Development and Qualification of Large AA7XXX Replacements via Solid-State and Lubricant-Free Additive Manufacturing

Successful additive manufacturing (AM) of large 7XXX Al alloy (AA7XXX) components is strongly desired by the Army to reduce manufacturing costs and lead times, and to address issues arising from a deteriorating supply chain. There is a critical need to fabricate large forge-quality AA7XXX replacements to create 1:1 property matching between AM and forging methods. However, reliable and repeatable production of large-scale, high-performance components that are increasingly difficult to source via traditional casting and forging suppliers. In this Phase II project, the Solvus-Baylor team will build upon its Phase I success to deliver full-sized helicopter parts with 1:1 property-matching at a size of roughly 2’ x 2’ x 0.8’. The ~180-lb net shape blocks will be heat-treated and machined to produce final parts with forge-like properties. The finished parts will undergo non-destructive testing (NDT), to ensure they are contaminant- and void-free, and witness blocks built on the same substrate will be destructively tested for mechanical properties. The finished parts will be submitted for component-level testing to determine part quality. This work leverages expertise in Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD) along with custom heat treatment development to meet qualification standards for forged AA7050 aviation parts, and eventually qualifying the manufacturing process for large-part production in Phase III.