Skin friction balance components for hostile environments.
Aircraft skin friction balance components for hostile environments noting system design
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Aircraft skin friction balance components for hostile environments noting system design
Skin friction under mass injection on porous flat plate in supersonic turbulent flow
Atom arrangement in crystalline materials considering lattice, planes and structure, discussing effect on mechanical properties, particularly friction
An experimental investigation was conducted to obtain performance data on bearings of length-diameter ratios of 1, 1/2, and 1/4 for comparison with theoretical curves. A 1.375-inch-diameter bearing was tested at speeds up to 6000 rpm and with unit loads from 0 to 900 pounds per square inch. Experimental data for eccentricity ratio and friction followed single lines when plotted against a theoretically derived capacity number, which is equal to Sommerfeld number times the square of the length-diameter ratio. The form of the capacity number indicates that under certain conditions the eccentricity ratio is theoretically independent of bearing diameter. A method of plotting oil flow data as a single line is shown. Methods are also discussed for approximating a maximum bearing temperature and evaluating the effect of deflection or misalignment on the eccentricity ratio at the ends of the bearings.
Future NASA exploration missions will increasingly require sampling, in-situ analysis and possibly the return of material to Earth for laboratory analysis. To address these objective, effective and optimized drilling techniques are needed. This requires developing comprehensive tools to be able to determine analytically what takes place during the operation and what are the control parameters that can be enhanced. In this study, three types of coring techniques were studied and were identified as potential candidates for operation from a possible future Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission rover. These techniques include percussive, rotary-friction, and rotary-percussive coring. Theoretical models were developed to predict the dynamic reaction forces transmitted from these three types of corers to the robotic arms that hold them. The predicted reaction forces will then be used in a dynamic simulation environment to simulate a representative corer tool to obtain a best estimate of a tool that can be operated from a small rover. The predicted dynamic reaction forces will be presented in this paper.
Spin forming is a metalworking process used to produce axially-symmetric parts by the application of lateral pressure from a forming tool to a circular blank mounted on a revolving, heated mandrel. This process enables production of cones, domes, or caps that can incorporate features such as flat bulkheads. Friction stir welded (FSW) Al-Li 2195 blanks have been spin formed for single-piece, launch vehicle domes up to 5 m in diameter. Al-Li 2050 plate has the advantage of availability up to 165 mm thick,whereas 2195 plate is traditionally only available up to 57 mm thick. Increased plate thickness enables greater design flexibility for machining of taller structural elements, such as stiffeners. However, 2050 is only available in plate widths up to ~3.9 m. This study demonstrated the capability of making custom 2050 blanks for spin forming large (>7.8 m in diameter), single-piece, light-weight flight articles (e.g., lunar habitats and landers) by FSW two (or more) plates together. Spin forming of welded 2050 blanks has not been attempted before this investigation. The objective was to evaluate the mechanical properties of 2050 parent material and FSW regions after spin forming and subsequent T6 heat treatment. A 3 m diameter x 38 mm thick 2050 blank was fabricated from two 1.5 m wide pieces by FSW and subsequently spin formed into a cone article. Additionally, three 1.2 m diameter x 8.1 mm thick 2050 blanks were produced by FSW and spin formed into subscale cone articles with varying strain input. Mechanical properties are reported for spin formed 2050-T6 parent material and FSW regions on the articles. Abnormal grain growth (AGG) in the FSW during heat treatment was expected based on prior experience with 2195. Implementation of an AGG suppression strategy during heat treatment reduced AGG in the FSW regions and improved ductility.
Since the introduction of refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) in the early 2000s, numerous evaluations of properties, performance, and prototypes have been documented. RFSSW is a solid-state spot joining technique that is being evaluated as a rivet replacement technology for aerospace structures and fuselage fabrication. A production evaluation of overlapping wing skin assembly was completed and experimentation on stringer-stiffened curvilinear panels is underway. Weld properties were evaluated for spots produced on bare sheet as well as for sections with sealant applied. Furthermore, evaluations of the performance of repaired spots using the RFSSW process is demonstrated. Characterization of the weld interface, heat-affected zone, and complete through-thickness consolidation via computed tomography is presented.
A physics-based model was developed to simulate the behavior of material in a self-reacting friction stir welding (SR-FSW) process for the joining of metals. This steady-state model builds upon fundamental computational fluid dynamic (CFD) principles within Ansys Fluent to solve the discretized equations. The effective viscosity is calculated using a viscoplastic model using a Sheppard-Wright formulation of flow stress. Numerous advancements have been made in the incorporated physics including (1) temperature-dependent material properties; (2) locally adaptable flow and thermal boundary conditions; and (3) adapting material properties in nugget in response to microstructural changes. Simulation strategies to accelerate computation and improve numerical stability include adapting the mesh refinement and solver relaxation factors during simulation. The result is a highly robust and computationally efficient model capable of providing the material flow and temperature history across the domain. As material history determines the local microstructure and ultimately weld strength, an accurate and detailed physics-based model has the potential to accelerate SR-FSW process development. The model is highly adaptable to changes in process parameters, tool design, or alloy.
Friction stir welded (FSW) aluminum blanks offer larger preform sizes than available from the mill in single width plates. Large blanks made from aerospace-grade aluminum alloys are essential for making large domes and cones for launch vehicles and crew vehicles. Previous research efforts have demonstrated >5m FSW blanks can be formed into large domes or cones using spin forming, but the subsequent solution heat treatment consistently led to abnormal grain growth (AGG). The AGG phenomenon occurs because the FSW blanks must be spin formed in the -O annealed temper to withstand the high strain process without cracking. Subsequently, the solution heat treatment process leads to the onset of AGG, whereby a small number of grains grow much larger than the surrounding matrix. Ultimately, the large grains and bimodal grain-size distribution leads to unacceptable ductility in the short-transverse direction of the part. Alternatively, explosive hydroforming is a nascent process that can be applied to large and thick aerospace-grade aluminum alloy blanks in the -T3 temper and only require a post-forming artificial aging process to a -T8. Avoiding the solution heat treatment (SHT) process mitigates AGG, and also eliminates the need for very rare drop-furnace quench baths that can accommodate a part size larger than 5m in diameter. This presentation summarizes a Lockheed Martin-led effort that demonstrated explosive hydroforming of a 1.9m diameter, 39mm thick 2050 aluminum lithium FSW blank. Details will be provided on the process flow, mechanical properties, and metallographic analyses. This work was performed in partnership with NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) under a NASA Announcement of Collaboration Opportunities program.
Thick plate and lower temperature friction stir welding results in good post-weld properties by welding at very low tool rotational speeds. Low speeds cause large variations in the measured shoulder temperature, making temperature control difficult. This paper describes a computationally light method to correct for oscillating measured temperatures. Data is collected over the previous two revolutions and used to build a compensation table and calculate a derivative. In simulation, measured temperature variations are reduced by a factor of five to ten. Temperature data is preserved and not cornered, nor is any time delay induced by this method, unlike with filtering methods.
Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of Aluminum-Magnesium (Al-Mg) alloys has garnered increasing attention due to its wide-ranging applications in the automotive and aerospace industries. The microstructural, corrosion, and mechanical properties of FSW Al-Mg welds under selected conditions are critical factors that must be well-investigated to ensure their durability and performance. In this study, electrochemical tests, including Open Circuit Potential (OCP), Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR), Potentiodynamic Polarization Scan (PD), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), have been used to analyze the corrosion resistance of these welds, along with weight loss measurements through cyclic corrosion testing (CCT) and surface evolution via SEM over an 8-week period. Mechanical properties are evaluated through microindentation, nanoindentation, fatigue, and lap-shear tests. The results of the electrochemical tests reveal that the corrosion properties of the center weld zone differ from those of the two base alloys. Indentation tests indicate that the weld zone behaves differently from the base alloys. Surprisingly, the lap shear strength did not decrease significantly even after 8 weeks of cyclic corrosion testing, indicating that the joint prevented any ingress of the electrolyte. Fatigue testing showed that applying an adhesive between the Al and Mg joint improved the fatigue life to some extent, although the corrosion resistance reduced due to the discontinuous bonding of the adhesive layer. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of investigating the corrosion and mechanical properties of FSW Al-Mg welds and provide valuable insights for future modeling works.
With uncertainty surrounding the disposal of US Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF), the nuclear industry is making an effort to identify an interim storage solution. One of the alternatives is to simply manage UNF on-site until a permanent repository can be established - extended storage. In an effort to provide a technical basis for extended storage, the Department of Energy (DOE) performed a gap analysis identifying several issues that need to be addressed. One of the issues relates to the performance of the UNF dry storage container (DSC). DSC container welds (fabricated using conventional fusion welding processes) are sensitive to Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC), and their extended-term performance is questionable. Fluor, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) believe that Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technology may be able to address the DSC issue. The Fluor team collaborated on a project to demonstrate feasibility of FSW for DSC packaging (closure-welding). This paper reports on a 2-year project in which FSW process conditions were established (for DSC container materials and dimensions) and used in the preparation of mechanical and corrosion specimens for testing and evaluation. In addition to FSW test specimens, fusion welded specimens were prepared and tested in like manner for comparative purposes. The results show excellent mechanical properties (meeting construction code requirements) and significant improvement in corrosion performance - over the fusion welded specimens. It is believed these findings will be of significant value to efforts underway to provide a technical basis for DSC extended storage performance. FSW technology appears to be an acceptable alternative or candidate process, capable of addressing the SCC sensitivity issues associated with fusion-welded DSC fabrication welds. In addition, as an alternative to on-site, extended storage of UNF, the DOE has proposed the development and construction of a Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF). UNF would be accepted from the many, local sites for consolidation at one or more CISFs until a permanent repository could be established. A recent CISF study indicates that UNF currently packaged into DSCs will likely be re-packaged into containers suitable for permanent storage. The study also indicates that re-packaging is best performed under water in a pool. FSW technology has several specific advantages for this application, 1) because it utilizes machine-tool equipment, a welding station can easily perform a cutting operation, and 2) FSW has been successfully demonstrated capable of joining container materials under water. (authors)
Pore fluids influence many aspects of tectonic faulting including frictional strength aseismic creep and effective stress during the seismic cycle. But, the role of pore fluid pressure during earthquake nucleation and dynamic rupture remains poorly understood. Here we report on the evolution of pore fluid pressure and porosity during laboratory stick-slip events as an analog for the seismic cycle. We sheared layers of simulated fault gouge consisting of glass beads in a double-direct shear configuration under true triaxial stresses using drained and undrained fluid conditions and effective normal stress of 5–10 MPa. Shear stress was applied via a constant displacement rate, which we varied in velocity step tests from 0.1 to 30 µm/s. Here, we observe net pore pressure increases, or compaction, during dynamic failure and pore pressure decreases, or dilation, during the interseismic period, depending on fluid boundary conditions. In some cases, a brief period of dilation is attendant with the onset of dynamic stick slip. Our data show that time-dependent strengthening and dynamic stress drop increase with effective normal stress and vary with fluid conditions. For undrained conditions, dilation and preseismic slip are directly related to pore fluid depressurization; they increase with effective normal stress and recurrence time. Microstructural observations confirm the role of water-activated contact growth and shear-driven elastoplastic processes at grain junctions. These results indicate that physicochemical processes acting at grain junctions together with fluid pressure changes dictate stick-slip stress drop and interseismic creep rates and thus play a key role in earthquake nucleation and rupture propagation.
Conventional dialyzer membranes typically comprise of unevenly distributed polydisperse, tortuous, rough pores, embedded in relatively thick ≈20–50 µm polymer layers wherein separation occurs via size exclusion as well as differences in diffusivity of the permeating species. However, transport in such polymeric pores is increasingly hindered as the molecule size approaches the pore dimension, resulting in significant retention of undesirable middle molecules (≥15–60 kDa) and uremic toxins. Enhanced removal of middle molecules is usually accompanied by high albumin loss (≈66 kDa) causing hypoalbuminemia. Here, the scalable bottom-up fabrication of wafer-scale carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes with highly aligned, low-friction, straight-channels/capillaries and narrow pore-diameter distributions (≈0.5–4.5 nm) is demonstrated, to overcome persistent challenges in hemofiltration/hemodialysis. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Ficoll 70 and albumin in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as well as in bovine blood plasma, it is shown that CNT membranes can allow for significantly higher hydraulic permeability (more than an order of magnitude when normalized to pore area) than commercial high-flux hemofiltration/hemodialysis membranes (HF 400), as well as greatly enhance removal of middle molecules while maintaining comparable albumin retention. These findings are rationalized via an N-pore transport model that highlights the critical role of molecular flexing and deformation during size-selective transport within nanoscale confinements of the CNTs. In conclusion, the unique transport characteristics of CNTs coupled with size-exclusion and wafer-scale fabrication offer transformative advances for hemofiltration, and the obtained insight into molecular transport can aid advancements in several other bio-systems/applications beyond hemofiltration/hemodialysis.
High speed friction grinding has been used to grind plant and food substances in water but never been explored for grinding of thermoplastics like polylactic acid (PLA), low and high density polyethylene and polypropylene. Such grinding was investigated in this work and was made possible by using 0.5% guar gum solution instead of just water because increasing the viscosity of water reduced their settling and the speed of passing through the grinder. Additionally, tensile, flexural, and impact strengths of the plastics were studied and higher grinding efficiency of PLA could be explained by its low elongation-at-break compared to low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene. The microplastics (2000–45 μm) were studied for mass and particle size distributions and by scanning electron microscopy, 13 C CP/MAS NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, viscosity of guar gum and contact angles was measured. This new technology can produce finely ground microplastics (710–45 μm) for a variety of applications.
Friction stir lap welding (FSLW) with linear speed of 1m/min or higher can open up opportunities for industrial implementation of FSLW. This paper will provide an overview of several challenges and mitigation strategies to produce effective joints between several Al alloys. FSLW of Al alloys at high speed presents challenges including interface hook features and defects at the interface. Combination of 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx Al alloys were joined and characterized. Load bearing capacity in excess of 80% of base material strength has been demonstrated at the welding speed of 2m/min for 6xxx and 5xxx similar lap joints. The effects of parameters like welding speed, RPM, tool geometry in material flow features, void volume, and hook geometry is investigated and this knowledge base is applied to improve the joint strength of 7xxx series lap welds.
Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is a solid-state thermomechanical processing technique that enables local grain refinement, densification, and homogenization of microstructure in metallic components. Here, FSP is applied to thin sheets of high-pressure die cast AM60 to address the porosity and heterogeneities inherent to the casting process. In this work, microstructure characterization is correlated to improvements in the static mechanical properties of the Mg-Al-Mn alloy system at various FSP processing conditions. Notably, there is a significant increase in the ductility and ultimate tensile stress of system following FSP. The dominant deformation mechanisms for the as-cast material and the FSP material are investigated. Finally, the fatigue life improvement is correlated to microstructure modifications that may lead to distinct behavior in crack initiation and crack propagation for the as-cast and FSP material.
Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to successfully embed galfenol particles into aluminum (AA 1100 Al) matrix uniformly. But, intermetallic layer of Al 3 Fe was formed around the galfenol particles. We estimated the activation energy for Al 3 Fe formation during FSP, and attempts were made to minimize the Al 3 Fe layer thickness. By changing the processing conditions, FSP successfully eliminated the intermetallic layer. Therefore, FSP, in addition to microstructural control, can successfully fabricate intermetallic-free embedded regions by controlling the reaction kinetics.