Colibrium engineers support research at Purdue’s Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Tech Center
July 26, 2024
Colibrium Additive, a GE Aerospace company, has embedded two full-time engineers into everyday operations at Purdue Applied Research Institute’s (PARI) Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (HAMTC).
This arrangement intends to leverage Colibrium Additive’s technical expertise with PARI’s research portfolio in and provide a new framework for university-industry collaboration.
David Bretz, PARI’s senior project manager for this effort, stated that this on-site support from Colibrium Additive helps university researchers to more efficiently produce novel hypersonic technologies applicable to the defence industry.
“These engineers from Colibrium Additive provide insights that move our research along further and more rapidly than if we had to reach out via email or collaborate virtually,” Bretz shared. “We hope to create the model that other industry partners can replicate for other areas of expertise.”
HAMTC is the first centre founded under PARI and reportedly the only hypersonics centre in the nation with design, manufacturing, joining and testing capabilities.
“We established HAMTC with the very ambitious goal of creating a one-stop shop for industry partners to collaborate with our own researchers on hypersonic materials and manufacturing innovations,” said PARI President and CEO Mark Lewis. “Colibrium Additive has been a key player and valued partner in developing the facility, as they have supplied absolutely cutting-edge equipment to enable research on high-temperature materials and Additive Manufacturing processes.”
Colibrium employees as HAMTC experts
With the equipment came two Colibrium Additive employees, Nate Humbert and Ryan Saucier, who serve as the Additive Manufacturing subject matter experts at HAMTC. They support staff, faculty and students through all aspects of the Additive Manufacturing process.
“We’re project manager, design engineer, software simulation engineer, manufacturing engineer, operator and service engineer all combined into one role,” said Humbert, who earned a Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue. “We put on multiple hats to provide services and enable Additive Manufacturing capabilities at HAMTC.”
Humbert and Saucier possess PARI credentials, which means that they are fully integrated into the university system. As such, their roles (officially lead Additive Manufacturing engineers) are multifaceted. They help to maintain everyday operations while supporting PARI researchers more holistically — for instance, they have helped shape the facility by discussing standard operating procedures, providing input on the layout of the equipment and reinforcing safety protocols.
“Because HAMTC as a facility is such a new concept, there is a knowledge gap,” Saucier stated. “That’s why we’re here, to help fill those gaps and do our best to support the entire team using our background in Additive Manufacturing.”
A typical day for Humbert and Saucier can encompass the entire Additive Manufacturing process. They will check part designs using a computer modelling programme that ensures that the part will come out of the AM machine as intended. Then they help to facilitate and monitor the manufacturing process. Finally, they process the build by clearing the excess powder, cutting the part off the printing plate and applying a heat treatment to reduce the likelihood of deformation.
Two of the Additive Manufacturing machines housed at HAMTC are the M2 and X Line 2000 Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing machines. These are used for a variety of projects, including the design of new high-temperature alloys for hypersonic systems and large-scale metal Additive Manufacturing. The latter includes a prototype of a full-scale, fully operational scramjet, an engine that enables hypersonic vehicles to reach speeds above Mach 5.
The PARI researchers goal is ultimately to tackle pressing national security challenges that can only be solved by a team with diverse skill sets.
“There are so many talented PARI researchers that have been brought together here at HAMTC. However, we’re only as strong as our weakest link, and our team lacked the additive manufacturing expertise required to perform applied research,” Bretz said. “Colibrium Additive brings a high level of technical expertise, motivation and desire to help solve problems. Their contribution makes the whole become stronger than its parts.”
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