Congratulations to Boden Zeng for being recognized by engineering undergraduates for his positive impact in the classroom as part of the 2025 MAE Graduate Awards.

Boden is pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering with focus on magnetically-active composites for vehicle applications under the guidance of Prof. Marcelo Dapino. He is a PhD candidate in the Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory and the Smart Vehicle Concepts Center.

Boden earned this recognition as a part-time graduate teaching assistant in Fall Semester 2025 for ME 5374, Smart Materials and Intelligent Systems. We wish Boden all the best in his endeavors and congratulate him for this achievement.

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Abstract:  Process modeling of ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is critical for optimizing process settings with minimal experimental trials. In this research, a parameter termed weld quality (Qw) is formulated based on hardness and process settings to predict the shear strength of aluminum alloy 6061 (AA6061) UAM weld interfaces between similar and dissimilar tempers. Four AA6061 tempers are investigated: O (annealed), H18 (cold rolled with 75% thickness reduction), T4 (solution heat treated and naturally aged), and T6 (solution heat treated and artificially aged). Shear samples quantify
the shear strength at foil-to-foil and baseplate-to-foil interfaces, with near-gapless bonding observed. The Qw parameter linearly correlates with shear strength measurements, achieving a coefficient of determination (R2) of 91.18%.

M. ALI, L.M. Headings, and M.J. Dapino, “Analytical model for estimation of interface weld strength in ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) of similar and dissimilar tempered AA6061,”Science and Technology of Welding and Joining, 30(2):97-104, 2025. https://doi:10.1177/13621718241298519

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Abstract: Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a process used for the three-dimensional printing of metal foil stock that can produce near-net-shaped metallic parts. This work details the
development of an energy-based tool to identify the relationships between input energy, energy stored in the interface microstructure, and the strength of the weld interface in UAM. The stored
energy in the grain boundaries of the crystallized grains in the interface microstructure are estimated using the Read–Shockley relationship. The energy stored in the interface is found to be positively
correlated with the resulting weld strength. An energy flow diagram is developed to map the flow of energy from the welder to the workpiece and quantify the key participating energies such as the
energy of plastic deformation, energy stored in the interface microstructure, energy required for asperity collapse, and heat generation. A better understanding of the flow of energy in UAM can
assist in optimizing the process to maximize the portion of energy input by the welder that is used for bond formation.

G. VENKATRAMAN, L.M. Headings, and M.J. Dapino, “Analysis of energy flow to the interface microstructure and its effect on weld strength in ultrasonic additive manufacturing,” Crystals. 2024, 14, 921 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14110921

Prof. Marcelo Dapino was a plenary presenter at the 21^st International Workshop on Piezoelectric Materials and Applications, held in Hanover, Germany, from July 22nd 2024 until July 26th 2024. The presentation, titled “Piezoelectric-based additive manufacturing for functionalization and multi-material integration of lightweight vehicle structures,” discussed power ultrasonics for solid-state welding of multi-material structures. Work done by SMSL students and researchers leads the investigation of Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM), a form of ultrasonic solid-state welding, in the lightweighting of vehicle structures.

More details on UAM can be found here.

IWPMA is a well-established meeting that brings together experts in piezoelectric materials and their applications. It has attracted more than 100 participants each year since its inception in 2004. The conference alternates sites between Europe, East Asia, and the United States.