Laser engraving may result in alpha casing on the parts. The team aims to quantify the effects of alpha case on Ti properties, including fatigue and fracture performance.

The team aims to characterize a composite material system composed of a bio-based, thermoset resin derived from renewable material. The will test the resin to evaluate the performance of the material using industry standards.

Adhesive bonding systems consist of four critical elements, substrate, adhesive, surface preparation, and bonding process. The team aims to evaluate how variation in bondline thickness affects mechanical performance.

Plasma treatment is a novel method of preparing surfaces for bonding. The team aims to identify and evaluate the relative effects of plasma detection methods on bond quality of machined thermoplastic substrates.

Traditionally, sanding has been used for surface preparation across industries. It is a subtractive manufacturing technique to smooth the surface based on grit size. The team is tasked with replicating this effect with laser ablation. The team will explore the applicability of laser ablation for surface smoothing to optimize surface uniformity and removal rate.

The current vapor degreasing solvent for cleaning boards in the Crane production line will soon be discontinued. The team aims to identify and validate a long-term replacement. It must be compatible with the current equipment and clean equally or better than the previous system.

The team aims to characterize the processing and performance of Hexcel’s Nature Range composite prepreg materials and devise potential applications for it in the US market.

The team aims to implement digital twin technology to create virtual replicas of materials and better understand their physical attributes and functional behavior. The team plans to develop a digital twin, document the process, and evaluate its performance.

The team aims to determine the sustainability improvements of using regrind materials from bumpers and fairings at the end of their life as sleeper cabinet components. To accomplish this, the team must characterize the material properties of bumper and fairing materials at the end of their life to determine if they are suitable for this purpose.

As electronic devices become more and more smaller, the power source is required to reduce the size to play multiple functions. However, the design and production of micro batteries face challenges. This project is aimed at designing, fabrication and testing of microbatteries with new electrode materials to improve the power and energy of the devices.