Process Compensated Resonance Testing for Qualification of Additively Manufactured Launch and Space Vehicle Components

The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV) is focused on developing qualification processes for AM components for launch and space vehicles. Among the needs AFRL/RV has identified are processes for material characterization, rapid component validation, model validation, non-destructive evaluation (NDE), and process monitoring that will reduce the cost and time to qualify AM components, processes and materials. Vibrant Corporation has been at the forefront of NDE and process monitoring development for AM applications. In Phase I project, Vibrant Corporation and Incodema3D demonstrated PCRT capabilities for AM process qualification, including PCRT Model-based capabilities for material characterization, rapid component validation and model validation, along with effective NDE. In Phase II, Vibrant and Incodema3D will build on the developments in Phase I by defining and demonstrating a PCRT Qualification process for AM that utilizes the Phase I developments plus additional refinements to the PCRT Modeling techniques. The performance and results of the PCRT Qualification process will be compared to the output of existing qualification processes applied to the same population of components. The end result will be a validated PCRT Qualification process for AM materials, processes and components that reduces qualification time and costs while adding new capabilities.