Session: 01-06: Shape Memory Alloy

Paper Number: 109874

109874 - Additive Manufacturing of Fe-Mn-Al-Ni Shape Memory Alloy: Microstructure and Phase Transformation Characteristics 

The development of additive manufacturing equipment and the accessibility of metal powders have recently generated a considerable amount of interest in the additive production of smart materials, often known as 4D printing. Recent research centered on ternary alloy systems of NiTi. However, iron shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA), which has outstanding superplasticity and consistent superplastic behavior across a wider temperature range, can provide a valuable counterpart for NiTi SMA. However, the viability and impact of manufacturing processing factors on Fe-SMA alloy are not well understood. The current study examines the impact of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing parameters on Fe-Mn-Al-Ni shape memory alloy characteristics such as crack formation, surface roughness, laser-track morphology, density, dimensional accuracy, quality, hardness, and phase transformation. To effectively capture thermal behavior and gather in-situ fabrication data, in-situ monitoring of sample printing was carried out utilizing a unique sensing system made up of a long wave infrared camera throughout a temperature range of -20 °C to 1500 °C. In order to characterize the microstructure and phase change of the manufactured samples with respect to manufacturing processing parameters, surface roughness testing, gas pycnometry, Vickers hardness testing, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used. The research showed that higher volumetric energy densities produce materials of higher quality and with fewer flaws, which improved the densification of manufactured Fe-SMA.

Presenting Author: Ala Qattawi University of Toledo

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Ala Qattawi is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial, & Manufacturing Engineering at The University of Toledo. She attended and received a Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering from Clemson University, South Carolina, in 2012 and become the first woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. degree in Automotive Engineering. Before joining the University of Toledo, Dr. Qattawi worked as a post-doctorate fellow at the International Center for Automotive Research, South Carolina between 2013-2014. Dr. Qattawi’s research interests include advanced manufacturing: additive manufacturing and sheet metal forming, design for manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, and Origami-inspired metal structures as well as applications to vehicles' body-in-white structures.