Development testing with Elementum 3D A7050-RAM2 and EOS M290 achieves mechanical property results consistent with legacy 7050-T74 wrought material.
Problem
The availability of statistical additive manufacturing (AM) material datasets for high-strength aluminum is limited. This limitation delays the design maturation of new and innovative products that enable tactical advantages. The cost of testing multiple material lots, studying printer variability, and understanding powder reuse effects presents a complex challenge to obtaining reliable material properties and characteristics for use in product design and development. This project closes the data gap with high-strength AM aluminum and enables new product development for highly engineered lightweight applications.
Objective
This testing program establishes statistically valid high-strength aluminum, A7050-RAM2, material properties using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) with guidance from the Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization (MMPDS) handbook and a diverse advisor group. The development of approved powder, material, processing control, and reuse specifications sets the framework for controlling of material procurements and the qualifying of printers for production. Determining statistical material properties seeks to proliferate the broad use of the A7050-RAM2 aluminum alloy and enable a modernized defense industrial ecosystem.
Technical Approach
Elementum 3D will follow a structured and standardized approach to generate A7050-RAM2 design allowables using Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS), NASA, and MMPDS standards. To establish allowable values, Elementum 3D expects to include the variability of five EOS M290 printers and create a framework of specifications for processing A7050-RAM2. Specification development includes generating a powder specification, material specification, heat treatment requirements, and processing specification.
Significant specimen production and mechanical property testing follow specification development and provide the basis for a statistical A7050-RAM2 dataset definition. The technical approach for collaborating with industry, government, and regulatory experts ensures material readiness for commercial and tactical applications requiring high-strength and lightweight characteristics.
Project Participants
Project Principal
Other Project Participants
- America Makes
- NCDMM
- Battelle
- Castheon
- Dyndrite
- Eaton
- EOS
- Incodema
- National Institute of Aviation Research
- The Ohio State University Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence
- Product Evaluation Systems
- Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research
Public Participants
- U.S. Department of Defense