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.
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
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.
Developing machining technologies for single crystal gallium oxide. Gallium oxide is a new semiconductor material that can be used to make diodes and transistors with lower loss than silicon (Si), and power electronic devices with lower cost and better performance than silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). This project aims to understand the nature of deformation and removal of this unique class of materials during machining. A successful outcome will not only develop an enabling mach ....Developing machining technologies for single crystal gallium oxide. Gallium oxide is a new semiconductor material that can be used to make diodes and transistors with lower loss than silicon (Si), and power electronic devices with lower cost and better performance than silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). This project aims to understand the nature of deformation and removal of this unique class of materials during machining. A successful outcome will not only develop an enabling machining technology for this next generation power semiconductor, but new understanding of machining and materials science will be generated.Read moreRead less
An integral approach enabling the defect-free manufacture of microlens arrays. Free-form microlens arrays are of central importance to the advancement of science and frontier technologies such as electronics, optics, telecommunication, biotechnology, medical surgery, energy generation, agriculture, resource exploration, environment protection and security. Using an integral approach coupling processing-microstructure-property modelling, multi-scale mechanics and damage-free mould development. Th ....An integral approach enabling the defect-free manufacture of microlens arrays. Free-form microlens arrays are of central importance to the advancement of science and frontier technologies such as electronics, optics, telecommunication, biotechnology, medical surgery, energy generation, agriculture, resource exploration, environment protection and security. Using an integral approach coupling processing-microstructure-property modelling, multi-scale mechanics and damage-free mould development. This research project will establish novel theories and technologies for the defect-free manufacture of microlens arrays. The research outcomes will lay the foundation for defect-free fabrication of a wide class of high-integrity systems.Read moreRead less