Phone: +61 (3) 99055247 Fax: + 61 (3) 99051906
Email: Xinhua.Wu@monash.edu
Alloy and Process Development, interested in understanding the relationship between composition and microstructure, mechanical properties and their processability for a range of alloys such as Ti64, Ti153, Ti5553, BuRTi, Ti6242, Ti6246 and others such asTiAl, NiTi and NiTiCu shape memory alloys and NbSi. The manufacturing processes studied include casting, forging and advanced powder processing. The research ranges from new alloy development to modification of existing commercial alloys or optimisation of their processing conditions to meet mechanical properties required by individual service conditions for applications in aerospace, oil and gas, offshore, automotive, chemical and biomedical industries. The characterisation of microstructure and mechanical properties covers materials from samples to large ingots or billets in tonnage.
Laser Additive Manufacturing includes selective laser melting (laser powder bed) and direct laser fabrication (blown powder) processes.
For the selective laser melting (SLM) the research is focused on the optimisation of process conditions in order to achieve smooth and consistent manufacture of net shape components from their CAD files as well as optimum microstructure and mechanical properties of alloys Al, Ti, Ni and steels. The research also covers optimisation of surface finish, dimension tolerance and elimination or minimisation of cracks or/and defects in the net shape components. The size of rapidly manufactured components using SLM can be up to 600mm in length, mainly for applications in aerospace, oil & gas, offshore, automotive, chemical and biomedical industries.
For direct laser fabrication(DLF) (blown powder process), the research is focused on precision-repair of worn-out components, surface modification and manufacturing small batch of net-shape components from their CAD files directly using commercial alloys. The optimisation of process condition is coupled with the optimisation of microstructure and mechanical properties. The materials of interest include Ti, Ni, Steels and the size of the components can be up to 2-4m long.
Rapid alloy synthesis using DLF by feeding different elements at different speeds at different locations is aimed to create new alloys 100 times faster and this study covers a wide range of alloys for structural and functional applications.
Net shape HIPping is used to produce large Ti or Ni net shape components from commercial Ti or Ni alloy powders (up to 4m long and 2m wide) for applications in aerospace, energy, oil & gas and chemical industries. The research includes the optimisation of process conditions for mechanical properties required by individual service conditions and the development of processing route and condition for any alloys required by customers, including those which are normally deemed as un-HIPpable, e.g. Inco718, beta Ti alloys. Characterisation of a wide range of mechanical properties of HIPped alloy powders, such as Ti64, Ti5553 etc. is carried out for samples and for large components and ingots. The reduction of tooling cost through innovative methods aimed at further reducing component production cost for all materials is also of key interest.
Laser Additive Manufacturing includes selective laser melting (laser powder bed) and direct laser fabrication (blown powder) processes.
For the selective laser melting (SLM) the research is focused on the optimisation of process conditions in order to achieve smooth and consistent manufacture of net shape components from their CAD files as well as optimum microstructure and mechanical properties of alloys Al, Ti, Ni and steels. The research also covers optimisation of surface finish, dimension tolerance and elimination or minimisation of cracks or/and defects in the net shape components. The size of rapidly manufactured components using SLM can be up to 600mm in length, mainly for applications in aerospace, oil & gas, offshore, automotive, chemical and biomedical industries.
For direct laser fabrication(DLF) (blown powder process), the research is focused on precision-repair of worn-out components, surface modification and manufacturing small batch of net-shape components from their CAD files directly using commercial alloys. The optimisation of process condition is coupled with the optimisation of microstructure and mechanical properties. The materials of interest include Ti, Ni, Steels and the size of the components can be up to 2-4m long.
Rapid alloy synthesis using DLF by feeding different elements at different speeds at different locations is aimed to create new alloys 100 times faster and this study covers a wide range of alloys for structural and functional applications.
Net shape HIPping is used to produce large Ti or Ni net shape components from commercial Ti or Ni alloy powders (up to 4m long and 2m wide) for applications in aerospace, energy, oil & gas and chemical industries. The research includes the optimisation of process conditions for mechanical properties required by individual service conditions and the development of processing route and condition for any alloys required by customers, including those which are normally deemed as un-HIPpable, e.g. Inco718, beta Ti alloys. Characterisation of a wide range of mechanical properties of HIPped alloy powders, such as Ti64, Ti5553 etc. is carried out for samples and for large components and ingots. The reduction of tooling cost through innovative methods aimed at further reducing component production cost for all materials is also of key interest.
