— Advanced Manufacturing for Nonproliferation
Forthcoming.
January 20, 2022
- Bradley Gladden (The University of Texas at Austin ), “Survey of additive manufacturing signatures for the prevention of nuclear proliferation”
Abstract: Improvements in additive manufacturing technologies will enable multiple-material and advanced material capabilities, creating opportunities to improve and expand the nuclear fuel fabrication process. Additive manufacturing can allow fuel to have complex geometries and contain composites of materials that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to make with traditional manufacturing methods. This opportunity also has implications for nuclear proliferation. We present a survey of additive manufacturing technologies and relevant signatures that could be used to identify processes, materials, or part properties.
- Natalie Cannon (GT), “Additive manufacturing for nuclear nonproliferation”
Abstract: Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly developing technology that allows industries to automate and simplify the production of highly complicated items. Recently, AM techniques have been used in the fields of nuclear weapons and nuclear enrichment technology. Presently, there are very few international or domestic export controls that apply to AM’s role in the nuclear industry, constituting an unmanaged proliferation pathway. Pre-existing export controls focus on general concepts and processes and do not take into account specific nuances of various techniques that are categorized as additive manufacturing. To introduce legislation and controls that will be effective in monitoring proliferation pathways, one must investigate and characterize AM techniques and their nuclear applications. This work involves categorizing 32 AM techniques and ranking them based on their potential impact on the nuclear fuel cycle. Through this method of characterization and categorization, export controls would address specific AM nuclear proliferation risks without disrupting the entire industry and fuel cycle. Additionally, legislation employing this method would identify loopholes in export controls because of its holistic approach to managing and monitoring proliferation pathways.
March 31, 2021
- Prof. Dan Thoma (UW), “Property signatures of metal additive manufacturing”
- Prof. Lin Shao (TAMU), “Radiation response and mechanical properties of AM 316L”
October 30, 2020
- Dr. Chris Spadaccini (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
- Prof. Steven Biegalski (GT)
September 29, 2020
- Dr. Amanda Lines (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), “On-line monitoring: building tools to support advanced nuclear reactor and fuel cycles”
- Prof. Derek Haas (The University of Texas at Austin), “Multi-material powder bed fusionand SLS of UO2 surrogates”
August 27, 2020
- Prof. Lin Shao (Texas A&M University), “Irradiation response of AM 316 stainless steels”
Abstract: Additive manufacturing creates various unique micro-structures, which can lead to unique behaviors under neutron and ion irradiation. The project aims to identify the correlations between irradiation responses and characteristic features of AM alloys. Hence we can establish the relationship between irradiation tolerance and processing parameters. The irradiation response includes void swelling, precipitation, and boundary segregation. Such knowledge is needed for the alloy application in reactor environments and further optimization. At the later stage of the project, we will proceed to ion beam analysis of AM alloys, as a way to characterize alloys’ composition and porosity.
- Dr. Nicholas Leathe (Sandia National Laboratories), “High Consequence Applications: Sandia’s Additive Manufacturing Interests”
Abstract: Sandia National Laboratories’ interest in additive manufacturing spans multiple disciplines and technology areas, but focuses on low quantity high consequence applications. In some instances, parts may be deployed without the ability to monitor their state of health or provide opportunities for repair or replacement. This presentation reviews a handful of applications utilizing additive manufacturing to support Sandia’s programs.
July 23, 2020
- Dr. Andrew T. Nelson (Nuclear Fuel Materials, ORNL), “Advanced and Additive Manufacturing for Nuclear Materials Applications”
Abstract: Advanced manufacturing methods are providing the nuclear materials community with new tools in fabrication, property control, quality control, and performance diagnostics. Each of these provides avenues to reduce development times, reduce cost, improve safety and reliability, and increase nuclear reactor performance. This brief presentation will provide examples of the above with emphasis on the composite fuel form being developed for ORNL’s Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) and use of build diagnostics for quality assurance of nuclear components.
- Dr. Amit Jariwala (GT), “Exploring data streams to understand makerspaces”
Abstract: The talk will present an overview of studies conducted to evaluate the role of makerspaces in empowering communities. A novel assessment framework is proposed to classify makerspaces. The classification framework will help develop our understanding of makerspaces as well as support a foundation of knowledge to assess current/future capabilities and potential proliferation risk through maker communities. Several techniques used to collect data to support the classification system, including direct usage data and side channel data from makerspace equipment will be presented. Successful makerspaces often foster cross-disciplinary collaborative community engagement. The talk will include examples of how maker communities could be leveraged to create research/design opportunities, which could be transferred across ETI collaborators/partners.
June 25, 2020
- Prof. Dan Thoma (UW), “High-throughput experimentation for microstructural design signatures in additively manufactured 316L stainless steel”
Abstract: In this presentation, a combination of high-throughput (HT) and low-throughput (LT) technique will be shown to rapidly determine the processing window and generate processing maps for Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of 316L stainless steel. The HT method includes the fabrication of hundreds of hex nut-shaped specimens, each processed with a unique combination of laser power, scanning speed, and hatch spacing. An easily removable scaffolding permitted rapid sample extraction from the base plate, thus saving machining cost and time. Hardness and immersion density measurements were used for HT characterization to identify a processing window for maximum strength and density. Within the defined processing window, a low-throughput (LT) microstructural interrogation of specimens was performed. The microstructural analysis included quantification at various length scales (i.e., grains size and morphology, texture, primary dendrite arm spacing, and melt pool geometry analysis). Microstructure-based processing maps as a function of volumetric energy density were generated. The combination of HT and LT methods produced a predictive relationship between hardness and primary dendrite arm spacing using a Hall-Petch relationship. A model is proposed to explain the dependence of microstructure on the melt pool geometry. The HT method can be applied for the microstructural design and identification of signatures in SLM-fabricated components, as well as for sharing samples within the ETI team.
- Dr. Colt Montgomery (LANL), “The role of advanced manufacturing in the realization of new microreactor designs for nuclear power”
Abstract: The desire for greater efficiency has pushed nuclear reactor design to consider designs that present extreme fabrication challenges. Advanced manufacturing (AM) provides the opportunity to realize these new microreactor designs that had previously been impossible to manufacture in a reasonable time scale. This talk will focus on the lessons learned during fabrication of AM metal coreblock components for a DOE microreactor program.
May 22, 2020
- Prof. Michael Short (MIT), “Nuclear enrichment forensics through flash nanocalorimetry”
Abstract: Our ability to assess nuclear weapon threat hinges upon two major questions: (1) Is an object a bomb, and (2) How many of these were made? (1) is on the way to being solved through Zero Knowledge Verification, and we demonstrate significant experimental headway towards answering question (2). We show that calorimetry of Teflon (PTFE), used as gasket materials in centrifuge equipment, can reveal whether it has seen one weapon’s worth of UF6 gas throughput. Microtoming micron-thick slices holds the promise to simultaneously measure UF6 throughput and enrichment, allowing reconstruction of the enrichment history of a piece of equipment.