Through-Process Modeling for Alloy Design and Process Optimization for Cold Spray

Military aircraft that require high maneuverability, durability, ballistic protection, repairability, and energy efficiency need structural alloys with low density, high toughness, and high strength. The cold spray process, a dynamic powder consolidation technique, produces materials that meet these needs. A through-process model was developed to be utilized as a predictive tool to design optimum aluminum alloys and processing parameters for the cold spray process. The four stages in the through-process model are powder production, powder preparation, cold spray processing, and post-processing. Each stage is a stand-alone model with the stages integrated to create a model of the entire cold spray process. This paper emphasizes the extensive computational thermodynamic and kinetic modeling employed to aid in novel material design of the powder. Model predictions are compared with experimental microstructure, microchemistry, and mechanical properties.