The development of prescription methods and evaluation of biomechanical performance of bespoke orthoses has been a source of research for the last 40 years. What started as anecdotal and experience–led knowledge has evolved into a more quantifiable paradigm utilising state of the art technologies commonly found in other high-precision industries. The manufacturing challenges associated with such customised products have been driven by the requirement to produce small (often one-off) batches, bespoke for the end user. The introduction of precise scanning equipment and CAD/CAM systems to the podiatry community is enabling the accurate and repeatable manufacture of orthoses that were previously predominantly hand crafted and shaped. Although these traditional production methods are still in use today, the advantages that scanning and CAD/CAM provide mean they are rapidly being adopted. Today, CNC machining and additive manufacture provide state of the art manufacturing methods for bespoke insoles prescribed and modelled in a CAD environment. However, the limitations of both these manufacturing methods relate to the materials that can be processed, which becomes problematic when manufacturing soft or semi-rigid orthoses. Hence an opportunity exists to develop a new and innovative method for processing foamed polymer materials that are typically vacuum formed today. This research explores the prescription and analysis methods attributed to insole design for sporting applications using specific sports shoes. The insole designs encompass material selection to deliver a product that provides control and function whilst also providing a degree of impact attenuation, recognising the dynamic and high-impact nature of the sportsspecific movements. Consideration is also given to the types of activities that function with the device. This research analyses characteristic plantar pressures experienced whilst undertaking sports-specific movements to aid in the prescription of bespoke insoles for the chosen sport. A design methodology encompassing state of the art scanning technologies and anthropometric measurements provides a repeatable and accurate means to produce the required geometry for a bespoke sport and symptom-specific insole. The research also presents the concept of cryogenic machining, a novel manufacturing method for the CNC machining of foamed polymers. The materials are cooled with the use of a liquid cryogen to below their glass transition temperature at which point relative motion at a molecular level is significantly reduced, providing a rigid and machineable form. This, along with a bespoke cryogenic facility encompassing a vertical 3 axis CNC machining centre, a pressurised liquid nitrogen dewar connected to a bespoke-designed fixture by a vacuum jacketed pipe, enables the dual-sided machining of an amorphous material, something which is not possible with conventional processes. The major contributions of this work are the design methodology to prescribe a sport and symptom-specific insole using state of the art scanning and CAM methods, the design and manufacture of a fixture to facilitate the dual-sided machining of a customised insole and the subsequent testing of the designs in a laboratory environment. In addition the research utilises motion analysis, force plate data and pressure measurement to explore the effects of the insoles on the kinetics, kinematics and peak plantar pressures at discrete anatomical regions during sport-specific manoeuvres.

Materials which are both lighter and stronger have faced an increased demand over the past decades to fulfil the requirements across a range of industrial applications. More specifically, demands for titanium alloys have increased significantly due to its high strength to weight ratio which is particularly attractive for increasing fuel efficiency in aircrafts and cars and is also used in biomedical implants. Despite the increasing demand for titanium made products, machining titanium alloys remains a significant challenge. High material strength and hardness lead to excessive heat generation at the cutting zone which accumulates and results in high cutting temperatures due to the poor thermal conductivity. The high cutting temperatures together with inherent material properties of titanium are responsible for short tool life and poor surface finish. Despite the environmental and health drawbacks, a generous amount of cutting fluids is commonly used to control the cutting temperature in machining titanium alloys. However, conventional cutting fluids evaporate at high cutting temperatures which isolate the cutting zone by forming a vapour cushion resulting in further increases in cutting temperatures. This research investigates the effects of cryogenic cooling on machinability of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in CNC milling as compared to conventional dry and wet machining environments. Two literature reviews were conducted and a methodology has been developed and implemented consisting of three experimental stages of i) design and manufacture of a cryogenic cooling system, ii) comparative study of cryogenic cooling with dry and wet machining and iii) optimisation of cutting parameters for cryogenic machining. The major contribution of this research can be summarised as design, realisation and assessment of a novel cryogenic cooling system for CNC milling, termed cryogenic shower, which is retrofitable to an existing CNC machining centre. In addition, the research provides a thorough study on the effects of cryogenic cooling on machinability of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in comparison with dry and wet machining. The studies range from power consumption and tool wear through to surface topography and surface integrity. Furthermore, the optimum cutting parameters for cryogenic machining are identified. The research demonstrates that using the cryogenic shower has significantly improved machinability of Ti-6Al-4V through realisation of higher material removal rates, reduced tool wear and improved surface finish, surface topography and surface integrity.

Al 7050-T7451 alloy with good combinations of strength, stress corrosion cracking resistance and toughness, is used broadly in the aerospace/aviation industry for fatigue-critical airframe structural components. However, it is also considered as a highly anisotropic alloy as the crack growth behavior along the short transverse direction is very different from the one in the long transverse direction, due to the inhomogeneous microstructure with the elongated grains distributed in the work material used in the sheet/plate applications. Further processes on these materials are needed to improve its mechanical and material properties and broaden its applications. The material with ultra-fine or nano grains exhibits improved wear and corrosion resistance, higher hardness and better fatigue life, compared to the one with coarse grains. In recent times, the development of novel processing technologies has gained great attention in the research community to enhance the properties of the materials employed in the aerospace, biomedical, precision instrument, automotive, nuclear/power industries. These novel processing technologies modify the microstructure of this alloy and improve the properties. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the effects of cryogenic processes, including friction stir processing (FSP), machining and burnishing, on Al 7050-T7451 alloy to solve the inhomogeneity issue and improve its surface integrity. FSP is applied to modify the microstructure of Al 7050-T7451 alloy for achieving more homogeneous structure with near ultra-fine grains (UFG) which were less than 2 µm, particularly in cryogenic FSP with liquid nitrogen as the coolant. Approximately 10% increase could be observed from the hardness measurement from the samples processed by cryogenic FSP, in contrast to dry FSP. Also, the texture change from Al (200) to Al (111) could be achieved in all the samples processed by dry and cryogenic FSP. Cryogenic machining and burnishing processes were also applied to enhance the surface integrity of the manufactured components with near-UFG structure. The highest cutting temperature was reduced by up to 44.7% due to the rapid cooling effect of liquid nitrogen in cryogenic machining, compared with dry machining. Nano grains were produced in the refined layers induced by cryogenic burnishing. And, up to 35.4% hardness increase was obtained within the layer depth of 200 µm in the cryogenically-burnished surface. A numerical finite element method (FEM) model was developed for predicting the process performance in burnishing. Less than 10% difference between the experimental and predicted burnishing forces was achieved in the simulation of cryogenic burnishing, and reasonable predictions were also achieved for temperatures, severe plastic deformation (SPD) layers.

NiTi alloys have been the focus of Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) research and applications due their excellent ductility and shape memory properties, and these alloys have been extensively used in automotive, aerospace, and in biomedical applications. The effects of machining on the surface integrity and the corresponding material and mechanical properties of alloys can be best studied by utilizing NiTi alloys as workpiece material since their physical and mechanical properties are highly microstructure dependent. However, due to very poor machining performance of NiTi shape memory alloys, no comprehensive or systematic investigation on this topic has been conducted by researchers as yet. The current study makes a substantial and unique contribution to this area by making the first and significant contribution to studies on machining performance of NiTi shape memory alloys, and by achieving improved surface integrity and machining performance using cryogenic applications, which give significant reductions of tool-wear, cutting forces, and surface roughness. The influence of machining process conditions, including dry, MQL, preheated, cryogenic machining, and the effects of prefroze cryo machining on surface integrity characteristics such as microhardness, phase transformation, phase transformation temperature, depth of plastically deformed layer have been examined extensively, and unique findings have been obtained. The effects of machining process conditions, in particular preheated and cryogenic machining conditions, on thermo-mechanical and shape memory characteristics were identified through thermal cycling and stress-strain tests. For the first time, orthogonal cutting of NiTi shape memory alloys has been carried out in this study to investigate surface integrity comprehensively. Surface integrity and machining performance are compared for dry and prefroze cryogenic cooling conditions under a wide range of cutting speeds. Stress-induced martensitic phase transformation and deformation twinning were found in prefroze cryogenic and dry cutting conditions respectively. The existing microstructure-based constitutive models were used and modified to predict machining-induced phase transformation and resulting volume fraction. The modified model was implemented in commercial FEM software (DEFORM-2D) as a customized user subroutine. The obtained results from simulation and orthogonal cutting tests were compared considering martensitic volume fraction during cutting with various cutting speeds. The model captured the experimental trend of volume fraction induced by various cutting speeds and process variables. Overall, FEM simulation of cutting process of NiTi was successfully presented.

Porous tungsten is used to manufacture dispenser cathodes due to it refractory properties. Surface porosity is critical to functional performance of dispenser cathodes because it allows for an impregnated ceramic compound to migrate to the emitting surface, lowering its work function. Likewise, surface roughness is important because it is necessary to ensure uniform wetting of the molten impregnate during high temperature service. Current industry practice to achieve surface roughness and surface porosity requirements involves the use of a plastic infiltrant during machining. After machining, the infiltrant is baked and the cathode pellet is impregnated. In this context, cryogenic machining is investigated as a substitutionary process for the current plastic infiltration process. Along with significant reductions in cycle time and resource use, surface quality of cryogenically machined un-infiltrated (as-sintered) porous tungsten has been shown to significantly outperform dry machining. The present study is focused on examining the relationship between machining parameters and cooling condition on the as-machined surface integrity of porous tungsten. The effects of cryogenic pre-cooling, rake angle, cutting speed, depth of cut and feed are all taken into consideration with respect to machining-induced surface morphology. Cermet and Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting tools are used to develop high performance cryogenic machining of porous tungsten. Dry and pre-heated machining were investigated as a means to allow for ductile mode machining, yet severe tool-wear and undesirable smearing limited the feasibility of these approaches. By using modified PCD cutting tools, high speed machining of porous tungsten at cutting speeds up to 400 m/min is achieved for the first time. Beyond a critical speed, brittle fracture and built-up edge are eliminated as the result of a brittle to ductile transition. A model of critical chip thickness (hc) effects based on cutting force, temperature and surface roughness data is developed and used to study the deformation mechanisms of porous tungsten under different machining conditions. It is found that when hmax = hc, ductile mode machining of otherwise highly brittle porous tungsten is possible. The value of hc is approximately the same as the average ligament size of the 80% density porous tungsten workpiece.

The development of a sustainable manufacturing process requires a comprehensive evaluation method and fundamental understanding of the processes. Coolant application is a critical sustainability concern in the widely used machining process. Cryogenic machining is considered a candidate for sustainable coolant application. However, the lack of comprehensive evaluation methods leaves significant uncertainties about the overall sustainability performance of cryogenic machining. Also, the lack of practical application guidelines based on scientific understanding of the heat transfer mechanism in cryogenic machining limits the process optimization from achieving the most sustainable performance. In this dissertation, based on a proposed Process Sustainability Index (ProcSI) methodology, the sustainability performance of the cryogenic machining process is optimized with application guidelines established by scientific modeling of the heat transfer mechanism in the process. Based on the experimental results, the process optimization is carried out with Genetic Algorithm (GA). The metrics-based ProcSI method considers all three major aspects of sustainable manufacturing, namely economy, environment and society, based on the 6R concept and the total life-cycle aspect. There are sixty five metrics, categorized into six major clusters. Data for all relavant metrics are collected, normalized, weighted, and then aggregated to form the ProcSI score, as an overall judgment for the sustainability performance of the process. The ProcSI method focuses on the process design as a manufacturer’s aspect, hoping to improve the sustainability performance of the manufactured products and the manufacturing system. A heat transfer analysis of cryogenic machining for a flank-side liquid nitrogen jet delivery is carried out. This is performed by micro-scale high-speed temperature measurement experiments. The experimental results are processed with an innovative inverse heat transfer solution method to calculate the surface heat transfer coefficient at various locations throughout a wide temperature range. Based on the results, the application guidelines, including suggestions of a minimal, but sufficient, coolant flow rate are established. Cryogenic machining experiments are carried out, and ProcSI evaluation is applied to the experimental scenario. Based on the ProcSI evaluation, the optimization process implemented with GA provides optimal machining process parameters for minimum manufacturing cost, minimal energy consumption, or the best sustainability performance.

Surface integrity of manufactured components has a critical impact on their functional performance. Magnesium alloys are lightweight materials used in the transportation industry and are also emerging as a potential material for biodegradable medical implants. However, the unsatisfactory corrosion performance of Mg alloys limits their application to a great extent. Surface integrity factors, such as grain size, crystallographic orientation and residual stress, have been proved to remarkably influence the functional performance of magnesium alloys, including corrosion resistance, wear resistance and fatigue life. In this dissertation, the influence of machining conditions, including dry and cryogenic cooling (liquid nitrogen was sprayed to the machined surface during machining), cutting edge radius, cutting speed and feed rate, on the surface integrity of AZ31B Mg alloy was investigated. Cryogenic machining led to the formation of a "featureless layer" on the machined surface where significant grain refinement from 12 μm to 31 nm occurred due to dynamic recrystallization (DRX), as well as increased intensity of basal plane on the surface and more compressive residual stresses. Dry and cryogenic burnishing experiments of the same material were conducted using a fixed roller setup. The thickness of the processed-influenced layer, where remarkable microstructural changes occurred, was dramatically increased from the maximum value of 20 μm during machining to 3.4 mm during burnishing. The burnishing process also produced a stronger basal texture on the surface than the machining process. Preliminary corrosion tests were conducted to evaluate the corrosion performance of selected machined and burnished AZ31B Mg samples in 5% NaCl solution and simulated body fluid (SBF). Cryogenic cooling and large edge radius tools were found to significantly improve the corrosion performance of machined samples in both solutions. The largest improvement in the material's corrosion performance was achieved by burnishing. A finite element study was conducted for machining of AZ31B Mg alloy and calibrated using the experimental data. A user subroutine was developed and incorporated to predict the grain size changes induced by machining. Good agreements between the predicted and measured grain size as well as thickness of featureless layers were achieved. Numerical studies were extended to include the influence of rake angle, feed rate and cutting speed on the featureless layer formation.

This thesis presents a newly developed manufacturing method, based on cyber-physically enhanced hybrid machining, regarding an optical bench (OB) made of Ti6Al4V alloy for the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (ATHENA). The method includes sophisticated hybrid laser metal deposition equipment and state-of-the-art cryogenic machining hardware. The derived strategy combines localized energy input, preheating, heat treatment, intermediate stress relief and machining. This results in a complex thermal history and remaining residual stresses, representing a considerable challenge for final precision machining. The method targets first time right machining based on iterative machining, process data-based tool path correction and spatially resolved root cause research based on process data modeling.:II. Table of Contents I. Acknowledgement ............................................................ III II. Table of Contents ................................................................. I 1. Introduction ........................................................................ 1 1.1 Foreword .................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Subject Lot Size One ....................................................... 2 1.2.1 Historical Perspective ................................................................. 2 1.2.2 Going Full Cycle ......................................................................... 3 2. State of the Art in Titanium Processing ............................... 4 2.1 Conventional Processing................................................................ 4 2.2 Additive Manufacturing ................................................................. 5 2.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................. 5 2.2.2 Powder Bed Fusion ..................................................................... 6 2.2.3 Direct Energy Deposition ............................................................. 8 3. Derivation of a Flexible Hybrid Manufacturing System ...... 11 3.1 The ATHENA OB – a Large Structural Space Component ..................11 3.2 Material Constraints ....................................................................12 3.3 Solidification and Microstructural Content .......................................17 3.4 Residual Stresses and Intrinsic Heat Treatment ..............................22 3.4.1 Transient Temperature Gradients ................................................22 3.4.2 Residual Stresses and Degree of Fixity ........................................24 3.4.3 In-situ Stress Relief and Plastic Deformation ................................28 3.4.4 In-situ Martensite Decomposition and Thermal Trade-off ...............30 3.5 Melt Pool Considerations in Laser Metal Deposition ..........................36 3.6 Concept of Flexible Hybrid Manufacturing Cell .................................43 3.7 Process and Equipment Review by ESA ..........................................45 4. Realization of a Flexible Manufacturing Cell ...................... 45 4.1 Additive Processing with Hybrid Laser Metal Deposition ....................45 4.1.1 Principle Hardware ....................................................................45 4.2 Novel Local Shielding Solution ......................................................47 4.2.1 Melt Pool Observation towards Process Data Model ........................51 4.2.2 Energy Source Coupling .............................................................57 4.3 Subtractive Processing with Cryogenic Milling .................................57 4.3.1 General Considerations for Subtractive Processing ........................57 4.3.2 Cryogenic Machining Approach ...................................................58 4.3.3 Cryogenic Machining from the Materials Viewpoint ........................60 4.3.4 Cryogenic Machining of Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V .............62 4.3.5 Principle Hardware for Cryogenic Milling with CO2..........................66 4.3.6 Intelligent Tool Spindle Future Part of the Process Data Model ........69 4.3.7 Carbon Dioxide Weighing Equipment and Switching Station ............70 4.3.8 Protective Measures for Safe Use of Cryogenic CO2 .......................72 4.4 Handling System .........................................................................74 4.4.1 Framework Considerations .........................................................74 4.4.2 Twin Robot System in the Initial State .........................................76 4.4.3 Integration of the ATHENA Turntable ...........................................79 4.4.4 Robot Calibration ......................................................................81 4.5 Lighting for Visual Inspection ........................................................84 4.6 Critical Design Review by ESA .......................................................84 5. Implementation and Validation ......................................... 85 5.1 Powdery Filler Material Selection ...................................................85 5.2 Basic Parameter Set for Additive Manufacturing ..............................87 5.2.1 Operating Point Selection ...........................................................87 5.2.2 Characterization and evaluation ..................................................89 5.2.3 Substrate to Structure Transition ................................................95 5.3 Energy Source Coupling ...............................................................99 5.3.1 Process Development ................................................................99 5.3.2 As-built Surface Treatment ...................................................... 103 5.3.3 Heat Treatment ...................................................................... 104 5.3.4 Mechanical Testing .................................................................. 106 5.3.5 Fractured Surfaces .................................................................. 108 5.3.6 Microstructure ........................................................................ 110 5.3.7 Linear Expansion Coefficient ..................................................... 113 5.4 Cryogenic Milling ....................................................................... 114 5.4.1 Strategy Approach .................................................................. 114 5.4.2 Milling Implementation ............................................................ 116 5.4.3 Technical Cleanliness ............................................................... 120 5.4.4 Accuracy and Duration ............................................................. 122 5.4.5 Surface Roughness.................................................................. 122 5.5 Process Data Model ................................................................... 123 6. Final Discussion and Conclusions..................................... 130 6.1 Summary ................................................................................. 130 6.2 Conclusions .............................................................................. 131 6.3 Outlook .................................................................................... 132 III. List of Figures ...................................................................... I IV. List of Tables .................................................................. VIII V. References ......................................................................... IX VI. Symbols and Units ....................................................... XXXVI VII. Abbreviations .............................................................. XXXIX VIII. Annex I ............................................................................ XLI IX. Annex II ....................................................................... XLIII X. Annex III ....................................................................... XLIV XI. Annex IV.......................................................................... XLV XII. Annex V ......................................................................... XLVI XIII. Annex VI....................................................................... XLVII XIV. Annex VII ................................................................... XLVIII