Ilaria Cristofolini

Working hypothesis for origin of anisotropic sintering shrinkage caused by prior uniaxial cold compaction

Abstract This work proposes a hypothesis for the interpretation of shrinkage anisotropy during sintering of an Fe–Cu–C alloy based on the effect of the structural modifications of the powder, due to the prior compaction, on the mass transport phenomena. Dislocations are introduced by cold compaction in the contact regions between particles, with different densities along the compaction direction and the transversal one. Therefore, the mass transport by volume diffusion is strongly activated in both directions, and a prevailing effect in the compaction direction is shown. The volume diffusion coefficients derived from the kinetic model correspond to the dislocation pipe diffusion mechanism.

The role of product feature relations in a knowledge based methodology to manage design modifications for product measurability

During product development, the verification process should already be considered at the design phase to ensure that the characteristics of the product are measured effectively and reliably. Moreover, the verification process may prove more effective if the inspector is aware of the specific designers intents. The development of the new ISO GPS (Geometrical Product Specifications) standards is mainly founded on these considerations. In accordance with the ISO GPS concepts, previous work developed a knowledge based system named Design GuideLines (DGLs). This system provides the designer with the knowledge concerning the manufacturing and verification procedures/tools and better links the manufacturing and verification processes to the designers activities/needs. Further research then exploited the DGLs to discover the relations among product features determined by a particular manufacturing process. This work again uses the DGLs to prove that further relations among product features may also be determined by the verification process. This knowledge helps designers in understanding the consequences of the modifications applied to the product features required to improve the measurability of the product. Moreover, inspectors can better manage the verification procedure knowing these relations among the product features.

Densification and deformation during uniaxial cold compaction of stainless steel powder with different particle size

The behaviour of austenitic stainless steel powder column during uniaxial cold compaction was investigated in this work. Powders with different particle size were compacted to the same green density in a hydraulic press, also providing different H/D ratios in order to account for the influence of geometry. The analysis of the data continuously recorded by the press allowed distinguishing the contribution of the reversible phenomena (elastic deformation of powders and tools) and of the irreversible phenomena (rearrangement and plastic deformation of the powders). An analytical model for densification was proposed, considering both density and increase in density versus the applied pressure. The trend of reversible and permanent deformations versus the applied pressure was evaluated, also proposing an analytical model. The comparison between the densification curves and the curves of permanent deformation allowed highlighting the physical meaning of the model describing the increase in density for the different particle size.

Customising a Knowledge-Based System for Design Optimisation in Fused Deposition Modelling RP-Technique

In a Design For Manufacturing context, Rapid Prototyping techniques are some way still considered as “new technologies”: the peculiar characteristics of the manufacturing processes are not widely known and may deeply affect the final product functionality. A Knowledge Based System, the Design Guidelines — DGLs, was developed by our Research Group at the University of Udine; it evaluated the products design, in order to verify its feasibility by DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) Rapid Prototyping technique. During the evaluation process, the DGLs also keep into consideration the aspects relating the verification step, according to the ISO-GPS principles, thus enhancing the completeness of the tool. Aim of this work was to customise the DGLs for design optimisation in FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling), also evidencing the critical aspects and proposing alternative solutions. The contents and structure of the customised version of DGLs are presented in this work.

How Rapid Prototyping Process Parameters Could Affect the Product Design Phase: A KBS Approach

Considering the whole product life-cycle, product model is usually defined during the design phase, given a set of requirements and constraints belonging to the same domain. The use of different manufacturing and verification technologies may, however, profoundly affect the characteristics of the product, so that a re-design phase is often necessary. In previous work, a Knowledge Based System named Design GuideLines (DGLs) was developed, aiming to help the designers make the product model compatible with the requirements and constraints of the specific manufacturing and verification domains. During the DGLs development, the possibility emerged to exploit them in order to identify possible relations among product features. This aspect seems very important, further helping the designer to better understand the consequences of the modifications suggested by the DGLs and applied to the product model during the re-design phase. The present work aims to identify these relations among product features. The result of DGLs exploitation has been critically analyzed to highlight the link between manufacturing characteristics and product features, and, further, among features themselves. Unpredictable relations among the product features, given a particular Rapid Prototyping technology as manufacturing technology, have been discovered and exploited.Copyright

From experimental data, the mechanics relationships describing the behaviour of four different low alloyed steel powders during uniaxial cold compaction

ABSTRACT This work aims at determining the constitutive model of four commercial water atomised low alloyed steel powders during cold compaction. Single-action experiments were performed, obtaining cylindrical specimens with different H/D ratios. The distribution of axial and radial stresses was investigated, and the relationships describing both the radial stress transmission coefficient and the flow stress as functions of the relative density were determined. The radial stress transmission coefficient also confirmed the hypothesised value of Poisson’s coefficient. The friction coefficient between the powder column and the die wall was determined, also highlighting the influence of the H/D ratio. Measuring the axial and radial strains due to spring-back, the axial and radial elastic moduli were determined, as functions of the relative density. The results obtained for the four materials were compared, also highlighting both differences and similarities.

Design guidelines for PM parts subject to dry rolling–sliding wear

Abstract This work improves the systematic approach proposed in previous papers, aimed at defining design criteria specific for powder metallurgy (PM) parts subject to wear in application. Dry rolling–sliding tests have been performed on PM steels obtained under different process conditions, and the results have been used as a knowledge base in the proposed design procedure to evaluate the effect of the material variables (porosity and microhardness) and geometrical parameters (contact length) on wear resistance. The failure criterion considered here to ensure the functionality provides to compare the wear thickness with a value deriving from the dimensional tolerances. If the failure criterion is not matched, then a change in the material variables and/or geometrical parameters is proposed. The occurrence of plastic deformation and/or brittle contact at the surface region is also considered. Examples of application show that the most significant improvement is obtained by modifying both material variables and geometrical parameters.

Experimental study of relationships between sizing force and deformation of sintered parts to define process control procedure

Abstract Sizing is studied in this work as a post-sintering operation aimed at improving the dimensional and geometrical precision of sintered parts. The required dimensional and geometrical characteristics are obtained by the plastic deformation due to sizing, which is related to the applied stress. In this work, the relationships between applied force, resulting deformation, attainable geometrical characteristics have been investigated. By means of the data recorded by a hydraulic press, force–displacement curves have been derived. The analysis of these curves allowed identifying the elastic deformation of part and tool, as well as the plastic deformation of the part. The plastic deformation has been correlated to the actual dimensional changes measured on the part, as well as to the change in the required geometrical characteristic (conicity). On the basis of these relationships, a design procedure to optimise the sizing strategy has been proposed.

Exploiting the Features of ISO GPS Standards to Enhance a Knowledge-Based Method for Product Redesign and Process Reconfiguration

Previous work developed a knowledge-based method named Design GuideLines Collaborative Framework (DGLs-CF), adopted during product redesign and process reconfiguration and aimed at dealing and matching with particular manufacturing and verification technologies, according to ISO GPS concepts. Aim of present work is improving the role of the ISO GPS within the DGLs-CF, not only to raise coherence in terms of concepts, but to gain some important internal and external improvements for the DGLs-CF. The main activity toward achieving this goal is the formalization of DGLs-CF product features by means of the ISO GPS features. The procedure is proposed and the consequences of its application on the elements of the DGLs-CF are evaluated. A case of study as an example of application is also presented. A significant improvement in the DGLs-CF is realized, both in terms of knowledge structure and organization, and in terms of the possibility of interfacing it with other methodologies, tools, and environments.Copyright

Sintering shrinkage of uniaxial cold compacted iron: influence of the microstructure on the anisothermal and isothermal shrinkage of uniaxial cold-compacted iron

ABSTRACT The influence of the microstructure of uniaxial cold-compacted green iron on the sintering shrinkage was investigated. Pores in the green parts are very slightly oriented, while the dimension of the interparticle contact areas is anisotropic. A large and anisotropic anisothermal shrinkage in alpha iron was measured, greater than isothermal shrinkage at the 1120°C. The results were interpreted on the basis of the geometrical and of the structural activity, and the effective diffusivity responsible for neck growth was determined.