Developing a hybrid waterjet-laser micromachining technology and associated process models for damage-free fabrication of silicon substrates. This hybrid micromachining technology will make it possible for damage-free, fast micro-fabrication of high-integrity devices such as high performance silicon solar cells. It will open new directions for the Australian manufacturing industry in micro-technologies. The environmental and economic benefits to the nation will be highly significant.
New Lead-Free Brass Solutions for Drinking Water Applications. The aim of this Linkage Project is to provide viable material solutions to address the health problem of Lead-contamination in drinking water arising from Leaded-brass plumbing products and the impact Lead-removal from brass will have on the brass industry. In order to achieve this, this project engages leading multidisciplinary researchers along with Australian and international industry partners from across the brass industry suppl ....New Lead-Free Brass Solutions for Drinking Water Applications. The aim of this Linkage Project is to provide viable material solutions to address the health problem of Lead-contamination in drinking water arising from Leaded-brass plumbing products and the impact Lead-removal from brass will have on the brass industry. In order to achieve this, this project engages leading multidisciplinary researchers along with Australian and international industry partners from across the brass industry supply and sales network. This project seeks to identify and harness the key material-product attributes required to develop and implement new, lead-free alloy alternatives that meet health-compliance, production and commercial viability, that offer benefits across the industry network and health benefits to society.Read moreRead less
Additive manufacturing wear-resistant products for erosive environments. Additive manufacturing wear-resistant products for erosive environments. This project aims to develop technology to manufacture large scale, wear resistant components, involving new materials, computer-aided-design and direct hybrid manufacturing comprising laser additive and machining processes. The technology could produce more wear resistant components, using new iron-based powders, designed mesoscale graded structures a ....Additive manufacturing wear-resistant products for erosive environments. Additive manufacturing wear-resistant products for erosive environments. This project aims to develop technology to manufacture large scale, wear resistant components, involving new materials, computer-aided-design and direct hybrid manufacturing comprising laser additive and machining processes. The technology could produce more wear resistant components, using new iron-based powders, designed mesoscale graded structures and microscale reinforcing phases of appropriate morphology and size. The proposed approach is expected to lead to lower cost manufacturing mining products which perform better and have a lower environmental footprint, and more competitive Australian mining manufacturing operations.Read moreRead less
High-efficient abrasive waterjet machining of complex curved surfaces. This project aims to develop an abrasive waterjet process technology that is expected to increase the manufacturing efficiency by 4 times for complex curved surface structures such as the integral impellers and blisks used in turbine machines and aeroengines. It will also explore the science associated with the energy dissipation process for ultrahigh velocity abrasive waterjets and the curved surface generation process by th ....High-efficient abrasive waterjet machining of complex curved surfaces. This project aims to develop an abrasive waterjet process technology that is expected to increase the manufacturing efficiency by 4 times for complex curved surface structures such as the integral impellers and blisks used in turbine machines and aeroengines. It will also explore the science associated with the energy dissipation process for ultrahigh velocity abrasive waterjets and the curved surface generation process by the impact of a cloud of numerous particles. The intended outcome will break a technological barrier and make it entirely possible for the wide use of integral impellers and blisks in airplanes to significantly increase fuel efficiency. The economic, social and environmental benefit is expected to be enormous.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms and innovative technologies for machining nanoscale multilayered thin film solar panels. This project addresses an important manufacturing bottleneck in the solar energy industry by addressing significant limitations in machining multilayered solar panels. A successful outcome will provide an important breakthrough in machining technology applicable not only to solar panels but other material science applications.
Integrity prediction of ground precision surfaces. This project aims to establish a new approach to enable a reliable and accurate prediction of precision surface grinding. Precision grinding is often the final step in the manufacturing chains for a broad range of metal, ceramic, optical glass and semiconductor components, which must have ultra-high surface integrity and accurate dimensions. To date, the surface integrity of a ground component cannot be predicted due to the involvement of many r ....Integrity prediction of ground precision surfaces. This project aims to establish a new approach to enable a reliable and accurate prediction of precision surface grinding. Precision grinding is often the final step in the manufacturing chains for a broad range of metal, ceramic, optical glass and semiconductor components, which must have ultra-high surface integrity and accurate dimensions. To date, the surface integrity of a ground component cannot be predicted due to the involvement of many random factors and variables in a precision surface grinding process, resulting in high failure rates and processes requiring repeated surface measurements. The novel approach for surface integrity prediction developed by this project will make a vital step forward in advancing the discipline of precision surfacing, establish a new knowledge base and bring about significant technological impacts to the manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less
Enhancing and modelling the abrasive waterjet impact and erosion process. This project aims to understand and improve the ultrahigh pressure abrasive waterjet (AWJ) impact process. The current AWJ machining technology transfers less than 20% of the jet energy to the workpiece, mainly due to the damping effect of a stagnant layer at the jet impact site. This project attempts to remove this effect using ultrasonic vibration and explore the new impact micromechanics under the coupled effect of part ....Enhancing and modelling the abrasive waterjet impact and erosion process. This project aims to understand and improve the ultrahigh pressure abrasive waterjet (AWJ) impact process. The current AWJ machining technology transfers less than 20% of the jet energy to the workpiece, mainly due to the damping effect of a stagnant layer at the jet impact site. This project attempts to remove this effect using ultrasonic vibration and explore the new impact micromechanics under the coupled effect of particle impact and workpiece vibration. The expected outcome is a new AWJ technology for efficient, multi-scale machining, and to increase industry’s capability in fabricating high-integrity products.Read moreRead less
A new lapping process for difficult-to-machine brittle materials. This project aims to address a timely bottleneck issue in the conventional lapping of difficult-to-machine optoelectronic brittle materials. An innovative chemically enhanced lapping technology for fabricating such materials is expected to reduce machined subsurface damage. This is significant because it would shorten the subsequent finishing process and minimise the manufacturing cost. Intended outcomes from this project also inc ....A new lapping process for difficult-to-machine brittle materials. This project aims to address a timely bottleneck issue in the conventional lapping of difficult-to-machine optoelectronic brittle materials. An innovative chemically enhanced lapping technology for fabricating such materials is expected to reduce machined subsurface damage. This is significant because it would shorten the subsequent finishing process and minimise the manufacturing cost. Intended outcomes from this project also include an advanced machining theory and innovations in material removal characterisation. This breakthrough technology should benefit the design and fabrication of high performance electronic devices for energy, medicine and communication sectors with considerable impact on the Australian economy.Read moreRead less
Modelling the cutting process and cutting performance in high-speed abrasive waterjet turning. This project will have a significant impact for the manufacturing industry by providing a new abrasive waterjet turning technology for producing highly reliable products from advanced, but difficult-to-machine, materials. It will also develop into a new branch of science by understanding the mechanics associated with the new turning process.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100016
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$490,000.00
Summary
Multi-scale fabrication facility for complex three-dimensional surface generation from nano to macro dimensions. This facility will support advances in the manufacturing of free-form surfaces with submicron features. Its unique characteristics, such as the universal profiling ability and nanometre accuracy across large dimensions, will enable many science and engineering innovations which are presently impossible to be realised in Australia.