A systems based approach will be used for improving low pressure plasma deposition (LPPD) processes. LPPD enables production of engineering materials of fine microstructure, high density, in useful engineering shapes. Important applications include production of metal matrix composites and alloy materials used in gas turbines and aircraft engines. Currently, these processes are operated in an empirically determined feedforward fashion. This poses limits on the achievable material quality and on the speed the process can be adapted to meet new manufacturing and materials requirements. This study will determine the important process characteristics needed to develop alternative controller design and will also aid in optimizing the operating regime and system design. Low order models (LOMs) that capture the dominant system dynamics will be developed to reveal the important system relationships. The process models will be analyzed to obtain an explicit description of the process constraints for LPPD.The LOMs will be developed from lumped and parametric representations of the process physics and by reduction of existing high order models. Analysis results will be confirmed by comparison to existing high order modelling and experimental studies.
