Model Foundry for Low Cost Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Manufacturing of Metal Matrix Composites Parts

Manufacturing technology development of 3DPT, injection molding, Tool-Less MoldT and Advanced Pressure Infiltration(APICT) technologies are proposed. Investment casting of injection molded preforms or preforms printed directly from a CAD file andsubsequent pressure infiltration will enable parts to be manufactured without the added expense of casting tooling. With materials recycling and inexpensive aluminum melt stock and low cost ceramic abrasive powder, the process will be cheaper than anycompetitive process for limited quantity production and competitive at high volume manufacturing. Moreover, the flexibility in design and the elimination of molds and tooling makes it possible to proceed from art to part in as little as two weeks with afresh design. Phase I and Phase II objective is to create an efficient model foundry that can be licensed to high volume commercial customers, used for component development and manufacturing parts for the DoD at low cost and rapid delivery. In Phase I acomplex subscale SM3 guidance housing was produced in collaboration with Raytheon and net-shape Noseblock stiffener was produced in collaboration with Boeing. Phase II will focus on manufacturing XBR Waveguide assemblies and the EKV sunshade and willexplore manufacturing and productivity issues associated with those parts.