Optimization and Characterization of Metals

The Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP) offers a research opportunity focused on metallurgical processing and characterization, particularly pertaining to additive manufacturing (AM) and powder metallurgy (PM) processes. Near-net-shape production technologies hold great promise for increasing cost-efficiency of manufacturing through improved feedstock-to-product yields and reducing design-to-product lead times through rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. The project will require working as part of a large application-driven research team to engineer new processes and microstructures with the goal of improving performance. The main focus will be the development of processes and characterization tools to understand and optimize the process-structure-property relationship of metal components produced via advanced manufacturing technologies. This research opportunity aligns with the ARL S&T Campaign in the areas of Metals Additive Manufacturing in an effort to improve the performance, reliability, and versatility of future Army systems.