Adaptation of OmniSlice(TM) functionally graded materials capability for Directed Energy Deposition Platforms

Traditional manufacturing processes for munitions are limited to monolithic materials and simple designs. This limitation is exacerbated given the very hard and strong metals that interest the military. These problems can be solved using new production techniques in additive manufacturing (AM) where multiple powdered materials can be deposited simultaneously using a directed energy deposition (DED) AM platform. DED AM platforms allow for the creation of functionally graded materials (FGMs) in metals enabling the production of complex, multi-material munitions with enhanced lethality and/or survivability. The Kraetonics and The University of North Texas (UNT) team will develop a proof-of-concept (POC) software for printing FGMs on a DED AM platform that consist of metals and/or metal alloys. This POC will generate complex toolpaths and output g-code that can change the metal composition on a single layer. The team will demonstrate the control of material mixtures along the generated toolpaths on a DED AM printer and perform materials characterization of that gradient. The proposed software will enable chemical gradients to be constructed in any orientation, X,Y,Z, in the 3D space for new complex device designs. These advanced gradients will enable the manufacturing of complex devices which are unable to be manufactured through traditional processes.