Hi-TINAL: Advanced High-Tin Aluminium Plain Bearing Alloys Produced by Intensive Melt Shearing Technology

劳斯莱斯Goodrich发动机控制系统有限公司（航空发动机控制）正在领导一个包括KC工程有限公司（KC）和布鲁内尔大学先进凝固技术中心（BCAST）在内的项目团队，开发和演示测试一种创新的高锡铝滑动轴承合金，该合金将取代有害的铅锡青铜和白色金属，降低产品制造成本并延长服务间隔。选定的项目团队成员具有优化合金成分和摩擦学性能的能力和技能，可用于航空航天、石油和天然气等高价值产品市场的早期应用，以及汽车等高容量市场的长期应用。该团队将以BCAST成功的基础研究为基础，利用其创新的密集熔体剪切技术（MCAST）在实验室规模上产生分散良好的高锡铝微观结构。这种能力将显著降低项目向前发展的风险。该项目将展示该材料在一系列全尺寸零件上的适用性，并优化可靠制造的工艺。开发的最初目标是航空燃料系统和油气行业相关组件，以确保市场地位，并刺激最终用户合作伙伴的市场份额增长。“溢出”经济效益将在财团之外获得：(i)其他行业的轴承制造商；（ii） AEC和KC的客户以及其他轴承和含轴承系统的最终用户；（三）铝和母合金原料供应商通过更大的渗透进入轴承市场。

Rolls Royce Goodrich Engine Control Systems Ltd. (Aero Engine Controls) is leading a project team which includes KC Engineering Ltd (KC) and the Brunel University Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), to develop and demonstration test an innovative high-Sn Al plain bearing alloy that will lead to replacement of hazardous lead-tin bronzes and whitemetals, reduce product manufacturing cost and extend service intervals. The selected project team members have the capability and skills to optimise the alloy composition and tribological properties for early application in high value product markets such as aerospace and oil & gas and longer term application in high volume markets such as automotive. The team will build on successful fundamental research carried out by BCAST using their innovative intensive melt shearing technology (MCAST) to generate well dispersed high-Sn Al microstructures at the laboratory scale. This capability will significantly reduce project risk going forwards. The project will demonstrate the applicability of this material to a range of full scale parts and optimise the process for reliable manufacture. Exploitation is aimed initially at aerospace fuel system and oil & gas industry related components to secure the market position and stimulate growth in market share of the end user partners. “Spill over” economic benefits will be available outside the consortium: (i) bearing manufacturers in other sectors; (ii) AEC and KC’s customers and other end users of bearings and sytems containing bearings; (iii) Al and master alloy raw materials suppliers through greater penetration into the bearings market.