AFRL works with international team to change paradigm for engineering design Published Sept. 11, 2013 By Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Air Force's ability to ensure global military power requires continued advancement in war-winning capabilities. Materials research engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory are addressing this challenge by finding ways to develop and advance the design of systems used by the warfighter. Traditionally, engineers approach component design in a manner that standardizes the physical properties of a structure. Significant achievements have been made in the longevity of a component by optimizing this process. Now, engineers are looking deeper to incorporate the materials substructure into the design process. Research To address the strategic need for microstructure data, a diverse team of researchers from AFRL, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University, Petra III (Germany), and PulseRay developed a novel capability to nondestructively map the material substructure and grain level stresses concurrently in 3D. For the first time, the team has integrated three high energy synchrotron x-ray techniques during mechanical testing to: quantify the average elastic strain and stress tensor for each grain using far field High Energy Diffraction Microscopy (HEDM); map the grain shape and local crystallographic orientation within and between grains using near field HEDM; and, track the formation and spread of voids and cracks using micro contrast tomography. These one-of-a-kind datasets provide insight into deformation and form an essential basis for the development and validation of modeling tools. Currently, the capability has been applied to nickel and titanium alloys. Impact Metallic materials, like those found in aircraft, have directional (grain) dependent properties. By altering the material processing conditions, the microstructure can be tailored by designers to provide optimized properties for expected stress and temperature environments. Location specific design has made an entrance into the aviation industry and the Air Force fleet, but is currently limited to a small number of components because of the extensive testing program needed. The process works well for incremental changes, but limits the development of revolutionary new materials like those used for engine turbine disks, because it would require millions of dollars over a span of decades. With the development and validation of these new microstructure modeling tools that can predict materials behavior, including variability and uncertainty, engineering design can be revolutionized by unlocking the true potential of the materials employed - increasing component capabilities, safety, and fuel efficiency. The economies of scale for materials affected by these advancements have the potential to save billions. Technical Inquiries Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Corporate Communications Office 937-255-0076