Collaborative Research: Contacting and Solidification in Casting-by-Design

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The objective of this collaborative research is a scientific understanding sufficient to enable casting of metallic sheets, ribbon or foil, of commercially acceptable quality, directly from the molten metal state. The idea is to solidify raw material directly into final product, without downstream processing steps. The casting method forces molten metal into contact with a spinning cold wheel where the metal freezes and is spun off. The approach is to favorably influence the product quality by printing patterns on the wheel just before and removing them just after the region where contact and solidification occur. This is the 'Casting-by-Design' innovation. The scientific approach uses the tools of experimental testing and computational and mathematical modeling to achieve the desired understanding.As compared to current practice in the United States, there would be direct energy savings for single-step casting. Indirect benefits include the reduction of greenhouse gases, particularly, carbon dioxide. In addition, capital costs for manufacturing would be reduced and productivity would be increased. As China and India further industrialize and the demand for flat aluminum and steel products grows, these benefits to society will multiply. A further benefit to society will be through education. Undergraduates and graduates will be involved in this research as a problem-solving team, with outreach to local school systems.This collaborative effort is co-sponsored by the Materials Processing and Manufacturing Program within the Division of Design, Manufacture and Industrial Innovation and the Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing Program within the Division of the Chemical and Transport Systems.