Event
MSE Seminar: Dr. Kumar Kandasamy, Enabled Engineering
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
3:30 p.m.
Room 2110 Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building
Sherri Tatum
301-405-5240
statum12@umd.edu
“An Insight into the Development of Solidstir® Technologies”
Abstract: SolidStir® is an in-situ thermomechanical material process based on the fundamentals of Friction Stir Welding/Processing (FSW/P). Severe plastic deformation and material flow that happens at elevated temperature under a hydrostatic stress around the stirring tool is utilized in this technology for shear mixing, microstructural refinement, consolidation, extrusion, and deposition. Currently, SolidStir® technology is being developed for material development, upcycling, and metal additive manufacturing.
SolidStir® technology comprises two primary components: the stirring tool and the processing chamber, as depicted in Figures 1 and 2. The stirring tool rotates within a stationary processing chamber, which features one or more feed ports and exit dies. Feedstock is introduced through the feed ports and directed against the rotating stirring tool, where it undergoes plasticization due to the generated frictional and adiabatic heat. The surface features of the stirring tool guide the plasticized material toward the exit die. In the extrusion variant of SolidStir®, the plasticized material is forced through a profiled die. In the additive manufacturing variant, the tool end extends beyond the die to weld the extruded material onto a substrate. Key process parameters include the design of the tool and processing chamber, rotation speed, and feedstock feed rate. The tool material is carefully selected based on the specific material being processed.
SolidStir® technologies are energy-efficient as they avoid heat loss by applying energy at the point of need. Additionally, SolidStir® can consolidate and extrude materials in a single step without any length limitations. This process is feedstock-form agnostic, making it versatile for developing feedstock. The track width produced by SolidStir®-AM is independent of the feedstock size, providing greater flexibility. Moreover, the technology decouples the downward forces required for plasticization and deposition. One of the notable benefits of SolidStir® is its adaptability; conventional machine tools such as lathes and milling machines can be modified to perform material development, upcycling, and additive manufacturing using this technology. This flexibility allows for broader application across various industries, making SolidStir® a valuable tool to rapidly advance manufacturing. Challenges faced and solutions developed during the development of the SolidStir® technologies will be shared and discussed.
Bio: Dr. Kumar Kandasamy is a metallurgist, welding engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur specializing in solid-phase materials and manufacturing technology development. He earned his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the Government College of Engineering, Salem, India followed by a master's degree in Welding Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy, India and a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. In 2009, Dr. Kandasamy moved to the United States to pursue postdoctoral research fellowship at the Center for Friction Stir Processing at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri. He later continued his research at the Center for Friction Stir Processing at University of North Texas, Denton. Texas. In 2012, he joined Aeroprobe Corporation, Blacksburg, VA as Lead Engineer and continued as Technology Director, where he played a pivotal role in developing Additive Friction Stir Technology from concept to commercialization and served as Principal Investigator for federally funded programs. In 2015, Dr. Kandasamy joined Oerlikon Metco to establish an additive manufacturing business line, now known as Oerlikon AM US Inc., where he served as R&D Manager and Principal Materials Engineer. After becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019, he moved back to Blacksburg, VA and founded Enabled Engineering, a company dedicated to developing and commercializing novel materials and manufacturing processes that advance the boundaries of possibilities in manufacturing engineering. Since founding Enabled Engineering, Dr. Kandasamy has invented and secured patents for SolidStir® technologies in the U.S. and internationally and making significant advancements in the field of solid-phase materials processing and additive manufacturing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumar-kandasamy-65586028/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Epu406sAAAAJ&hl=en
Patents: https://patents.justia.com/inventor/kumar-kandasamy
