Efficient shaping or reshaping of complex 3D parts using engineered residual stress

ABSTRACT: Increasing emphasis on affordability of military systems has led to a number of advances in airframe production. For example, high speed machining (HSM) has made it possible to fabricate thin structures that provide improved performance. However, near-surface plastic strains induced by HSM or surface treatments can lead to excessive component distortion such that the component requires reshaping, resulting in additional cost. In some cases, surface treatments are applied specifically to reach a target distorted shape. Reliable analytical procedures are critical for shaping or reshaping complex components, thereby increasing affordability of advanced manufacturing methods. The main goal of this project is to develop a tool capable of optimizing the machining and surface treatment processes for complex components such that a target deformation can be achieved with quantified uncertainty. This tool will be built upon already proven success developing and validating a mathematical model for predicting distortion of complex components due to the machining process. ESRD will collaborate with The Boeing Company to demonstrate the predictive performance of this tool with a typical aerospace component, validating the system by comparing predicted distortion to experimental measurements. This system should lead to substantial cost savings in the manufacturing of metallic aerospace components. BENEFIT: The vehicle for commercialization of the new technological capabilities will be ESRD's software product StressCheck which is already being used by major aerospace OEMs, primarily for special applications and detailed analysis at the subcomponent and component levels. It provides the infrastructure necessary for supporting hierarchic modeling and solution verification procedures. The key to successful commercialization is the development of metrics that demonstrate not only the new technological capabilities but also the substantial economic benefits in terms of cost reductions derived from enabling designers to model design alternatives without having to perform extensive testing of prototypes. The economic benefit is known: if the predictive capability is successfully demonstrated during Phase I, Boeing expects substantial savings to be realized in manufacturing of unitized structures. The primary market for the technical capabilities to be developed is both military and commercial aircraft manufacturers. This includes the major OEMs and their suppliers. The Boeing Company has provided ESRD with a Letter of Support for developing the technology to be researched under this SBIR, and as such, the initial commercialization will be within Boeing. As complex unitized components are becoming more common in the aerospace industry the need becomes greater for a virtual distortion modeling system, and there should be extensive need within other aerospace OEMs as well for a tool that enhances reliability and reduces the cost of complex components. Substantial market opportunities also exist in automotive, shipbuilding, and other industries that perform surface treatments on their metallic components.