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Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Manufacturing Demonstration Facility

Capabilities include:

  • Component and Power Testing
  • Composite Blade Testing
  • Composite Structure (non-blade) Testing
  • General Component Testing
  • Structural Testing
  • Cost Modeling
  • High Performance Computing (HPC)
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Modeling
  • Technical Design
  • Composite Blade Design
  • Composite Structure (non-blade) Design and Testing
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Description

The Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), established in 2012, drives early-stage R&D to develop advance manufacturing techniques, material efficiency, and productivity. It focuses on manufacturing analysis and simulation, composites and polymer systems, metal powder systems, metrology and characterization, machine tooling, large-scale metal systems, and robotics and automation. The MDF comprises 110,000 sq. ft. facility housing integrated capabilities that drive the development of new materials, software, and systems for advanced manufacturing. The vision is to achieve energy-efficient, cost-effective and, ultimately, sustainable manufacturing techniques and technologies. Research at MDF facilities will help reduce capital and maintenance costs of a large variety of products, including reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of several energy production resources. MDF supports the production of clean energy products in collaboration with other departments at ORNL. Testing capabilities and relative technologies at the MDF include additive manufacturing using polymer deposition and metal deposition over a range of scales, tailoring of carbon fiber and other advanced materials for a range of cost versus performance applications, and characterization and qualification of advanced materials and manufactured components. Recent MDF achievements:

  • A low-cost trim tool using additive manufacturing and composite materials made with carbon fiber and ABS thermoplastic.
  • World’s first large-scale 3D thermoset printer.
  • 3D printed 40 ft long wind blade mold demonstrating decrease in time and cost compared with traditional production.
  • In-situ data analytics to born certify parts every single time.
  • 3D printed tooling for precast concrete molds for large-scale renovation project in New York City, proving more durable alternative to wooden tooling.
  • Expanded Big Area Additive Manufacturing capabilities to print large-scale polymer materials up to 13 ft long.
  • 3D printed mold to directly infuse boat hulls.
  • Bio-derived composite materials to 3D print components of large outdoor pavilions.
  • Manufacturing method combining 3D printing with traditional casting to produce damage-tolerant components composed of multiple materials.

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Point of Contact:
Mirko Musa – musam@ornl.gov

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