Material and process development for additive manufacturing of high performance copper-nickel RF components

The fabrication of high performance radiofrequency (RF) communication system components, ultra-high vacuum (UHV) technologies, and thermal management devices routinely involves time-consuming manual metal joining processes. Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly seen as a route for direct fabrication of complex shaped, high performance components that would be impossible or too expensive to fabricate using traditional techniques. The US Navy has identified a need to use AM to produce components from copper-nickel alloys that can withstand the high thermal and mechanical loads required in these RF applications. In this project effort, Elementum 3D and Ohio State University propose to co-develop a robust, capable, and economical manufacturing process for copper-nickel-based RF and UHV components. In the Base period, printing parameters and post-printing heat treatments will be established that result in dense material with wrought-comparable mechanical and conductive properties. Loss testing on a simple printed waveguide will be compared to a commercial waveguide of identical design. In the Option period, the team will perform outgas and vacuum leak rate testing and explore surface finishing treatments for reducing insertion. A final complex demonstrator will be made according to the established process to demonstrate the promise of this technology to meet the Navy’s needs.