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Convergent Manufacturing: Unlocking Additive Manufacturing’s Full Potential

Date & Time

Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 10:20 a.m.-11:20 a.m.

Category

Symposium

Location

Fiber Optic Building, Elmer Easton Auditorium, 101 Bevier Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854

Contact

Rajiv Malhotra

Information

Presented by the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Head shot of male with brown hair, a moustache and a beard, wearing a black suit jacket, a white shirt, and a blue patterned tie.

Dr. Thomas Feldhausen
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Abstract: In today's dynamic manufacturing landscape, the synergy between additive manufacturing (AM) and traditional processes, is reshaping industry norms. Convergent manufacturing, the seamless amalgamation of these methodologies, presents unparalleled opportunities for efficiency and innovation. This seminar delves into its core principles, diverse applications, and transformative capabilities. By integrating AM for rapid prototyping and intricate designs with precision machining and other traditional methods, convergent manufacturing streamlines workflows, slashes lead times, and elevates product quality. Focusing on the integration of directed energy deposition (DED) and subtractive manufacturing, the seminar illustrates how interleaved processing can yield significant cycle-time reductions, up to 68%. Additionally, it addresses challenges associated with convergent manufacturing, such as the unique CAM methodology required for DED compared to traditional machining techniques, while emphasizing shared underlying principles. Moreover, the seminar sheds light on fundamental research conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility on hybrid manufacturing and explores future research directions within this dynamic field.

Biography: Dr. Thomas Feldhausen is a research staff member in the Manufacturing Science Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in addition to being a joint faculty member of the University of Texas at El Paso as a research assistant professor in the department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University, with a focus on curriculum development for mechanical engineering education, and a Ph.D. degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the field of hybrid (additive and subtractive) manufacturing. Thomas started at ORNL in 2019 and has been the technical lead for hybrid manufacturing. Before working at ORNL, Thomas worked at Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies in Kansas City where he focused on multi-axis additive techniques for direct ink-write technologies. Dr. Feldhausen has made significant contributions to the field of additive manufacturing with his innovative research at the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. His research utilizes hybrid manufacturing, a combination of additive and subtractive (machining) manufacturing, to provide industrial solutions for component repair, tooling and tooling repair, advanced energy systems, aerospace, and automotive applications. Dr. Feldhausen’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including an Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineering Award by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, selected as a 30 under 30 individual by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Program Award of Excellence, R&D 100 award winner, attendee of the Grainger Foundation U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium hosted by the National Academy of Engineering, and currently serves on the technical committee for manufacturing processes for the American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s Manufacturing Engineering Division. Currently, Dr. Feldhausen is leading ORNL’s portfolio on the industrialization of emerging manufacturing platforms, which aims to develop advanced systems that will support DOE’s efforts in establishing a strong and resilient domestic supply chain. Dr. Feldhausen’s enthusiasm and technical expertise have positioned him as a leading figure in the field of additive manufacturing, and his work has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry.