Molten Aluminum Micro-Droplet Formation and Deposition for Advanced Manufacturing Applications

Molten aluminum droplets are generated from capillary stream break-up and are injected into an inert environment. The intrinsic fidelity of droplet formation from capillary stream break-up provides the allure for use in advanced manufacturing applications such as net-form manufacturing and electronics packaging for the two following reasons: first, because the droplets are generated with extremely regular diameters and inter-droplet spacings, and second, because of the high rates at which they are generated. Additionally, droplet formation from capillary stream break-up allows the customization of droplet streams for a particular application. The current status of the technology under development is presented, and issues affecting the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the manufactured components are studied in an effort to establish a relationship between processing parameters and properties.