3D-printed nickel-titanium alloys promise stronger, smarter structure

Oct 30, 2024

Using 3D printing, the teams designed and fabricated active ILMs by integrating SMAs, specifically nickel-titanium, which can recover their original shape after deformation by changing temperatures.

Kapil Kajal

An individual cell of the proposed versions of ILMs in their different engagement states.

Dr. Ibrahim Karaman

Researchers from Texas A&M University and Sandia National Laboratories have significantly improved a new joining technology called interlocking metasurfaces (ILMs).

This technology aims to enhance the strength and stability of structures compared to traditional methods like bolts and adhesives.

The researchers achieved this by using shape memory alloys (SMAs).

ILMs offer the potential to transform the mechanical joint design in manufacturing for aerospace, robotics, and biomedical devices.

“ILMs are poised to redefine joining technologies across a range of applications, much like Velcro did decades ago,” said Dr. Ibrahim Karaman, professor and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering Department at Texas A&M.

“In collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, the original developers of ILMs, we have engineered and fabricated ILMs from shape memory alloys. Our research demonstrates that these ILMs can be selectively disengaged and re-engaged on demand while maintaining consistent joint strength and structural integrity.”

Similar to Legos or Velcro, ILMs enable the joining of two bodies by transmitting force and constraining movement. Until now, this joining method has been passive, requiring force for engagement.

Using 3D printing, the teams designed and fabricated active ILMs by integrating SMAs, specifically nickel-titanium, which can recover their original shape after deformation by changing temperatures.

Control of joining technology through temperature changes opens new possibilities for smart, adaptive structures without loss in strength or stability and with increased options for flexibility and functionality.

“Active ILMs have the potential to revolutionize mechanical joint design in industries requiring precise, repeatable assembly and disassembly,” said Abdelrahman Elsayed, graduate research assistant in the materials science and engineering department at Texas A&M.

Practical applications include designing reconfigurable aerospace engineering components where parts must be assembled and disassembled multiple times.

Active ILMs could also provide flexible and adaptable joints for robotics-enhancing functionality.

The ability to adjust implants and prosthetics to body movements and temperatures in biomedical devices could offer patients a better option.

The current findings utilized the shape memory effect of SMAs to recover the ILMs’ shape by adding heat.

The researchers hope to build on these findings by using the superelasticity effect of SMAs to create ILMs that can withstand large deformation and instantaneously recover under very high-stress levels.

“We anticipate that incorporating SMAs into ILMs will unlock numerous future applications, though several challenges remain,” said Karaman.

“Achieving superelasticity in complex 3D-printed ILMs will enable localized control of structural stiffness and facilitate reattachment with high locking forces. Additionally, we expect this technology to address longstanding challenges associated with joining techniques in extreme environments. We are highly enthusiastic about the transformative potential of ILM technology.”

Other contributors include Dr. Alaa Elwany, associate professor in the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and doctoral student Taresh Guleria in the industrial systems and engineering department.

The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), the official research agency of Texas A&M Engineering, administers funding for this research.

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Kapil Kajal Kapil Kajal is an award-winning journalist with a diverse portfolio spanning defense, politics, technology, crime, environment, human rights, and foreign policy. His work has been featured in publications such as Janes, National Geographic, Al Jazeera, Rest of World, Mongabay, and Nikkei. Kapil holds a dual bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics, and Communication Engineering and a master’s diploma in journalism from the Institute of Journalism and New Media in Bangalore.

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