A QUARTERLY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT … · readout electronics, image-compression ... market for...

FALL • 2001

ALSO:

New Approach to Process ControlRevolutionizes Flame Spraying

Integrated Circuits Go Global

The LENSTM Success Story

A QUARTERLY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT JOURNALVOLUME 3, NO. 3

Developing New Approachesto Manufacturing andFailure Analysis

S A N D I A T E C H N O L O G Y

ON THE COVER:Richard Neiser, manager of Sandia's Thermal Spray Research Lab,studies the molten high-velocity particles in a flame spray jet.Photo by Randy J. Montoya

Sandia Technology is a quarterly journal published bySandia National Laboratories. Sandia is a multiprogramengineering and science laboratory operated by SandiaCorporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for theDepartment of Energy. With main facilities in Albuquerque,New Mexico, and Livermore, California, Sandia has broad-based research and development responsibilities for nuclearweapons, arms control, energy, the environment, economiccompetitiveness, and other areas of importance to the needsof the nation. The Laboratories’ principal mission is tosupport national defense policies, by ensuring that thenuclear weapon stockpile meets the highest standards ofsafety, reliability, security, use control, and militaryperformance. For more information on Sandia, see ourWeb site at http://www.sandia.gov.

To request additional copies or to subscribe, contact:Pam WelchMarketing Communications Dept.MS 0129Sandia National LaboratoriesP.O. Box 5800Albuquerque, NM 87185-0129Voice: (505) 844-4902Fax: (505) 844-1392e-mail: [email protected]

Sandia Technology Staff:Laboratory Directed Research & Development ProgramManager: Chuck Meyers, Sandia National LaboratoriesEditor: Chris Miller, Sandia National LaboratoriesWriting: Ryan DeMares, Technically WriteDesign: Douglas Prout, Technically WritePhotography: Randy J. Montoya and Lynda Hadley, Sandia National Laboratories

The American flag is raised to half-staff in front of Sandia NationalLaboratories' main administration building on Kirtland Air Force Basein Albuquerque in honor of those who lost their lives in the September11 terrorist attacks. Silhouetted is Sandia security policy officerBuster Dial.

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Dear Readers:

Sandia National Laboratories pridesitself on being an engineering laboratory.Sandia scientists and engineers research,design, and develop nearly 97 percentof the 6,500 components that go into amodern nuclear weapon. That workresults in many spin-off technologiesthat help industry and benefitAmericans.

What is sometimes overlooked isSandia’s growing expertise in the manu-facture of highly complex, precisioncomponents and its complementarywork in failure analysis. This issue ofSandia Technology focuses on thosecapabilities and their importance to thenation’s weapons complex.

For example, Sandia’s Micro-electronics Development Laboratoryhas been designated as a supplier ofintegrated circuits for such strategicdefense applications as the Tridentmissile and B-61 bomb. Sandia also isthe primary supplier for the neutrontubes used in Trident missiles and otherwarheads. That work has driven Sandiaresearchers to make great advances inbrazing science and technology.

Sandia also has developed newapproaches for thermally sprayed metalor ceramic coating that can greatlyimprove a component’s performance,and a revolutionary process called laser-engineered net shaping—a rapid-prototyping system that is small enoughto set up in a field location, yet capableof producing complex, one-of-a-kindcomponents.

This issue contains information onthese technologies and much more.

Chris MillerEditor

FROM THEE d i t o r

TABLE OFC o n t e n t s

I N S I G H T S

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Integrated Circuits Go GlobalCustom silicon integrated circuitsdrive a sophisticated imaging system

Integrated Circuits Gain theStamp of ApprovalSandia has been named a War Reservebackup supplier of radiation-hardenedintegrated circuits

The Emerging Scienceof BrazingSandia is applying a science-basedapproach to high temperaturefurnace brazing

New Approach to Process ControlRevolutionizes Flame Spraying

The LENSTM Success Story

Machining in the Meso-Range

Rooting for a CauseFailure Analysis Expertise EnhancesSandia’s Production Capabilities

Buying TimeExtending the shelf life of agingweapon components

The Virtual Capturesthe RealityLinking staff and resourcesthrough an integratedmanufacturing enterprise

New capabilities produce smaller,lighter weight products

Promises to revolutionize the wayone-of-a-kind parts are made

By J. Leonard MartinezVice PresidentManufacturing Systems, Science,and Technology DivisionSandia National Laboratories

Manufacturing CapabilitiesMake Sandia Stronger

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hen Sandia

launched its multi-

spectral thermal imager

(MTI) satellite into

polar orbit in March

2000, researchers

gained the capability to

record light and heat

patterns on Earth that

are invisible to the

human eye. Since then,

the satellite’s imaging

system has conveyed

information on agri-

culture, climatic and

ocean temperature, and

topographic features.

The data have app-

lications in many

branches of scientific

research and tech-

nological development,

including nonprolif-

eration treaty moni-

toring systems, military

operations, hazardous

waste site character-

ization and cleanup,

environmental and

cl imate research,

resource exploration,

and crop health and

yield assessments.

MTI liftoff on March 12, 2000,� aboard an OrbitalSciences Corporation Taurus rocket.

Custom silicon integratedcircuits drive a sophisticated

imaging system

The satellite’s cryogenically cooledimage detectors collect data in 15spectral bands, ranging from visiblelight to long-wave infrared. The detec-tors depend on the satellite system’strue workhorses—its thousands ofintegrated circuits. Each of these siliconcircuits is less than one-quarter of aninch square. Some of them worktogether to create the high-speedpayload data network, the backboneof the satellite’s internal communi-cation between its functional compo-

nents. The data network provides high-speed communication between sensor-readout electronics, image-compressionhardware, and the satellite-controlprocessor.

The Sandia MTI Satellite develop-ment team designed a packet trans-ceiver module (PTM) to handle thehigh-speed data transfer for the payloaddata network. The function of the PTMis very complex and must operatereliably while the satellite orbits in theradiation environment of space.

It cannot be easily implemented bycommercially off-the-shelf integratedcircuits. Therefore an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) isdesigned into the PTM. The PTMASIC acts as a data traffic controller,making sure messages are sent andreceived properly throughout thesystem. As part of the MTI satellitedevelopment team, Sandia’s Micro-electronics Development Laboratory(MDL) is responsible for the develop-ment of the PTM ASIC. MDL is oneof the few facilities in the nation thatspecializes in developing radiation-hardened ASICs.

While the MTI satellite was indevelopment, another experimentalsatellite provided an earlier applicationof the payload data network. Thisprovided an opportunity to evaluatethe PTM and the ASIC operating in areal environment, and to make anynecessary design modifications priorto the MTI scheduled launch date. Theevaluation uncovered a minor problem

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The radiation-hardenedPTM ASIC was one of

the key components thatSandia MicroelectronicsDevelopment Laboratory

designed, fabricated,tested and qualified.

MTI infrared image of Mount Etna, Sicily, showing hot lava in red.

Turkey Point (Florida) Nuclear Power Plantshowing temperature gradients oncooling canals.


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of the PTM ASIC handling real-lifedata in some rare situations. Theproblem was quickly correctedthrough an alliance between Sandia’sSatellite Department and the MDL,saving substantial taxpayer dollarsand allowing Sandia to stay on trackwith critical program schedules forthe MTI satellite.

The incident prompted a redesignof the PTM ASIC for the MTIsatellite. MDL handled the designmodification, fabrication, packaging,testing, and qualification of theredesigned ASIC as part of its mandateto support government-funded pro-grams when commercial supplierscannot meet project needs. The rede-signed ASIC was one of the keycomponents that Sandia could not getfrom industry within the satelliteprogram’s timeframe.

“You can’t build a high-reliability,radiation-hardened integrated circuitovernight,” said Brian Brock, MTIproject manager for Sandia. “Thedevelopment of an integrated circuitis a complicated process.”

Fabrication of the PTM ASICintegrated-circuit proceeded wafer bywafer, with each wafer producingabout 20 circuits. The process involv-ed multiple layers of work at sub-micrometer resolution. As photo-resist

masks were used to etch patterns onthe silicon substrate, metal waslaid in place, and transistors wereconnected.

Since the MTI satellite launch,the PTM ASIC has been operatingflawlessly. The imager transmits rawdata from low Earth orbit several timesa day. The data are received by aground station and operations centerat Sandia, then relayed to Los AlamosNational Laboratory, where they areanalyzed, turned into reports, anddistributed to researchers at Sandia,Los Alamos, Savannah River, anddozens of other government organ-izations. The images are analyzedwith the aid of ground truth, simul-taneously collected data obtained fromground instruments operated by theDepartment of Energy’s SavannahRiver Technology Center and otheragencies.

The MTI satellite project is spon-sored by the National Nuclear SecurityAdministration’s Office of Nonprolif-eration and National Security. Othergovernment organizations collabor-ating in the project are the Air ForceSpace Test Program Office, the AirForce Research Laboratory, and theNational Institute for Standards andTechnology. Industry partners includeBall Aerospace Systems, RaytheonOptical Systems, Orbital SciencesCorporation, and TRW.

Technical Contact:K. K. Ma(505) [email protected]

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, near Cape Cod, showing warm waterdischarge plumes.

Today, the MTI satellitecontinues to collect datathat is useful in treatymonitoring, military

operations, hazardouswaste site character-ization and cleanup,environmental andclimate research,

resource exploration,crop health and yieldassessment, and other

scientific research.

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Radiation hardening, a processthat gives electronic components theability to continue operating underextreme levels of radiation, is a vitalfeature of components used inDepartment of Energy (DOE) andDepartment of Defense (DoD) wea-pon and space systems. Sandia’sMicroelectronics DevelopmentLaboratory (MDL) recently receivedthe DOE’s diamond stamp of approv-al for its radiation-hardened inte-grated circuit design and manu-facturing capabilities, makingSandia a supplier of integratedcircuits for such strategic defenseapplications as the Trident missileand B-61 bomb.

“Sandia does not compete withother defense contractors for rad-hard integrated circuit productioncontracts. We’re strictly a backup,what the weapons complex calls ‘asupplier of last resort’” said TimMirabal, a project leader in Sandia’sDigital Microelectronics Department.“But backup resources like Sandiaoffers are vital to national defense,because the demand for rad-hardcomponents is small and few manu-facturers handle small quantities.”

Sandia has over 30 years ofexperience in developing radiation-hardened microelectronics designand fabrication technology. Prior to1995, Sandia focused ontransferring this technology toindustry vendors for production.

However, due to the reducedmarket for radiation-hardened

integrated circuits and the high costof microelectronics manufacturing,there currently are only two industrymanufacturers of radiation-hardenedintegrated circuits and their viabilityis tenuous. Therefore, Sandia’sMicroelectronics DevelopmentLaboratory has extended its radi-ation-hardened microelectronicsresearch and development to includehigh-reliability, low-volume manu-facturing production.

Although DOE “Mark Quality”integrated circuits have beendelivered previously, the first DOEWar Reserve Diamond Stampedintegrated circuits were deliveredin June 2001. These deliveries werethe SA3954 Intent application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs),which are used on the B-61 bombtrajectory sensing signal generator.

The SA3954 Intent ASIC isfabricated in Sandia’s MDL using0.5 micron CMOS (complementarymetal-oxide semiconductor) tech-nology. This technology has been

qualified to manufacture high-reliability, radiation-hardenedintegrated circuits. It is the current“work-horse” of the MDL foundry.The MDL is developing a new 0.35micron radiation-hardened CMOSSOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology.This next-generation technology canproduce high-performance integrat-ed circuits as large as four milliontransistors in about one-quarter ofan inch square. It will be on-line bythe end of 2001. Mirabal saidASICs provide a number of impor-tant advantages, including higherperformance, lower power demands,faster command execution, andreduced manufacturing cost. Sandiamanufactures the Intent ASIC inAlbuquerque and ships them toHoneywell’s Kansas City facility forinstallation in the B-61 trajectorysensing signal generator.

Sandia’s MicroelectronicsDepartment and MicroelectronicsDevelopment Laboratory are avail-able as a radiation-hardenedproducts partner on other defenseaerospace projects. The Departmentof Energy’s Diamond Stamp alsoallows Sandia to supply small quan-tities of integrated circuits for otherindustrial applications requiring highreliability and radiation hardening.

Technical contact:Tim [email protected]

Integrated Circuits Gain the Stamp of Approval

Sandia has been named a War Reserve backup supplier of radiation-hardened integrated circuits

The Department ofEnergy’s Diamond Stamp

also allows Sandia tosupply small quantities of

integrated circuits forother industrial

applications requiringhigh reliability and

radiation hardening.

As the primary supplier for theneutron tubes used in Trident missilesand other warheads, Sandia must pro-duce high-reliability joints betweenmetals and ceramics using a furnaceprocess called brazing. Brazing is dis-tinct from soldering processes in thatit is done at temperatures above 450°C,but below the melting point of the basematerials to be joined. Researchers inSandia’s Joining Department continueto make advances in brazing scienceand technology.

Thermal expansion occurs at dif-ferent rates for different materials.Tolerance requirements are extremelyprecise. Using that knowledge, the teamhas worked to control, predict, and op-timize all aspects of brazing. Its science-based research includes alloy develop-ment and furnace modeling. Sandia’sgoal is to determine the mechanical andphysical properties of brazing materialsthrough characterizations and stressanalysis of metal alloys at high tem-peratures. Once compiled, this infor-mation is an invaluable manufacturingresource—a database that ensuresconsistency in processing andproperties.

Temperature is only one factor thatdetermines a successful braze. As inany recipe that requires an exactingseries of steps, brazing involves anumber of variables.Correct proportions areessential for each itemon the ingredients list.Heating times and ratesmust be precisely fol-lowed, and the narrowtemperature rangewhere brazing reactionsoccur requires carefulmonitoring. One mistake in any of theseareas could make the product unusableor prone to failure.

Sandia has reduced the number ofmanufacturing variables by eliminatingseveral steps that normally are requiredfor conventional ceramics brazing.

These include the need to bond molyb-denum metal to the ceramic and platethe molybdenum with nickel prior tobrazing. The key is using an activemetal brazing alloy that promotes directchemical reaction between the brazealloy and ceramic.

“I am enthusiastic about using theactive brazing process,” said KeithMeredith, lead process engineer for thenew neutron tube. “It reduces directlabor and the fabrication time requiredto make a complete tube, and makesthe product less expensive.”

Sandia’s collection of active brazingalloys has been estimated to reduce thenumber of steps in a neutron tube pro-duction process by up to 20 percent.

“In brazing, acceptable tolerancescan be very tight, sometimes as smallas five ten-thousandths of an inch,” saidJohn J. Stephens of Sandia’s Joiningand Coating Department (1833). “Itcould amount to the difference betweenan ordinary bench top project and as-sembling a precision analog Rolexwatch. The precise tolerances weachieve in neutron tubes assure thatsubcomponents on neutron tubes andother high-consequence applicationshave high-quality joints for the U.S.Department of Energy’s DefensePrograms.”

Sandia shares its brazing knowledgeand expertise with industry. Companieslike WESGO Metals, Pratt & Whitney,and Honeywell are incorporatingbrazing test data and innovations intotheir high-temperature processes forapplication in a variety of products thatoperate in high-temperature environ-

ments—spacecraftsubassemblies, aux-iliary power units,stainless steel hy-draulic lines on com-mercial jet engines,and automotive metal-ceramic components.

Technical Contacts:John J. Stephens(505) [email protected]

Mike Hosking(505) [email protected]


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TheEmergingScience ofBrazingSandia is applying a

science-based approachto high temperature

furnace brazing

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Thermally sprayed metal or ceramiccoatings can greatly improve a com-ponent’s performance in many demand-ing environments. In combustion wire-spray processing, coatings are producedby melting and atomizing a metal wireusing a high-temperature flame. Sandiauses a new and more accurate approachto control the flame spray process in theproduction of defense components,including war reserve production ofneutron generator subassemblies. Wire-flame production is used to coat neutrongenerators that go into ballistic missiles.

“No application is more central toour mission of national defense thanthis one,” said Richard Neiser, managerof Sandia’s Thermal Spray ResearchLab. “Thermal spray also is used atnumerous Department of Energy (DOE)facilities. This simple, powerful controlscheme can readily be adapted to otherspray processes and has broad impactwithin DOE.”

The process must be carefully con-trolled to produce high-quality deposits.Traditionally, the process has relied onregulating the inputs, such as holding

gas flow rates constant. But this methodcannot produce the desired coatingquality when equipment becomes wornand tolerances change, or when the wireis not perfectly straightened and centeredin the flame. Sandia researchers havedeveloped a more effective output-basedprocess control, which uses a combi-nation of sensors and computer controlsthat fine-tune process inputs severaltimes per second to ensure the routineproduction of high-quality coatings.

“The challenge is that the rightcombination of ‘knob settings’ can


New Approach to Process Control RevolutionizesFlame Spraying

Increased value and reduced risks are sparking interestin the concept of process-based quality

Richard Neiser, manager of Sandia's Thermal Spray Research Lab, studies the molten high-velocity particles in a flame spray jet.


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change from day to day or even frompart to part in a production environ-ment,” Neiser said.

Previously, the lack of an appropriatesensor for measuring the temperaturesand velocities of the hot metal particlesin the flame prevented researchers fromdeveloping effective output-based pro-cessing. Earlier particle-sensor systemswere too complicated and difficult touse in production, took several minutesto process data, cost hundreds of thou-sands of dollars each, and were the sizeof a suitcase. By contrast, the state-of-the-art sensors used in output-basedprocess control update data ten times asecond, carry a relatively modest$10,000 to $40,000 price tag, and areminiaturized.

Sandia’s latest flame sprayproduction system no longer tries torigidly hold key process conditionsstable. Special computer algorithmsmonitor sensor data and make adjust-ments whenever particle temperatureand velocity drift. Keeping the temper-ature and velocity constant is vital toconsistently spraying good coatings.An important part of the algorithms are

the mathematical relationships that linkprocess inputs with process outputs.These linking relationships have proveneffective since they are simple, cost-and time-effective to produce, and donot have to be precisely accurate inorder to produce very stable temper-atures and velocities.

The improved sensor and new soft-ware logic that are used in output-basedprocess control ensures the thermalspray jet is carefully regulated as thesystem feeds a wire or powder into thehot gas. The flame spray coating processis similar to spray paint, but unlikepaint, does not tend to puddle as thematerial or combination of materials isdeposited on the manufacturer’s choiceof surfaces. The new process-controlsystem’s smart software adjusts vari-ables on the fly to maintain a constantparticle temperature and velocity.

Sandia’s innovative approach toprocess-based quality is also improvingAmerican manufacturing. Output-basedprocess control has a potentially wide-spread application in aerospace, jetengines, automotive manufacturing,power generation, and petrochemical

manufacture. It also can be used forbiomedical products ranging fromdental implants to replacement hips,where thermal spray techniques areused to spray artificial bone ontotitanium implants, producing a betterquality product and reducing patientrecovery time.

Sandia has worked on numerousindustrial applications such as helpingGeneral Motors develop cylinder borecoatings for engine blocks. In this part-nership, the objective was to replacetraditional expensive cast iron linersused in lightweight aluminum blockswith thin steel coatings for improvedgas economy and better durability.Sandia also has a major industrial pro-gram in cold-spray processing, a newcoating technology that fabricates dense,oxide-free metal deposits at room temp-erature. Sandia is working with a con-sortium of eight companies to makethis technology available commercially.

Technical Contact:Richard [email protected]

Top right: Properly atomizing the molten metal is crucial to producinga high-quality coating. The new control technology continuously adjuststhe gas flows to stabilize the atomization process.Bottom left: Sandia flame spray production station shows a particlesensor above the flame, which keeps watch on the process.Bottom right: This schematic diagram shows that a neutron generatorgets coated by a combination of right and left passes of the flamespray torch.

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n engine component breaksaboard a military aircraft carrierduring mid-ocean maneuvers. Theship is not carrying a replacementpart. A similar situation could alsoarise on a NASA space platform,where the earliest delivery of areplacement part would be weeksor months away. In both situations,Sandia’s laser engineered netshaping process, LENS™, is nowable to provide quick solutions.

LENS™ is an innovative rapid-prototyping system that is smallenough to set up in a field locationyet capable of producing complex,one-of-a-kind components. An addi-tive process, the LENS™ system usesfour nozzles to make three-dimen-sional, high-density parts and moldsfrom the inside out. The nozzles directa stream of metal powder in argon gasat a movable central point while ahigh-powered laser beam heats thepoint. Throughout the process, thesubstrate continuously moves, guidedby thin sections of computer-aideddesign solid models. Layer by layer,nozzles and laser work together todeposit metal.

LENS™ is different from otherrapid-prototyping methods because itgoes directly from raw materials tometal components, eliminating inter-mediate steps. LENS™ works wellwith most kinds of metals, includingdifficult materials like titanium andother super-hard alloys, which areprone to developing microscopiccracks when machined. LENS™

creates fully dense, or useable, com-

ponents, and the range of materialproperties obtainable through theprocess can exceed conventionaltechniques.

Michelle Griffith, Sandia’sLENS™ project manager, says it ispossible to mix and match materialsduring processing, allowing thedesigner to tailor the part propertieswithin a component.

A relatively inexpensive way toproduce parts in quantities of ten orless, LENS™ is ideal for customweapons components. Its direct-laser,metal-deposition process also can beused to modify or repair existinghardware. Industrial applicationsinclude not only the fabrication offinished parts but also the develop-ment of tooling for plastic partproduction.

The

LENS™

Success StorySix years ago, the concept of laser engineered

net shaping was a simple research idea in a Sandia laboratory.

Now, it promises to revolutionize the way one-of-a-kind parts are made.

It is possible to mix andmatch materials duringprocessing, allowingthe designer to tailorthe part properties

within a component.

Blade preform for aerospace applicationcreated with LENSTM


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LENS™ is allowing LockheedMartin Tactical Aircraft Systems inForth Worth, Texas, to accomplish intwo weeks processes that previouslyhad required many months. “The poten-tial savings in cost and time are drama-tic,” said Lockheed Martin spokes-person Brian Rosenberger. “LENS™

technology enables us to make one partout of what takes hundreds of piecesusing conventional technology. Ourmove to unitized parts is improving thestructural integrity and reducing theweight of products.”

Lockheed Martin is a member ofthe LENS™ consortium formed bySandia in 1997 to develop the process.Other consortium partners include 3M,Honeywell, Optomec, Wyman-Gordon,Laser Fare, KAPL, NASA, and Ford.Partners are looking to incorporateLENS™ into their fabrication processesto reduce part fabrication time andcost, and to improve componentperformance.

What was once a simple laboratoryresearch project has become an almost

overwhelmingly successful inventionand one of Sandia’s all-time biggestgenerators of partners and R&Drevenue. “We really didn’t know whatLENS™ would accomplish when westarted the project. But we were ableto make all the right matches in terms

of adding benefits for partners,” saidGriffith, a materials scientist who hasbeen involved on the project team sinceits startup six years ago.

The technology’s method fortransforming pure metals into finishedparts is unique among rapid-prototypingprocesses, and project partners expectit to revolutionize the fabrication ofcomplex prototypes, tooling, and small-lot production parts. Optomec, anAlbuquerque-based supplier of laser-directed material deposition systemsthat markets LENS™, has beeninvolved with Sandia for four years aspart of the LENS™ CRADA.

“Working with the CRADA hashelped us in our commercializationefforts for the laser-deposition systemsthat we manufacture. We also are usingthe LENS™ system to supply low-volume components back to Sandia tofill their part quotas for stockpile surety,completing the supply cycle,” saidDavid Keicher, Optomec’s chieftechnical officer.

Technical Contact:Michelle [email protected]

Project engineer Lane Harwell (retired) uses LENSTM to fabricate a Sandia thunderbirdemblem from stainless steel.

Injection-molding tool set fabricated by LENSTM in H13 (premium quality) tool steelmaterial. The tooling core and cavity show as-deposited surfaces as well as sinkerelectro discharge machining surfaces to illustrate finishing techniques. Various plasticparts have been made from this tooling set.

In many defense applications,machined part features in the 1-to-50micron range often improve productdesign and extend performance. Thesemesoscale parts are larger than silicon-based micromachines but smaller thanminiature parts. And they requireadvanced-manufacturing processes toproduce. Sandia’s Manufacturing Scienceand Technology Center specializes in theproduction capabilities for this midrangeneed. These meso scale processes areused to produce better replacementcomponents for aging nuclear weapons.

Sandia researchers Gilbert Benavides,David Adams, and Pin Yang started themesomachining project as a LaboratoryDirected Research and Developmentprogram, and it now has become acustomer-driven capability. This advancedR&D effort employs four subtractivemesomachining technologies. The tech-nologies are capable of creating both two-and three-dimensional features in a varietyof materials and offer significant advant-ages over other fabrication processesused in micromachining and miniaturemachining.

Focused ion beam machining.Working with colleagues at Louisiana TechUniversity, Sandia is developing a focusedion beam machining technique thatcreates features in a variety of metals bybombarding them with a nano-sizedgallium ion beam. Because it is a relativelyslow process, the focused ion beam hasbeen used to fabricate tools such as endmills, photolithography masks, and laser-machining masks, which in turn areapplied repetitively to remove material ata considerably faster rate than isachievable with the focused beam ion.

Micromilling and microturning.Sandia’s machining technologies haveextended conventional milling and turningtechniques into the mesoscale, enablingfabrication of complex features as smallas 25 microns—equivalent to one-thousandth of an inch, or about one-thirdthe diameter of human hair—in a varietyof materials.

Excimer and femtosecond laser.Excimer and femtosecond lasers areSandia’s tools for creating holes, channels,and complex cuts. The excimer laser is

used for mesoscale features in polymersand ceramics, and the femtosecond laseris for extremely short duration pulses thatburn cleanly on the microscale, breakingatomic bonds layer by layer. The femto-second laser produces exceptionally cleanfeatures with no heat-affected zone andno particulates from solidified meltedmaterial.

When the drilling job involves deep,small-diameter holes, the femtosecondlaser offers the best approach. Developedin collaboration with colleagues at theUniversity of Nebraska in order to createa neutron tube part, Sandia’s femtosecondlaser technology operates at scales downto five microns, close to the lower end ofthe mesomachining range. Before the

invention of the femtosecond laser, deepmetal holes were limited to a minimumdiameter of about 50 microns, the smallestof the conventional drill bits

Micro-Electro Discharge Machining.Sandia’s micro-electro discharge machin-ing technologies offer two approaches:sinker and wire.

The electrode for the sinker method,which uses a solid three-dimensionalelectrode to fabricate smoothly contouredparts in a variety of conductive materials,can be made with LIGA, a process thatcombines lithography, electroplating, andmolding for parts an order of magnitudesmaller than the present miniaturemachining technology.

The wire method uses an electricallycharged wire about one-third the diameterof a strand of human hair to cut three-dimensional tapered prismatic parts.Sandia technologists say working with awire electrode is like using an electricallycharged bandsaw.

Both the sinker and wire microelectro-discharge machining processesare suitable for difficult-to-machinematerials like stainless steels, tungsten,rare earth magnets, and kovar alloy. Byblending mesomachining technologieswith LIGA, Sandia has overcome limi-tations in working with electroplatedmaterials such as copper and nickel.

In traditional fabrication processes,gear and shaft are fabricated separatelyand then assembled by press-fitting theshaft into the gear. This assembly requiresmere microns of interference for meso-scale parts. Mesomachining permitsfabrication of gear and shaft as a singlethree-dimensional part, eliminating theneed for a press fit. Transferred intoindustry, Sandia’s suite of mesomachiningtools may improve products incommercial aerospace, the automotiveindustry, and biomedical industry througha variety of component innovations suchas the next generation of lightweightaerospace parts, sensors for automotiveand aerospace, and medical products.

Technical Contact:Gilbert [email protected]

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Sandia’s Micro-Electro Discharge Machine(Micro-EDM) (above). On the upper rightinset is the Micor-EDM electrode in copperthat was made with the LIGA (electro-forming) process. On the lower right insetis a screen fabricated into .006 inch kovarsheet using the Micro-EDM electrode. Thewalls of the screen are 0.002 inch wide by0.006 inch deep.

Machining in theMeso-RangeNew capabilities

produce smaller, lighterweight products



12

The development of a new thermalbattery. The redesign of a gas generatorthat has reached the end of its safe designlife. Pinpointing a problem in an agingweapon electronics component.

Although diverse, these challengeshave a common thread at Sandia: the labs’Concurrent Design and Manufacturingprogram, where researchers apply newtechnologies, ultra-high quality manu-facturing processes, and leading-edge fail-ure analysis techniques to maintain thevitality of the nation’s weapons complex.

Concurrent Design and Manufacturingoffers a vital solution to the weaponscomplex’s need for low-volume precisionparts that are not obtainable through nor-mal commercial channels, and for sub-stitutes for materials and processes thatare no longer available. In meeting thechallenges of an aging stockpile, Con-current Design and Manufacturing drawsupon Sandia’s world-class expertise inadvanced manufacturing, engineeringsciences, microelectronics, and materialsand process sciences to provide criticalskills.

Since its inception in 1992, theConcurrent Design and ManufacturingDepartment has produced more than40,000 custom parts ranging from capa-citors and magnetics to frequency devicesand microelectronics components.Sandians have solved many problemsover the nine years the program has beenin place, saving both government agenciesand industry time and resources.

Uncovering the causeCase No. 1

A memory circuit used in a weaponsystem malfunctioned during an accept-ance test conducted on a small sample ofcomponents by a leading defense aero-space company. Faced with the prospectof replacing numerous circuits and nervous

about the reliability of other partsin the same production lot, the manu-facturer turned to Sandia’s RapidResponse Problem Team to analyzethe failure. During the analysis, Sandiaresearchers discovered a problem in theacceptance testing procedures rather thanin the memory-circuit product itself. Theacceptance tests subjected the memorycircuits to excessive electrical stressingwhich damaged the circuit’s electricalinputs. Understanding why the failureoccurred averted the needless and costlyreplacement of numerous parts.

Case No. 2In another instance, weapon-systems

component that had been in stores forabout 15 years awaiting subsystemassembly was found to be nonfunctionalwhen retested before use. Sandia’smicroelectronic experts were asked toidentify the problem. The team discoveredbreakage in the form of a void in the metalwiring of the electrical integrated circuit.Their analysis revealed the reliabilityimplications of the failure for othercomponents of that vintage and helpedidentify the corrective actions needed tomaintain system reliability.

Case No. 3Eagle Picher Technologies, a manu-

facturer of Sandia’s MC2736A thermalbattery design, reported battery failure toSandia’s project realization support group.The group put together a failure-analysisteam, which soon identified the problemto be electrolyte leakage due to excessivedeformation of the wafers separating theanode and cathode electrodes. The teamalso found that the battery’s magnesiumoxide content exceeded Sandia’s speci-fications, indicating that the manufacturerhad not properly processed the battery’sseparator material. Sandia’s report de-clared the lot unacceptable for use and

In meeting the challengesof an aging stockpile,

Concurrent Design andManufacturing draws

upon Sandia’s world-classexpertise in advanced

manufacturing, engineer-ing sciences, micro-

electronics, and materialsand process sciences toprovide critical skills.

Rooting for a CauseFailure Analysis Expertise Enhances

Sandia’s Production Capabilities

High magnification electron beam voltage contrastimage showing the precise location of the opencircuit.

Low magnification electron beam voltage contrastimage showing the location of an open-circuit ina metal interconnection. The white line indicatesa particular electrical connection that is open atthe spot indicated by the arrow.

recommended a new wafer processingprocedure. Eagle Picher reprocessed thematerials and restored its thermal batteryproduction program to schedule.

These real-life scenarios from aero-space defense highlight Sandia’s world-class reputation in failure analysis—anexpertise that in 1995 and 1998 broughtthe microelectronics failure analysisprogram two of R&D magazine’s presti-gious R&D 100 Awards, an awardsprogram that annually spotlights the 100most promising inventions in the UnitedStates.

“Through the years, the ConcurrentDesign and Manufacturing program hasbenefited from Sandia’s failure-analysiscapabilities,” said Cesar Lombana, Con-current Design and Manufacturing pro-gram manager. “When our designers orsuppliers experience problems duringthe critical development or productionphases, our failure-analysis teams de-velop solutions in real time before ourdelivery schedules are affected. Thiscapability makes the program moreeffective and truly concurrent when com-pared with other organizations in thenuclear weapons complex.”

An expertise in failure analysisSandia’s expertise in failure analysis

is integral to its mission in stockpilestewardship. “Taking responsibility forweapon life cycle includes identifyingsystem failures before they becomeproblems,” said Richard Anderson,manager of Sandia’s MicroelectronicsFailure Analysis Department. “The rootcause of failures must be understood.”

In failure analysis, determining theroot cause of the failure is vital to solvingthe problem. Is the failure a randomdefect, the one component in 10,000 thatcan be expected statistically to go awry?Or is it a product problem that heraldsthe first of many similar failures? Andwhere, exactly, did it start? In the caseof weaponry, the answers to these quest-ions may be related to materials andaging, or they may point to a manu-facturing process issue. Or they couldeven reveal improper component useand testing.

In some partnerships, simultaneouswith problem solving, Sandia acquires

expertise that ultimately will improveother aspects of national securitytechnology. For example, in the courseof microelectronics projects with Inteland Advanced Micro Devices, Sandia isexposed to advanced digital integratedcircuits that operate at higher frequenciesthan any Sandia currently manufacturesor uses. These advanced circuits event-ually will be modified for use in theweapon environment.

“While we develop the microelec-tronics failure analysis know-how thatindustry needs, industry leaders work onadvanced technology problems Sandiahasn’t tackled yet but will be facing inthe future, such as new failure modes in0.15 micron minimum feature size micro-circuit components,” said Michael Knoll,manager of Sandia’s Design and ProductsDepartment. “These advanced micro-electronics solutions will find a place innational security applications when theyhave matured for our high-consequenceapplications.”

Materials science problems call foran array of tools that few companies canafford, including a battery of electronmicroscopes, many of which come witha seven-digit price tag. “We’re oftenlooking for a needle in the haystack,something completely unknown andunexpected,” said Paul Kotula, one of

Sandia’s experts in transmission electronmicroscopy.

Sandia is one of the few laboratoriesin the world that is equipped to conductforensics at the atomic level using avariety of analytical methods includingfocused ion beam, scanning electronmicroscopy, or X-ray diffraction. Thesecapabilities are not available for hireeither collectively or individually outsideof Sandia’s Materials CharacterizationDepartment.

The effectiveness of the ConcurrentDesign and Manufacturing program isreflected in its product acceptance rate.Last year, the program delivered 99percent of manufactured components onschedule, and 95 percent of the productwas accepted. Use of new technologieshas extended the performance of non-nuclear components in the nation’snuclear stockpile by as much as three ormore generations beyond the originalcomponents, and in many cases hasreduced the number of parts in nuclearweapons.

Technical Contact:Michael [email protected]

13


Cross-section of failing integrated circuit metal interconnection showing a void that causedthe open circuit.

In the B-61 bomb family, theshelf life of the MC3002 gasgenerator is determined by the20-year shelf life of thegunpowder. When thebomb is dropped, thegunpowder ignites,generating gas thatdeploys a para-chute . Theparachu teslows thebomb’s d e s c e n t .

Parachutes areused in weapons

testing because as l o w d e s c e n t

preserves the bombcasing, permitting the

reuse of components andsaving tax dollars. In an

actual military application, theparachute buys the aircraft pilot

extra seconds of getaway time.“The B-61’s gas generator is like a

big shotgun shell that, when fired,pushes out the parachute by telescop-ically expanding the ejection tube to alocking point at its extreme position,”said Mike Kopczewski, Sandia’sMC3002A gas generator project lead.“But in a couple of decades, this gunpowder propellant loses its stability andis more difficult to ignite. It could evenself-ignite.”

The program to replace the B-61’sgunpowder propellant with an improvedformulation started as a joint idea ofSandia and Pacific Scientific, Inc., aChandler, Ariz., explosives manu-facturer that produced the originalMC3002 gas generator. Working as a

team, Pacific Scientific and Sandiasearched for a replacement propellant.They chose Hipel 430, a propellantdeveloped by Pacific Scientific. Theor-etically, Hipel 430 has 300 times thestability of the original gunpowder.Hipel 430 does not use stabilizers,giving it a useful life of at least 30years—for practical purposes, anunlimited shelf life.

Sandia’s project participationincluded technical contributions to thepropellant change. Kopczewski’s teamdesigned the generator to fit the spacerequirements of the original system andmatched the electrical requirements ofthe original igniter connection. Sandianshandled research and development,design, and testing of the new com-ponent. Prototypes were subjected totemperature extremes ranging fromminus 70 degrees to plus 180 degreesFahrenheit. Because the system requiresa certain timing range to work properly,the timing of the parachute ejection

was also a critical focus of Sandia’stesting.

In January 2001, Sandia turned thenew generator design over to PacificScience for manufacturing. In June,Pacific Scientific delivered 400 of thenew MC3002A gas generators toPantex, a nuclear weapons assemblyplant in Amarillo, Texas, for instal-lation. The Department of Energy’scurrent requirements call for the pro-duction of MC3002A gas generatorsfor the next few years. By extendingthe life of the gas generator, Sandiaenabled the Department of Energy notonly to improve the safety of the sys-tem, but also to save money by reducingfuture generator orders and eliminatingperiodic maintenance requirements.

Technical contact:Mike [email protected]

14


A limited-life component is a part with a useful shelf life that is shorter than the life of the weapon itself.

To ensure the reliability of the nation’s weapons stockpile, the Department of Energy requires the replacement

of all limited-life components before their useful limit is reached.

B-61 bomb showing MC3002A gas generator.

In 1994, the Department of Energyreconfigured the weapons complex.Production lines in the defense aero-space industry were shut down andneutron generator production shifted toSandia as part of its mission of nuclearstockpile stewardship.

For Sandia, becoming the primarysupplier of the nuclear-triggering de-vices has involved much more thansimply developing the tools to supporta new production assignment. Basicdata management, Web access, inter-faces to production floor and suppliers,business and accounting practices,hardware, and stockrooms have allbecome a part of the previouslyunfamiliar yet vital side of manufactur-ing. Together, they form a complexmanufacturing infrastructure.

To help ensure the high productreliability that is crucial to weaponsdesign and production, Sandia needs adata-management system capable ofproviding complete accountabilitythroughout the entire life of the product.In the design of a product like a neutrongenerator, neutron tube, or thermalbattery, hundreds of mechanical andelectrical drawings are required. Com-plete documentation of the process,including all revisions and supportmaterials, needs to remain accessiblethrough the life of a project so thatprogression of the product design istraceable.

Sandia is not the only weaponsproducer interested in a system forintegrating computer-aided design dataand manufacturing data. By 1993,

Honeywell’s Kansas City weaponsproduction facility had already con-sidered the problem and was familiarwith a product data-management toolfrom Workgroup Technology Corp-oration in Lexington, Mass. Work-group’s software application is capableof linking all aspects of project infor-mation—from product requirements towork instructions and access to theproduct’s as-built archive—in a com-plete picture of the device at any pointin its design history.

Implementing product data manage-ment into the manufacturing processhas enabled Sandia to more effectivelymanage its products and processes. Theintegration also benefits the productionteam by allowing faster engineeringchanges.

15


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“All team members now havedirect, on-line access to the informationthey need for their work, reducing thetime required to get information intoand out of the system from days oreven weeks to just minutes or, at themost, a few hours,” said product en-gineer Gregory Neugebauer.

Sandia’s product data-managementsystem provides the following addi-tional advantages:

• Integration of document controland electronic sign-off, forimproved review cycle

• A recorded account of atransaction

• Extension of document controlbeyond drawings, to encompasswork instructions, operatingprocedures, requirements maps,qualification reports, and data

• One central storage location fortext and graphics, allowingplacement of embedded illustra-tions in documents for improvedwork instruction clarity

• Resource sharing with Sandia’sweapon systems integrationdepartments, facilitating manage-ment of design and documentationat all levels of high-consequenceproduction

• Closer collaboration with keysuppliers and production agencies

“Product data management is onlyhalf of the story,” said Eric Detlefs, aSandian who has been involved inmanufacturing and the implementation

of manufacturing infrastructure foralmost 10 years. “The rest is knowingby lot number or component serialnumber exactly which parts are on site,and being able to trace all of these inthe various subassemblies and assem-blies we fabricate.”

To meet these tracking require-ments, Sandia utilized an Oraclesoftware-based enterprise resourceplanning system that linked to the datasystem. Product data management tellsSandia how the product was designed,and enterprise resource planning tellsthe production team how the com-ponent was fabricated. Together, thetwo systems are an important steptoward total configuration control.

“Although the interface betweenthe two systems is still manual andtherefore not entirely smooth, practical,or convenient, it goes beyond anythingwe’ve had in this business,” Detlefssaid. “Most companies have not beenable to achieve a fully functional,integrated system.”

The Sandia team will soon beginwork on taking the infrastructure to thenext level of product developmentmanagement using Matrix One. Thegoal is the achievement of an inte-grated, totally electronic interfacebetween Matrix and Oracle. “When weachieve a simple, practical, electroniclink, we will have direct access withinminutes to everything both sidesoffer—drawings, manufacturing workinstructions, equipment instructions,and administrative procedures. And,on the planning side, what to build,and how many, when, how, and from

what material. This is going to save alot of time as well as be a big conven-ience,” said Detlefs.

When electronic integration isachieved, Sandia will combine productdata management and enterpriseresource planning into a virtual manu-facturing enterprise. The product willmove through its entire lifecycle, frominception to ongoing production andsupport, in a fully integrated seriesof steps.

Technical Contacts:Eric [email protected]

Gregory [email protected]

When we achieve a simple, practical, electronic link,

we will have direct access within minutes to

everything both sides offer.


INSIGHTS By J. Leonard Martinez

Vice PresidentManufacturing Systems, Science, and Technology DivisionSandia National Laboratories

ManufacturingCapabilities MakeSandia Stronger

I define manufacturing at Sandiaas the integration of manufacturingscience, manufacturing technologies,manufacturing systems, and what I call“manufacturing with a little m,” theability to produce a tangible product.Sandia’s design and manufacturingoperations are divided into four majorareas: design to make, design to buy,design to prototype, and design toprototype and transfer the process. TheLabs’ manufacturing niche developedfrom its nuclear weapons heritage, andSandia applies this capability to all ofits business units. Our vision is thatSandia will be seen as “the first choicefor integrated design and manufac-turing for low-volume, high-consequence, and high-complexityproducts required for the lesspredictable future.”

While nuclear weapons are at thecore of manufacturing at Sandia, manu-

facturing touches all of its businessunits. Sandia’s manufacturing commu-nity unifies its manufacturing systems,science, and technology capabilitiesin a way that helps the Labs meettoday's deliverables and positions itfor tomorrow's challenges.

Sandia’s manufacturing communi-ty consists of the ManufacturingSystems, Science, and Technology(MSST) Division, with its two centers—the Manufacturing Science andTechnology and the Neutron GeneratorProduction Centers—at its core. TheManufacturing Science andTechnology Center develops science,technology, systems, and prototypingsolutions, and produces product insmall volumes. The Neutron GeneratorProduction Center focuses on deploy-ment, producibility, and repeatability,and also (and fundamentally) on theneutron generator technologies andassociated products. The MSSTDivision encompasses all of Sandia’smanufacturing areas of process andproduct development, as well as theLabs’ hardware deliverables.

Additional centers across Sandiawith critical roles in manufacturing arethe Microsystems Science, Technology,and Components Center; the IntelligentSystems and Robotics Center; and theEnergy Components and MetrologyCenter. Other centers and activitieshave critical relationships to manu-facturing, such as the Materials andProcesses Science Center, theSimulation Enabled ProductRealization Center, and the CorporateBusiness Development and Partner-ships Center, specifically when itcomes to Regional Partnerships. Asone can see, Sandia has developedmanufacturing into a virtual organi-

zation aimed at providing the tech-nology and hardware needed to supportits business units. As appropriate, theintellectual capital that is developedin this endeavor is shared with industryand other federal agencies.

Sandia’s manufacturing culture,with its different disciplines andrewards, is unlike that of the rest ofthe Labs. But Sandia's manufacturingcommunity works side by side withthe Labs’ scientists and engineers,thereby producing a synergy that makesSandia stronger.

Manufacturing is indeed an enablerfor Sandia. It has prompted us toestablish systems to produce highlycomplex, high-consequence, low-volume component parts and systemsthat solve our customers' problems.Our manufacturing capabilities havemade Sandia more well-rounded andbetter able to contribute to the nation'sfuture, whatever it may bring. In thefinal analysis, manufacturing is criticalto Sandia’s quest “to become thelaboratory that the nation turns to firstfor technology solutions to the mostchallenging problems that threaten thepeace and freedom for our nation andthe globe.”

Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a LockheedMartin Company, for the United States Department of Energy

under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000

SAND 2001-3115P

Marketing Communications Dept.MS 0129Sandia National LaboratoriesP.O. Box 5800Albuquerque, NM 87185-0129

PRSRT STDU.S. PostagePAID

Albuquerque, NMPermit No. 232

“Sandia’s manufacturing culture,with its different disciplines and

rewards, is unlike that of the rest ofthe Labs. But Sandia's manufacturingcommunity works side by side withthe Labs’ scientists and engineers,thereby producing a synergy that

makes Sandia stronger.”

J. Leonard MartinezVice President

Manufacturing Systems, Science,and Technology Division

Sandia National Laboratories

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