California Institute of Technology

Douglas C Hofmann

Scott N Roberts

Brian H Wilcox

Andre M Pate

John Paul C Borgonia

Andrew Kennett

William L Johnson

Samad A Firdosy

Robert Peter Dillon

Aaron Parness

Kalind C Carpenter

Kobie T Boykins

Gregory Agnes

Samuel C Bradford

Morgan Hendry

Christopher R Yahnker

Marios D Demetriou

Joseph P Schramm

Mark S Anderson

Alexander Ksendzov

Andrew A Shapiro

Jerry L Mulder

Gregory L Davis

Luis Phillipe Cf Tosi

William C Johnson

Cecily M Sunday

David C Scott

Warren P George

James A Smith

Abdullah S Aljabri

Paul B Gardner

Joel M Steinkraus

Rudi M Bendig

Henry Kozachkov

Eric J Suh

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement bulk metallic glass-based macroscale gears. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a bulk metallic glass-based macroscale gear, where at least either the thickness of the gear is greater than 3 mm or the diameter of the gear is greater than 9 mm, includes: obtaining design parameters of the gear to be formed; selecting a bulk metallic glass from which the gear will be formed based on the obtained design parameters, where the selected bulk metallic glass is characterized by a resistance to standard modes of wear and a resistance to brittle fracture such that a gear can be formed from the selected bulk metallic glass that accords with the obtained design parameters; and fabricating the gear from the selected bulk metallic glass that accords with the obtained design parameters.

Systems and methods for implementing bulk metallic glass-based macroscale gears

Systems and methods for developing tough hypoeutectic amorphous metal-based materials for additive manufacturing, and methods of additive manufacturing using such materials are provided. The methods use 3D printing of discrete thin layers during the assembly of bulk parts from metallic glass alloys with compositions selected to improve toughness at the expense of glass forming ability. The metallic glass alloy used in manufacturing of a bulk part is selected to have minimal glass forming ability for the per layer cooling rate afforded by the manufacturing process, and may be specially composed for high toughness.

Hypoeutectic amorphous metal-based materials for additive manufacturing

Harmonic drives are used widely in robotics as a method for achieving high gear reductions and for driving force transmissions. The harmonic drive is made a three components: a wave generator, a flexspline, and a circular spline. Embodiments described flexsplines for a metal strain wave gearing. The cup of the flexspline is free from sharp edges and with a rounded bottom with a curvature maximized based on the geometry of the flexspline. Compared to a steel flexspline, implementations of flexsplines will have the same outer diameter, the same number of teeth and profile, the same input shaft/base, the same wall thickness near the teeth, but comprise a rounded bottom where the input shaft/base transitions to the straight wall of the flexspline, providing improved performance of BMG flexsplines by reducing low cycle fatigue failures due to stress concentrations.

Rounded strain wave gear flexspline utilizing bulk metallic glass-based materials and methods of manufacture thereof

Methods for the fabrication of metal strain wave gear flexsplines using a specialized metal additive manufacturing technique are provided. The method allows the entire flexspline to be metal printed, including all the components: the output surface with mating features, the thin wall of the cup, and the teeth integral to the flexspline. The flexspline may be used directly upon removal from the building tray.

Methods for fabricating strain wave gear flexsplines using metal additive manufacturing

Methods and alloy systems for non-Be BMG matrix composite materials that can be used to additively manufacturing parts with superior mechanical properties, especially high toughness and strength, are provided. Alloys are directed to BMGMC materials comprising a high strength BMG matrix reinforced with properly scaled, soft, crystalline metal dendrite inclusions dispersed throughout the matrix in a sufficient concentration to resist fracture.

High toughness metallic glass-based composites for additive manufacturing

Systems and method for fabricating a metal core truss panel with seamlessly embedded features in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method for producing a metal core truss panel composite, the method including fabricating a sacrificial core truss panel including a plurality of interconnected truss members and at least one embedded feature, and plating the sacrificial core truss panel with a layer of metal forming a metal core truss panel including a plurality of interconnected metal truss members and at least one seamlessly embedded metal feature.

Method for embedding inserts, fasteners and features into metal core truss panels

Harmonic drives (HDs) are used widely in robotics as a method for achieving high gear reductions and for driving force transmissions. The HD is made a three components: a wave generator, a flexspline, and a circular spline. Low-cost wave generators for metal strain wave gearing are provided. Wave generators are provided that incorporate commercially available bearings that form an ellipse either statically or through adjustment. Wave generators are optimized to maximum performance, including increasing the efficiency and the lifetime, while maximizing the running torque. The shape, size, number, type and location of the bearings can be changed so that the wave generator fails at a similar lifetime as a low cost flexspline. The shape of the wave generator may be adjusted to change the performance of the strain wave gear. The combination of low-cost flexsplines with low-cost wave generators reduces the cost of the strain wave gear.

Low cost wave generators for metal strain wave gears and methods of manufacture thereof

A cutting tool with a cutting region and a connecting support region where the support region is designed to connect to an external motor assembly. The cutting tool is also has a porous region that is integrated within a portion of the tool such that as the tool cuts material the porous region can allow samples of the cut material to permeate into an internal chamber of the tool. Once in the internal chamber material samples can be analyzed in-situ for direct composition analysis.

Cutting tool with porous regions

A cutting tool with a plurality of cutting elements connected to a support structure wherein a portion of the support structure is configured to flex or bend based on the rotational frequency of the cutting tool. The rotational frequency of the cutting tool is a product of the design and composition of the tool.

Self-hammering cutting tool

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement tailored metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a flexspline of a strain wave gear includes: forming a MG-based composition into a flexspline using one of a thermoplastic forming technique and a casting technique; where the forming of the MG-based composition results in a formed MG-based material; where the formed flexspline is characterized by: a minimum thickness of greater than approximately 1 mm and a major diameter of less than approximately 4 inches.

Systems and methods for implementing tailored metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention advantageously shape sheet materials that include metallic glass-based materials. In one embodiment, a method of shaping a sheet of material including a metallic glass-based material includes: heating a metallic glass-based material within a first region within a sheet of material to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the metallic glass-based material; where the sheet of material has a thickness of between 0.1 mm and 10 mm; where at least some portion of the sheet of material does not include metallic glass-based material that is heated above its respective glass transition temperature when the metallic glass-based material within the first region is heated above its respective glass transition temperature; and deforming the metallic glass-based material within the first region while the temperature of the metallic glass-based material within the first region is greater than its respective glass transition temperature.

Systems and methods for shaping sheet materials that include metallic glass-based materials

Ti-based metal matrix composites, methods of their additive manufacture, and parts manufactured therefrom and thereby are provided. Method include layer-by-layer additive manufacturing for fabricating Ti-based metal matrix composite parts thicker than 0.5 mm, in layers with thickness between 10-1000 micrometers. The parts formed may have one or more of the following properties: a tensile strength greater than 1 GPa, a fracture toughness greater than 40 MPa m, a yield strength divided by the density greater than 200 MPa cm/g, and a total strain to failure in a tension test greater than 5%.

Dendrite-reinforced titanium-based metal matrix composites

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Altadena, CA, United States of America

Douglas C Hofmann