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At least 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Heat treatable magnets having improved alignment through application of external magnetic field during binder-assisted molding

Improved manufacturing processes and resulting anisotropic permanent magnets, such as for example alnico permanent magnets, having highly controlled and aligned microstructure in the solid state are provided. A certain process embodiment involves applying a particular orientation and strength of magnetic field to loose, binder-coated magnet alloy powder particles in a compact-forming device as they are being formed into a compact in order to preferentially align the magnet alloy powder particles in the compact. The preferential alignment of the magnet alloy powder particle is locked in place in the compact by the binder after compact forming is complete. After removal from the device, the compact can be subjected to a subsequent sintering or other heat treating operation.

Kassen, Aaron G.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Nuclear Metal Fuel Casting Modeling (Annual Report 2012)

In fiscal year 2012, FLOW3D was used to develop an understanding of the metallic nuclear fuel casting processes. There were two major accomplishments for FY12, 1) a rank-order list of the most important material properties to measure, 2) simulation of alternative mold-fill methods. We performed a design of experiments study to quantify several material properties and their impact on effective mold fill, for both circular and annular fuel rod geometries. The most important fuel material property to be measured is the wetting angle of the molten metal on the coated mold material (coated graphite). The second most important property to measure is the surface tension of the molten metal in argon gas at the design mold pressure. The magnitude of these material properties had the largest effect on whether the mold casting processes produced large voids in the fuel rods. The nominal mold fill method used in the above study was the gravity assisted top-fill method of the Idaho National Laboratory Bench Scale Casting facility. Alternative mold fill methods were investigated and using a bottom-fill method shows promise. In the bottom-fill method, the molten metal is injected into the bottom of the mold and the argon cover gas is allowed to escape through vents at the top of the mold. This allows for a smooth, uniform fill of the mold, where as the top-fill geometry has a counter-flow condition of the molten metal and argon cover gas. The mold is initially filled with argon, and using a top fill method, the molten metal must flow downward into the mold and the argon is displaced by the metal and must flow upward out of the mold. This counter-flow condition creates large voids in the cast because bubbles of argon get trapped as the metal flows into the mold. We also investigated various venting schemes for the top fill casting process and this also shows some promise to mitigate the void formation. In fiscal year 2013, we will continue to investigate mold fill approaches. We will use the results of the FY2012 work and begin investigating the segregation of binary alloys for these casting approaches and recommend separate effects testing requirements. If data becomes available from the BSC, we will calibrate the computational models and identify optimum casting parameters. Finally, we will study the feasibility of extending the calibrated model to ternary flow problem by developing appropriate scaled models.

1.02.02.02↗
NASA NTRS1993

Improved ceramic slip casting technique

A primary concern in modern fluid dynamics research is the experimental verification of computational aerothermodynamic codes. This research requires high precision and detail in the test model employed. Ceramic materials are used for these models because of their low heat conductivity and their survivability at high temperatures. To fabricate such models, slip casting techniques were developed to provide net-form, precision casting capability for high-purity ceramic materials in aqueous solutions. In previous slip casting techniques, block, or flask molds made of plaster-of-paris were used to draw liquid from the slip material. Upon setting, parts were removed from the flask mold and cured in a kiln at high temperatures. Casting detail was usually limited with this technique -- detailed parts were frequently damaged upon separation from the flask mold, as the molded parts are extremely delicate in the uncured state, and the flask mold is inflexible. Ceramic surfaces were also marred by 'parting lines' caused by mold separation. This adversely affected the aerodynamic surface quality of the model as well. (Parting lines are invariably necessary on or near the leading edges of wings, nosetips, and fins for mold separation. These areas are also critical for flow boundary layer control.) Parting agents used in the casting process also affected surface quality. These agents eventually soaked into the mold, the model, or flaked off when releasing the case model. Different materials were tried, such as oils, paraffin, and even an algae. The algae released best, but some of it remained on the model and imparted an uneven texture and discoloration on the model surface when cured. According to the present invention, a wax pattern for a shell mold is provided, and an aqueous mixture of a calcium sulfate-bonded investment material is applied as a coating to the wax pattern. The coated wax pattern is then dried, followed by curing to vaporize the wax pattern and leave a shell mold of the calcium sulfate-bonded investment material. The shell mold is cooled to room temperature, and a ceramic slip is poured therein. After a ceramic shell of desired thickness has set up in the shell mold, excess ceramic slip is poured out. While still wet, the shell mold is peeled from the ceramic shell to expose any delicate or detailed parts, after which the ceramic shell is cured to provide a complete, detailed, precision ceramic article without parting lines.

Buck, Gregory M.↗
DOE OSTI2013

Apparatus for characterizing the temporo-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front and method thereof

Methods and apparatus are described for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front within a mold space while the mold space is being filled with fluid. A method includes providing a mold defining a mold space and having one or more openings into the mold space; heating a plurality of temperature sensors that extend into the mold space; injecting a fluid into th emold space through the openings, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space with a fluid; and characterizing temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front by monitoring a termperature of each of the plurality of heated temperature sensors while the mold space is being filled with the fluid. An apparatus includes a mold defining a mold space; one or more openings for introducing a fluid into th emold space and filling the mold space with the fluid, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space; a plurality of heated temperature sensors extending into the mold space; and a computer coupled to the plurality of heated temperature sensors for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

An Instrumented Uranium Hemispherical Casting

This work describes an instrumented uranium casting experiment and the analysis of the results. The casting is a hemisphere with inner radius of 75 mm and wall thickness of 10 mm. Casting was performed in a multi-coil vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace with separate induction power supplies for each coil. One coil was used to heat the crucible and melt the charge material. The second coil was used to heat the top of the mold in order to preheat the mold and obtain the desired initial mold temperature. The current, voltage, and frequency of the mold coil was measured during mold heating. The mold filling rate was measured by a load cell was placed under the mold stack. The thermal history of the casting was measured by 7 thermocouples in the casting cavity and 22 thermocouples imbedded in the graphite mold. Contact pins were also located in the mold to attempt to measure gap formation in the metal-mold interface. This instrumentation provides an in-depth thermal history of the mold heat-up, mold filling, solidification, and cool down. The thermocouples were positioned to allow for the casting/mold interfacial heat transfer coefficient to be determined as a function of position and time. The casting was sectioned and metallography and chemical analysis was performed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Establishing a process of irradiating small animal brain using a CyberKnife and a microCT scanner

Purpose: Establish and validate a process of accurately irradiating small animals using the CyberKnife G4 System (version 8.5) with treatment plans designed to irradiate a hemisphere of a mouse brain based on microCT scanner images. Methods: These experiments consisted of four parts: (1) building a mouse phantom for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) quality assurance (QA), (2) proving usability of a microCT for treatment planning, (3) fabricating a small animal positioning system for use with the CyberKnife's image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) system, and (4)in vivo verification of targeting accuracy. A set of solid water mouse phantoms was designed and fabricated, with radiochromic films (RCF) positioned in selected planes to measure delivered doses. After down-sampling for treatment planning compatibility, a CT image set of a phantom was imported into the CyberKnife treatment planning system—MultiPlan (ver. 3.5.2). A 0.5 cm diameter sphere was contoured within the phantom to represent a hemispherical section of a mouse brain. A nude mouse was scanned in an alpha cradle using a microCT scanner (cone-beam, 157 × 149 pixels slices, 0.2 mm longitudinal slice thickness). Based on the results of our positional accuracy study, a planning treatment volume (PTV) was created. A stereotactic body mold of the mouse was “printed” using a 3D printer laying UV curable acrylic plastic. Printer instructions were based on exported contours of the mouse's skin. Positional reproducibility in the mold was checked by measuring ten CT scans. To verify accurate dose delivery in vivo, six mice were irradiated in the mold with a 4 mm target contour and a 2 mm PTV margin to 3 Gy and sacrificed within 20 min to avoid DNA repair. The brain was sliced and stained for analysis. Results: For the IMRT QA using a set of phantoms, the planned dose (6 Gy to the calculation point) was compared to the delivered dose measured via film and analyzed using Gamma analysis (3% and 3 mm). A passing rate of 99% was measured in areas of above 40% of the prescription dose. The final inverse treatment plan was comprised of 43 beams ranging from 5 to 12.5 mm in diameter (2.5 mm size increments are available up to 15 mm in diameter collimation). Using the Xsight Spine Tracking module, the CyberKnife system could not reliably identify and track the tiny mouse spine; however, the CyberKnife system could identify and track the fiducial markers on the 3D mold.In vivo positional accuracy analysis using the 3D mold generated a mean error of 1.41 mm ± 0.73 mm when fiducial markers were used for position tracking. Analysis of the dissected brain confirmed the ability to target the correct brain volume. Conclusions: With the use of a stereotactic body mold with fiducial markers, microCT imaging, and resolution down-sampling, the CyberKnife system can successfully perform small-animal radiotherapy studies.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
NASA NTRS2011

Method to Create Arbitrary Sidewall Geometries in 3-Dimensions Using Liga with a Stochastic Optimization Framework

Disclosed herein is a method of making a three dimensional mold comprising the steps of providing a mold substrate; exposing the substrate with an electromagnetic radiation source for a period of time sufficient to render the portion of the mold substrate susceptible to a developer to produce a modified mold substrate; and developing the modified mold with one or more developing reagents to remove the portion of the mold substrate rendered susceptible to the developer from the mold substrate, to produce the mold having a desired mold shape, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source has a fixed position, and wherein during the exposing step, the mold substrate is manipulated according to a manipulation algorithm in one or more dimensions relative to the electromagnetic radiation source; and wherein the manipulation algorithm is determined using stochastic optimization computations.

Eyre, Francis B.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Characteristics of Slag Infiltration in High-Mn Steel Castings

To determine the composition difference between the solid and liquid films in plant practice for high-Mn steel castings, a reaction experiment was carried out to investigate the composition profile of MnO and SiO{sub 2} in the slag layer. Based on the experimental results, a mathematical model of the mold slag for high-Mn steel was developed to describe the nonuniform infiltration behavior of mold slag during oscillation cycles. Moreover, the effects of uneven slag films on slab lubrication and heat transfer in the mold are discussed. The results show that the concentrations of MnO and SiO{sub 2} over the flux layer have an opposite stair-step distribution, which consists of a reaction layer and nonreaction layer. When the reaction layer thickness is 5 mm, a thicker liquid film is formed between the slab and the mold. The inhomogeneity of the composition in the solid film causes large fluctuations in the heat flux in the mold, resulting in irregular depressions on the shell surface. With a reacting thickness of 10 mm, the reacting slag fills in the gap to generate a thinner solid film, which increases the overall heat flux in the mold. Since mold oscillation combined with slag rim enhances the pressure flow in the vicinity of the meniscus, the liquid slag within 80 mm of the mold wall is mixed and consumed quickly. In contrast, the liquid slag beyond 80 mm from the mold wall with a low velocity stays longer in the liquid pool. The model predictions illuminate the characteristics of slag infiltration during high-Mn steel casting, showing good agreement with plant measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1985

Fabricating Thin-Shell Heat-Transfer Models

Freestanding shells produced for experimental aerodynamic-heating tests. Heat transfer shells require several steps and several precise molds. First, interlocking aluminum male and female molds fabricated. Holes for thermocouples drilled through male mold at desired locations. Wires having same diameter as thermocouple wire placed through holes in male mold flush to female mold. Epoxy exposed to vacuum to remove air bubbles poured between male and female molds to form thin female mold. Once mold cured, wires removed and aluminum molds separated.

Avery, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A simulated RTM process for fabricating polyimide (AMB-21) carbon fiber composites

An experimental polyimide matrix, AMB-21 - supplied by NASA/LeRC, was especially formulated to be non-carcinogenic. It was also expected to be amenable to a Resin Transfer Molding Process (RTM). AMB-21 is a solid at room temperature and must be heated to a very high temperature to obtain a fluid state. However, even after heating it to a realistic high temperature, it was found to be too viscous for use in a RTM process. As a result, a promising approach was experimented leading to the introduction of the resin into a solvent solution in order to obtain a viscosity suitable for RTM. A mixture of methanol and tetrahydroferone was found to be a suitable solvent mixture. The matrix solution was introduced into carbon-fiber preform using two techniques: (1) injection of matrix into a Resin Transfer Mold after positioning the preform into the 'mold cavity', and (2) infiltration of matrix into the preform using the 'autoclave through-the-thickness transfer process'. After completing the resin transfer (infiltration) process, the 'filled' preform was heated to 300 F for one hour to reduce the solvent content. The temperature was then increased to 400 F under a vacuum to complete the solvent evaporation and to remove volatile products of the polyimide imidization. The impregnated preform was removed from the mold and press-cured at 200 psi and 600 FF for two hours. The resulting panel was found to be of reasonably good quality. This observation was based on the results obtained from short beam shear strength (700-8000 psi) tests and microscopic examination of the cross-section indicating a very low level of porosity. Further, the flash around the molded panels from the compression molding was free of porosity indicating the removal of volatiles, solvents, and other imidization products. Based on these studies, a new RTM mold containing a diaphragm capable of applying 200 psi at 600 F has been designed and constructed with the expectation that it will allow the incorporation of all of the above processing steps, including the consolidation with the preform in the mold cavity. Moreover, the new diaphragm design will enable to process larger preform panels. Processing studies with the diaphragm mold are being initiated.

Avva, V. Sarma↗
NASA NTRS1999

Method for Fabricating Soft Tissue Implants with Microscopic Surface Roughness

A method for fabricating soft tissue implants using a mold. The cavity surface of an initially untextured mold. made of an organic material such as epoxy. is given a thin film coating of material that has pinholes and is resistant to atomic particle bombardment. The mold cavity surface is then subjected to atomic particle bombardment, such as when placed in an isotropic atomic oxygen environment. Microscopic depressions in the mold cavity surface are created at the pinhole sites on the thin film coating. The thin film coating is removed and the mold is then used to cast the soft tissue implant. The thin film coating having pinholes may be created by chilling the mold below the dew point such that water vapor condenses upon it; distributing particles, that can partially dissolve and become attached to the mold cavity surface, onto the mold cavity surface; removing the layer of condensate, such as by evaporation; applying the thin film coating over the entire mold surface; and, finally removing the particles, such as by dissolving or brushing it off. Pinholes are created in the thin film coating at the sites previously occupied by the particles.

Banks, Bruce A.↗