2 h exhibited an excellent combination of tensile strength and ductility, with a doubled ultimate tensile strength of 455 MPa compared with the as-sprayed and significantly improved elongation (28%). The improved strength can be attributed to the healing of micropores and interparticle interfaces in the deposit due to the interface diffusion induced by high temperature. The recovery of ductility is the result of a significantly decreased dislocation density and enhanced metallurgical bonding at interfacial regions. For the first time, the current work demonstrated that the combination of CSAM and post-annealing strategy could achieve the strength-ductility synergy of HEA deposits. The results of in-situ analysis show that the mechanism of tensile deformation process includes particle separation, and it can be inferred that the preparation of dense sediments combined with post-treatment is the direction of further optimization.

A design and optimisation framework for cold spray additive manufacturing of lightweight aerospace structural components

Cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) is a solid-state deposition process with the potential to produce near-net shape components with complex geometry at a high fabrication rate, making it an attractive alternative to more widely established additive manufacturing (AM) processes. However, CSAM is still in its early stages and requires numerous advancements. The current literature highlights the lack of a design framework for fabricating structural components that encompasses the advantages and constraints of CSAM. This work proposes such a framework to guide product and process engineers, with its novel aspects including (i) accounting for different spray trajectories and their effect on anisotropic mechanical properties, (ii) accounting for the primary constraint for toolpath planning (maximum overhang angle ‘MOA’), and (iii) virtual development and optimisation of a real-world structural component with complex geometry. To exemplify this framework, tensile properties under two spray trajectories were determined experimentally for a common lightweight metal (titanium) supplemented with a ceramic to form a metal matrix composite with improved strength and hardness. Optimisation of the design was conducted via finite element analysis and topology optimisation (TO). Two different TO processes were conducted, namely (i) minimising the strain energy of the structure and reducing the weight by 60% (best stiffness-to-weight ratio) and (ii) minimising the weight by targeting a maximum factor of safety (FoS) value of 1.2. The final design was fabricated via CSAM with relatively little raw material wastage and reasonably close geometric accuracy. Fabrication defects were, however, noticed after making a demonstration component and mitigation measures are discussed within the context of the design framework proposed here.

Cold-Spray Additive Manufacturing of a Petal-Shaped Surface Permanent Magnet Traction Motor

Several applications require low torque pulsations as they can lead to mechanical vibrations and acoustic noise in the electric motor. Optimization of the rotor permanent magnet (PM) shape is one of the effective methods for reducing torque pulsations. Unfortunately, the low versatility of the magnet fabrication technologies limits the development of new motor geometries. Cold spray additive manufacturing can be used for shaping permanent magnets for the direct fabrication of motor parts without the need for additional assembly steps. This fabrication technique allows an increase in the design flexibility of electric machine geometries targeting improved performance. This paper investigates the performance of permanent magnet rotors fabricated using a cold spray additive manufacturing technique for radial flux surface permanent magnet synchronous machines (SPMSM). The permanent magnet rotors considered are conventional rectangular-shaped with unskewed magnets (Model A), skewed magnets (Model B), and sinusoidal-petal shaped magnets (Model C) along the axial direction. The magnitude of magnetization current pulse required to magnetize these rotors is calculated and an impulse magnetizer setup is designed for in-situ magnetization. The performance of the shaped cold sprayed permanent magnet rotors and their effects on back EMF, electromagnetic torque, and cogging torque are analyzed experimentally and comparisons are made between the different rotor designs.

Severe plastic deformation induced nano dispersion and strengthening effect in oxide dispersion strengthened copper fabricated by cold spray additive manufacturing

This work presented a novel net-shape-forming technology to prepare oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) copper by cold spray additive manufacturing. There were three types of Al2O3 particles in the internal oxidation Cu-Al2O3 raw powders. After cold spraying, two types of nano-sized Al2O3 inside the raw powder were inherited into the deposition, and the micro-sized Al2O3 on the powder surface was crushed to nano-size under severe plastic deformation, which dispersed along the interface of deformed powder due to the plastic flow of Cu caused by adiabatic shearing. The plastic deformation produced by cold spraying was 20% higher than the hot extrusion with extrusion ratio of 11:1, which fully achieves the Al2O3 fragmentation, dispersion distribution and densification of the cold sprayed deposition. Moreover, due to the significant work hardening and grain refinement effect by SPD during cold spraying, Vickers hardness and nanoindentation hardness of the ODS Cu deposition increased to 185.63 HV3 and 2.76 GPa, respectively, which were significantly higher than the raw powders and hot extrusion sample.