The Manufacturing and Materials Joining Innovation Center (Ma2JIC) addresses the question of infrastructure rebuilding and innovative materials application in modern manufacturing which are of national interest. The Ma2JIC Center establishes an environment between universities and industrial partners that promotes the development and application of fundamental knowledge in the areas of materials joining and additive manufacturing and provides a platform for the education of the next generation of scientists and engineers. As one of the sites since its inception, the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Site has complemented the Center with its unique expertise and laboratory facilities in the design and manufacturing of innovative welding materials, welding and joining process innovation, welding materials characterization, and additive manufacturing for the energy, aerospace, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries. The CSM Site will seek to intensify its collaborations with the other Center Sites to jointly develop collaborations with the welding, joining and manufacturing industries, large and small, national laboratories and government agencies. The strength of the Center is the ability of the group to close the gap between materials development and weldability for materials used in the manufacturing industry, with ultimate societal gain from all these amazing synergies.
The Ma2JIC Center research thrusts of Process Innovation, Materials Performance, Additive Manufacturing, Weldability Testing and Evaluation will develop fundamental understanding as described by the materials tetrahedron - "Processing-Microstructure-Properties-Performance". CSM Site researchers are examining the fundamental aspects of GTA and Laser weldability of Laser-Powder bed fusion AM built products, solidification behavior of Laser-Powder bed fusion and Directed Energy Deposition AM products, and filler metal development for microstructural optimization in Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication products, including metal matrix composites. The incorporation of Reaction Synthesis powder into tubular wires for both laser-based and electron beam-based additive manufacturing is being attempted. The effect of surface tension on AM deposits will be fully characterized and understood for process control. Another research focus addresses the design and manufacture of thermal spray coatings with enhanced wear and fracture resistance for oil and gas drilling operations. The CSM Site will continue to study and design low transformation temperature welding (LTTW) consumables for distortion control and residual stress mitigation control. These programs are expected to lead to the development of fundamental knowledge as well as practical technology. The CSM Site is also pursuing cross university and multi-industry collaboration on intelligent welding, friction stir processing, robotics, advanced neutron and X-rays characterization, and data-driven modeling.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
