Liquid Impact Based Material Micro Forming Technology

Veljko Samardzic

Advisor: E.S.Geskin

The objective of the performed study was to investigate application of high-speed liquid projectiles for material forming, specifically for formation of sub millimeter and micron scale parts. An experimental setup for projectiles fabrication was constructed and a series of experiments involving sub millimeter and micron scale metals deformation was performed. The proposed technology involves impacting a workpiece supported by a die by a high-speed (1000-1750 m/s) water projectile (an impulsive jet). The projectiles are generated by a launcher (a water cannon), which constitutes a modified gun, loaded by a round where a solid slug is replaced by a container with a liquid, e.g. water. The powder explosion accelerates water and at the end of the barrel the water speed is comparable with that of the solid projectile. The further acceleration occurs in a nozzle attached to the barrel. This enables us to increase significantly the water speed. In the previous experiments the attained water velocity of 1750 m/s was actually achieved. At the speed of 1500 m/s the pressure exerted on the target at the impact zone is an order of 1 GPa. At such a pressure a metal target impacted by the liquid projectile acquires a shape of the supporting die. A water projectile impacting a solid surface at the speed of 1000 m/s and more acts as an explosive, which detonates on the target’s surface Thus the liquid impact can be used for metal forming where the projectile works as a punch. In the course of the performed experiments steel, aluminum, copper and bronze samples supported by a die were impacted by the high speed liquid projectiles. It was shown that the material forming can be precisely controlled by the die geometry and the impact conditions. Particularly, the experiments involved formation of the concentric micro grooves and filling the micro cavities. While the copper filled the cavities completely, complete filling by steel requires higher water velocity than that attained in the course of experiments. Investigation of the generated micro topography shows precision of material deformation. The geometry and topography of the generated samples was investigated using advanced surface examination techniques and feasibility of the liquid impact based microforming technology was demonstrated. The feasibility of mass production of MEMS parts was demonstrated. Development of entirely new manufacturing technologies using high speed projectiles was demonstrated.