Maximum Height to Width Ratio of Freestanding Structures Built Using Ultrasonic Consolidation

Ultrasonic consolidation (UC) is a process whereby metal foils can be metallurgically bonded at or near room temperature. The UC process works by inducing high-speed differential motion (~20kHz) between a newly deposited layer and a substrate (which consists of a base plate and any previously deposited layers of material). This differential motion causes plastic deformation at the interface, which breaks up surface oxides and deforms surface asperities, bringing clean metal surfaces into intimate contact, where bonding occurs. If the substrate is not stiff enough to resist deflection during ultrasonic excitation of newly deposited layers, then it deflects along with the newly deposited layer, resulting in no differential motion and lack of bonding. Geometric issues which control substrate stiffness and deflection were investigated at Utah State University by building a number of free-standing rib structures with varying dimensions and orientations. Each structure was built to a height where lack of bonding between the previously deposited layers and the newly deposited layer caused the building process to fail, a height to width ratio (H/W) of approximately 1:1. The parts were then cut, polished, and viewed under a microscope. An ANSYS model was created to investigate analytically the cause of this failure. It appears build failure is due to excessive deflection of the ribs around a 1:1 H/W, resulting in insufficient differential motion and deformation to achieve bonding. Preliminary results show, when the H/W reaches 1:1, the von Mises stress is found to be tensile along portions of the bonding interface, which eliminates the compressive frictional forces necessary for plastic deformation and formation of a metallurgical bond. These tensile stresses are shown to be concentrated at regions near the edges of the newly deposited foil layer.Mechanical Engineerin