Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Brown, Ben.
The Office of Science (SC) in the Department of Energy (DOE) invites interested parties to provide input relevant to the stewardship of the software ecosystem for scientific and high-performance computing.
Computing has transformed nearly every aspect of scientific inquiry — across disciplines and across scales — from the behavior of subatomic particles to the formation of structures in the early universe, from the assembly of the human genome to the evolution of earth systems. Over the past two decades, computing has become an integral part of how Berkeley Lab is “Bringing Science Solutions to the World.” Advances in computing and mathematics have been key, with new mathematical models of complex physical phenomena, new methods for analyzing complex data, new algorithms for accuracy and scaling and sophisticated software systems that encapsulate these techniques into open, reusable tools. The performance of NERSC computers and the ESnet network have grown by several orders of magnitude, along with our understanding of how to map scientific computations and workflows onto these systems. From research to facility operations, the passion, talent and dedication of the Computing Sciences Area staff has been the cornerstone of our success. The plan outlined in this document describes the next step in a journey to expand the influence and impact of our efforts, building an increasingly connected global enterprise for science that places more powerful instruments in the hands of scientists, along with more powerful methods and tools for modeling, analysis and prediction.
This paper evaluates experiment-based superposition thermal modeling for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) with a pulsed laser. An analytical pulsed laser thermal model establishes the modeling procedure. The framework inverts a powder bed’s single pulse temperature response from experimental spatiotemporal Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) camera data. Superimposing this response along a scan path simulates multi-pulse LPBF. Results show the experimentally informed superposition model rapidly and accurately predicts a layer’s temperature history. The model has applications in correction of thermally driven LPBF errors and in-situ part qualification.
Focal Areas: The paper aims to improve predictability of the coastal carbon cycle through improved model representation and quantification of the terrestrial feedbacks to aquatic ecosystems. The paper covers two focus areas, 1. Improved predictive modeling of terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemistry through ML-enabled surrogate models, and 2. Employing machine learning to integrate multimodal data sets collected across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at high spatial and temporal resolution.
Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) continues to demonstrate tremendous potential in improving the therapeutic gains in radiation therapy by specifically delivering radiation to tumors that can be well assessed in terms of dosimetry and imaging. Dosimetry in external beam radiation therapy is standard practice. This is not the case, however, in RPT. This NRG (acronym formed from the first letter of the 3 original groups: National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, and the Gynecologic Oncology Group)-National Cancer Institute Working Group review describes some of the challenges to improving RPT. The main priorities for advancing the field include (1) developing and adopting best practice guidelines for incorporating patient-specific dosimetry for RPT that can be used at both large clinics with substantial resources and more modest clinics that have limited resources, (2) establishing and improving strategies for introducing new radiopharmaceuticals for clinical investigation, (3) developing approaches to address the radiophobia that is associated with the administration of radioactivity for cancer therapy, and (4) solving the financial and logistical issues of expertise and training in the developing field of RPT.
In the fabrication of 17-4 PH by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) the well-documented occurrence of large amounts of retained austenite can be attributed to an elevated concentration of nitrogen present in the material. While the effects of continuous wave (CW) laser processing on in-situ nitrogen absorption characteristics have been evaluated, power modulated pulsed wave (PW) laser processing effects have not. In this study the effects of PW L-PBF processing of 17-4 PH on nitrogen absorption, phase composition, and mechanical performance are explored using commercially available PW L-PBF equipment and compared to samples produced by CW L-PBF. PW L-PBF samples fabricated in cover gas conditions with varying amounts of nitrogen demonstrated reduced absorption levels compared to those produced by CW L-PBF with no effects on phase composition and minimal effects on mechanical performance.
Recoil pressure is a critical factor affecting the melt pool dynamics during Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) processes. Recoil pressure depresses the melt pool. When the recoil pressure is low, thermal conduction and capillary forces may be inadequate to provide proper fusion between layers. However, excessive recoil pressure can produce a keyhole inside the melt pool, which is associated with gas porosity. Direct recoil pressure measurements are challenging because it is localized over an area proportionate to the laser spot size producing a force in the mN range. This paper reports a vibrationbased approach to quantify the recoil force exerted on a part in a commercial LPBF machine. The measured recoil force is consistent with estimates from high speed synchrotron imaging of entrained particles, and the results show that the recoil force scales with applied laser power and is inversely related to the laser scan speed. These results facilitate further studies of melt pool dynamics and have the potential to aid process development for new materials.
Abstract— In this paper, we present the development of ultrawideband (UWB) inter-digital cavity filters manufactured with an additive technique. We employed a selective laser melting process with stainless steel via a “flipping and fixturing” approach to achieve dimensional accuracy and frequency selectivity (no postfabrication tuning) comparable to that of conventional micromachining. The filters operate at a center frequency of 3.75 GHz and 6 GHz, respectively, with an instantaneous bandwidth of 2 GHz. This paper presents design and fabrication details, a discussion of measured characteristics for both filters, and a performance comparison with respect to subtractively manufactured parts.
A Nuclear Physics Network Requirements Review, conducted by ESnet in collaboration with the DOE SC, was held on May 8 and 9, 2019. A continuation of this process involves “checkup” procedures to be conducted after one and two years have passed. ESnet and the DOE SC, in collaboration with the previous participants, held a virtual meeting on September 2, 2020, to continue the review process. Topics of discussion included the following: Programmatic updates from the DOE SC ASCR. Programmatic updates from the DOE SC NP. Programmatic updates from ESnet. Brief updates from case study authors. A general discussion and Q&A on findings and actions from the review. This report outlines the areas of discussion, new findings and actions, and updates to the overall process of science for several key NP initiatives since 2019 and looking into 2021.
Selective laser melting (SLM) is a powder-bed fusion process in Additive Manufacturing (AM) that uses a laser beam to selectively fuse layers of powder into near net-shape components with little porosity. However, inconsistencies in the part properties due to the presence of defects in as-built components has hindered the widespread adoption of SLM for industrial applications forcing researchers to study the sources of variation for quality control purposes. A critical area suspected of creating variation in the part properties is the feedstock, where batch-to-batch differences as well as changes in the powder properties with reuse have the potential to affect performance. During processing, laser spatter and condensate eject from the melt pool and deposit into the powder-bed surrounding the parts. These particulates, more commonly known as ejecta, differ morphologically and chemically from the virgin powder compromising its reusability. In this study, 304L stainless steel powder was recycled for a total of 5 times through a systematic approach aimed at accelerating powder degradation to reveal the influence on both the tensile and impact toughness properties. Through analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was found that tensile properties did not change with reuse, while the impact toughness showed a steady decline illustrating the differences in static and dynamic part properties due to powder recycling.
In the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) process, the local thermal history can vary significantly over a part as the heat transfer characteristics and the laser scan path are geometry dependent. The variations introduce the potential for defects that lead to part failure, some of which are difficult to identify non-destructively with common ex-situ evaluation techniques. These defects include significant microstructural and mechanical property differences in the part interiors. In this paper, thermal features are extracted from in-situ Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging measurements to compile voxel based part representations and understand how the complexities in the thermal history affect part performance. The deviations in thermal features due to different laser processing parameters and complex scan pathing are explored. Empirical correlations are developed to map thermal features with the engineering properties (bulk yield strength, area percentage porosity, and local state) of 304L stainless steel parts manufactured by LPBF. Processing modes (insufficient melting and keyholing) are determined by mapping part property measurements with multiple thermal features. Generating the relationships between thermographic measurements and resulting SLM part properties lays the foundation for in-situ part qualification.
A system and method for the non-destructive testing of additively manufactured parts. An input mechanism excites with an excitation force (e.g., a vibration) an additive manufacturing build platform on which the part is located to induce a dynamic response in the part. An output mechanism (e.g., a non-contact transducer) senses the induced dynamic response in the part. A processor determines and examines the relationship between the response and excitation to identify an indication of a defect in the part, and communicates an alert if the indication is identified. The processor may compare the phase, magnitude, coherence, or time delay of the relationship to a reference relationship and/or may compare the modal frequency or the modal damping to a reference to identify a deviation greater than a pre-established threshold.
In May 2019, ESnet and the Office of Nuclear Physics (NP) of the DOE Office of Science organized an ESnet requirements review of NP-supported activities. Preparation for this event included identification of key stakeholders to the process: program and facility management, research groups, technology providers, and a number of external observers. These individuals were asked to prepare formal case study documents about their relationship to the NP program to build a complete understanding of the current, near-term, and long-term status, expectations, and processes that will support the science going forward. A series of pre-planning meetings better prepared case study authors for this task and facilitated a smooth transition to the in-person review.
Powder spattering is a major cause of defect formation and quality uncertainty in the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) process. It is very difficult to investigate this with either conventional characterization tools or modeling and simulation. The detailed dynamics of powder spattering in the LPBF are still not fully understood. Here, we report insights into the transient dynamics of powder spattering in the LPBF process that were observed with in-situ high-speed high-energy x-ray imaging. Powder motion dynamics, as functions of time, environment pressure, and location, are presented. The moving speed, acceleration, and driving force of powder motion that are induced by metal vapor jet/plume and argon gas flow are quantified. A schematic map showing the dynamics and mechanisms of powder motion during the LPBF process as functions of time and pressure is constructed. In conclusion, potential ways to mitigate powder spattering during the LPBF process are discussed and proposed, based on the revealed powder motion dynamics and mechanisms.
Abstract not provided.
Steroid hormones induce cascades of gene activation and repression with transformative effects on cell fate . Steroid transduction plays a major role in the development and physiology of nearly all metazoan species, and in the progression of the most common forms of cancer. Despite the paramount importance of steroids in developmental and translational biology, a complete map of transcriptional response has not been developed for any hormone . In the case of 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysone) in Drosophila melanogaster, these trajectories range from apoptosis to immortalization. We mapped the ecdysone transduction network in a cohort of 41 cell lines, the largest such atlas yet assembled. We found that the early transcriptional response mirrors the distinctiveness of physiological origins: genes respond in restricted patterns, conditional on the expression levels of dozens of transcription factors. Only a small cohort of genes is constitutively modulated independent of initial cell state. Ecdysone-responsive genes tend to organize into directional same-stranded units, with consecutive genes induced from the same strand. Here, we identify half of the ecdysone receptor heterodimer as the primary rate-limiting step in the response, and find that initial receptor isoform levels modulate the activated cohort of target transcription factors. In conclusion, this atlas of steroid response reveals organizing principles of gene regulation by a model type II nuclear receptor and lays the foundation for comprehensive and predictive understanding of the ecdysone transduction network in the fruit fly.
Recent asteroseismic advances have allowed for direct measurements of the internal rotation rates of many subgiant and red giant stars. Unlike the nearly rigidly rotating Sun, these evolved stars contain radiative cores that spin faster than their overlying convective envelopes, but slower than they would in the absence of internal angular momentum transport. We investigate the role of internal gravity waves in angular momentum transport in evolving low-mass stars. In agreement with previous results, we find that convectively excited gravity waves can prevent the development of strong differential rotation in the radiative cores of Sun-like stars. As stars evolve into subgiants, however, low-frequency gravity waves become strongly attenuated and cannot propagate below the hydrogen-burning shell, allowing the spin of the core to decouple from the convective envelope. This decoupling occurs at the base of the subgiant branch when stars have surface temperatures of T ≈ 5500 K. However, gravity waves can still spin down the upper radiative region, implying that the observed differential rotation is likely confined to the deep core near the hydrogen-burning shell. The torque on the upper radiative region may also prevent the core from accreting high angular momentum material and slow the rate of core spin-up. The observed spin-down of cores on the red giant branch cannot be totally attributed to gravity waves, but the waves may enhance shear within the radiative region and thus increase the efficacy of viscous/magnetic torques.