Summary
Recent advances in the synthesis of new materials with complex microstructures, coupled with an improved understanding of process/microtructure/property relationships, has created a new challenge for NDE—the redirection of a technology originally conceived for flaw detection/characterization to the nondestructive measurement of process and microstructure variables during materials processing. This review shows how NDE techniques could play the sensor role in automated process control. The techniques, originally developed for detecting cracks, show merit in monitoring solidification. Other ultrasonic techniques show promise in characterizing temperature distributions and porosity. Problems include: the need for inverse modeling/calibration/high speed data acquisition and reconstruction; and display and hardware able to survive the harsh processing environment. Feedback systems based on artificial intelligence combine heuristic and mathematical predictions with developing sensor technologies to drive process development.
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References
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Additional information
Dr.Robert Mehrabian received his Sc.D. in metallurgy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1968. He is currently the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Dr. Haydn N. G. Wadley received his Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Read-ing in 1979. He is currently Group Leader at the Metallurgy Division of the National Bureau of Standards at the Department of Commerce.
Editor’s Note: This paper is adapted from a presentation at the Metals Processing overview session in September, 1984 at the ASM Metals Congress ’84.
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Mehrabian, R., Wadley, H.N.G. Needs for Process Control in Advanced Processing of Materials. JOM 37, 51–58 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03257761
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03257761