My research spectrum evolved by encompassing material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM) also known as 3D printing with the following key thrust areas:
rapid prototyping of structural electronics and sensor
development of fiber-reinforced and multi-material polymer composites
design and fabrication of multi-material and multi-functional structures via hybrid AM
development of processing parameters of small-scale to large-area AM machines
thermomechanical, rheological, optical, in-situ infrared imaging, and mechanical characterization of 3D printing materials and parts
Following are the notable research projects that I actively contributed to and managed:
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Goal: Utilize material extrusion additive manufacturing with wire embedding capabilities to fabricate energy-efficient composite molds
Summary: Autoclave heating for composite manufacturing requires a significant amount of thermal energy which not only increases the cost of manufacturing but also the fabrication of autoclave mold itself has a long lead time. To eliminate the inefficient heating, self-heating mold is being fabricated using a desktop scale material extrusion 3D printer that has a custom-made resistance heating wire deposition tool.
Below is the ongoing research effort on the 3D printed mold with embedded heating capabilities and composite manufacturing on 3D printed molds. Stay tuned to be notified of the two research articles that are coming soon on this project.
Two of my undergraduate research assistants presented the research on 3D printed composite molds and wire-embedded actuators at the Solid Freeform Fabrication Conference in Austin, in 2023.
Billah, K. M. M., Gonzalez, M., B., De La Rosa, A., Hamidi, Y., “Additive manufacturing of composite tooling.” 34th SFFS: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2023.
2. Billah, K. M. M., De La Rosa, A Gonzalez, M., B., “3D printed shape memory alloy wire embedded actuators” 34th SFFS: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2023.
Project: CAMIEM: Compact Additively Manufactured Innovative Electric Motor
Funding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Goal: Utilize additive manufacturing methods to achieve new motor designs that have significantly higher power densities and/or efficiency.
Summary: Several Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies were employed to obtain innovative electric motor that has much higher power densities as well as efficiencies compared to the current state-of-the-art axial flux machine. As a team member from UTEP with several other research partner including NASA GRC, NASA LRC, NASA AFRC, and Launch Point Technologies, I actively contributed in design, fabrication, characterization, and testing of 3D printed stator and rotor. A prototype of innovative and compact stator was successfully delivered to the agency. Also, a comprehensive technical project report was submitted to the agency.
Following articles were published related to this project:
K. Billah, J. L. Coronel, M. C. Halbig, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Electrical and thermal characterization of 3D printed thermoplastic parts with embedded wires for high current-carrying applications.” IEEE Access 7 (2019): 18799-18810. Link
K. Billah, J. L. Coronel, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Effect of porosity on electrical insulation and heat dissipation of fused deposition modeling parts containing embedded wires.” 29th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2018. Link
J. L. Coronel, K. Billah, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Hybrid manufacturing with FDM technology for enabling power electronics component fabrication.” 29th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2018. Link
Project: Multifunctional BAAM: Big Area AM with Multi-Purpose Wire Embedding
Funding Agency: America Makes
Goal: Development of processing parameters for 3D printing of fiber reinforced composites and multi-functional tool f to enable multi-functional large scale part fabrication via Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine.
Summary: Processing parameters of the BAAM machine are heavily dependent on the materials thermophysical and rheological properties. To fabricate large scale part, neat thermoplastic materials are reinforced by mixing of chopped fibers (carbon and glass) with processing aids. To develop the processing parameters for those tailored composites, I performed thermomechanical, rheological, optical, and in-situ infrared thermal imaging. Currently, I am investigating the theoretical and experimental aspect of the print failure due to the elastic and plastic buckling the deposited beads. In addition the printing and processing parameters development, I am also leading the research effort to fabricate multi-functional large parts via wire embedding tool integrated in BAAM.
Following articles were published and under review related to this project:
K. Billah, F. A. Lorenzana, N. Martinez, R. Wicker, and D. Espalin. "Thermomechanical characterization of short carbon fiber and short glass fiber-reinforced ABS used in large format additive manufacturing." Additive Manufacturing (2020): 101299. Link
E. Meraz, X. Jimenez, K. Billah, J. Seppala, R. Wicker, and D. Espalin. "Compressive deformation analysis of large area pellet-fed material extrusion 3D printed parts in relation to in situ thermal imaging." Additive Manufacturing 33 (2020): 101099. Link
K. Billah, F. A. Rodriguez, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Thermal analysis of short fiber reinforced ABS for large area AM.” 30th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2019. Link
E. Meraz, X. Ximenez, K. Billah, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Impact of BAAM parameters on material meso-structure and in-process printing mechanical stability.” 30th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2019.
Xavier Jimenez, K. Billah, J. L. Coronel, L. Gutierrez, R. Wicker, and D. Espalin, "Effect of processing parameters of BAAM printed fiber reinforced composite parts" (under review)
Project name: Multinational part fabrication via ultrasonic embedding of continuous carbon fiber
Funding Agency: W. M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation discretionary fund at UTEP
Summary: Aiming to the fabrication of lightweight structures with multiple functionality an innovative tool was developed to embed continuous carbon fiber by utilizing ultrasonic energy. In this research project, I developed a technology to embed continuous and modified fibers into 3D printed plastic parts. To adopt the technology in a digital manufacturing platform, I developed an automated fiber embedding technology via ultrasonic welding. Superior mechanical strength was achieved as well as multiple functionality of the 3D printed, and CF embedded parts were demonstrated for sensor application.
Following articles were published and under review related to this project:
M. N. Jahangir, K. Billah, Y. Lin, D. A. Roberson, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Reinforcement of material extrusion 3D printed polycarbonate using continuous carbon fiber.” Additive Manufacturing 28 (2019): 354-364. Link
K. Billah, J. L. Coronel, R. B. Wicker, and D. Espalin, “Ultrasonic embedding of continuous carbon fiber in 3D printed thermoplastic parts.” 30th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium: An AM Conference, Austin, TX, 2019. Link
K. Billah, J. L. Coronel, l. Chavez, Y. Lin, and D. Espalin, "Additive manufacturing of multifunctional and multimaterial structures via ultrasonic embedding of continuous carbon fiber" (under review)
This research was performed at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak ridge National Laboratory during my ASTRO internship.
Project goal: Demonstration of wire embedded and self heating mold fabricated via BAAM machine with integrated wire coextrusion tool.
Summary: Traditional manufacturing of composite molds and dies used in automotive and aerospace industries are not only expensive but also inefficient in terms of fabrication lead time and heating mechanism. In this research an innovative method of self heating mold part was fabricated as a replacement of traditional mold manufacturing technologies. Wire embedded mold part was fabricated using BAAM machine and custom made wire coextrusion tool. 3D printed part with embedded heating wire was tested and simulated to achieve targeted thermal profile. In addition to the experimental investigation, I also contributed in the numerical simulation of BAAM printed parts and other research projects related to the manufacturing of composite materials.
Following articles were published and under review related to this project:
K. Billah, S. Pum, J Heineman, A. Roschli, V. Kunc, and A. Hassen, “Numerical simulation of resistance heating composite mold” ASME IMECE, Portland, OR. 2020.
V. Kumar, P. Yeole, N. Hiremath, R. Spencer, K. Billah, U. Vaidya, M. Hasanian, M. Theodore, S. Kim, A. Hassen, and V. Kunc, "Internal arcing and lightning strike damage in short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites" Composite Science and Technology, 2020
Project: Orbital Factory-II: Development of conductive ink dispensing 3D printer as a payload of 1U CubeSat
Goal: Development of the additive manufacturing capabilities to repair damaged solar panel in space by dispensing conductive ink.
Summary: Damage of solar panel in space station due to the space debris and harsh environment is a common phenomena. Thus onboard repairing of the solar panel by dispensing conductive traces can save as well as increase the lifespan on many critical mission control components. A 3D printer that has the ability to dispense space grade conductive ink was developed to deploy in geostationary orbit (GTO) as a payload of 1U CubeSat named Orbital Factory-II. I actively contributed in design, fabrication, and testing of spring loaded conductive ink dispensing 3D printer that was deployed in space by Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft. In addition to 3D printer development, I also performed characterization of conductive ink in a a laboratory scale simulated space environment at NASA MIRO Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research at UTEP.
My Master's thesis was produced from this project in addition to the two conference papers published in American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
Thesis: Billah, Kazi Md Masum, "Characterization Of Electrically Conductive Inks In Simulated Space Environment" (2017). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 413. Link
M. Everett, A. F. Abad, A. Khan, K. Billah, E. Herzog, A. Rahman, and A. R. Choudhuri, “A 1UCube-Satellite for Electrically Conductive 3D Printing in GTO.” AIAA SPACE & Astronautics Conference, Orlando, FL, 2018.
M. Everett, A. F. Abad, A. Khan, K. Billah, and A. R. Choudhuri. “Orbital Factory II: a 3D Printer CubeSat with Self-repairing Purposes.” Small Satellite Conference at USU, Logan, UT, 2018.