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

这项合作研究的目的是获得足够的科学认识，以便能够直接从熔融金属状态铸造商业上可接受质量的金属板、带或箔。 其理念是将原材料直接固化为最终产品，而无需下游加工步骤。 铸造方法迫使熔融金属与旋转的冷轮接触，在那里金属冻结并被甩出。 该方法是通过在接触和固化发生的区域之前在轮上印刷图案并在接触和固化发生的区域之后移除图案来有利地影响产品质量。 这就是“按设计铸造”的创新。 科学方法使用实验测试和计算及数学建模的工具来实现所需的理解。与美国目前的做法相比，一步铸造将直接节省能源。 间接效益包括减少温室气体，特别是二氧化碳。此外，制造业的资本成本将降低，生产力将提高。随着中国和印度进一步工业化，以及对扁平铝和钢铁产品需求的增长，这些对社会的好处将成倍增加。 对社会的另一个好处是通过教育。本科生和研究生将作为一个解决问题的团队参与这项研究，并与当地学校系统进行联系。这项合作工作由设计，制造和工业创新部门的材料加工和制造计划以及化学和运输系统部门的热运输和热处理计划共同赞助。

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.