The role of modeling in the development of advanced processes for metallic aerospace alloys

The application of various modeling techniques in the design and control of a number of emerging processes for aerospace alloys is summarized. These techniques include those that are based on melting and solidification (electron-beam cold-hearth melting, laser deposition), deformation (severe-plastic deformation), rapid heat treatment (dual-microstructure processing), and metal removal (distortion-free machining, high-speed machining). The models that have been developed and applied to these processes include those that are largely phenomenological (e.g., continuum FEM codes) or mechanism based. The key elements of models for various processes, important analytical/numerical results, and how these results are or can be used for manufacturing design are summarized. Challenges for the further development and application of the models for industrial processes are also described. These include refinement of the physics-based understanding of the processes and measurement of various material properties that are needed to apply the models in a real-world manufacturing environment.