Abstract
Composite materials, when employed in harsh working environments, fail prematurely. This failure has been linked to the mismatch between the laminate composite materials properties. The mismatch in the properties of the materials at the interface, where the materials are joined, results in high residual stress. This interface is a high-stress concentration site; and it is also a crack-initiation site in the material. There are different methods of producing Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs), which include powder metallurgy, the centrifugal method and the Laser Metal Deposition process (LMD). Of all these manufacturing techniques, only LMD is capable of producing a very complex part with functionally graded material in a single manufacturing run. LMD is an important additive manufacturing process that is capable of producing a part that is made up of different materials. The flexibility offered by the LMD process has made it possible to handle more than one material simultaneously. The part can be made with the required composition in a single manufacturing run...
D.Phil. (Mechanical Engineering)