Details of Grant

EPSRC Reference:

GR/M60101/01

Title:

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF INVESTMENT CASTING

Principal Investigator:

Other Investigators:

Blackburn, Professor S	Harding, Dr RA	Jolly, Dr M
Jolly, Professor M

Researcher Co-Investigators:

Project Partners:

Blayson Olefines Ltd	Leeds & Bradford Boilerclave	Mueller-Phipps International Inc
Remet UK Ltd	Rolls-Royce Plc

Department:

Metallurgy and Materials

Organisation:

University of Birmingham

Scheme:

Standard Research (Pre-FEC)

Starts:

01 November 1999

Ends:

31 October 2002

Value (£):

642,387

EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:

Materials Processing

EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:

Aerospace, Defence and Marine

Manufacturing

Related Grants:

Panel History:

Summary on Grant Application Form

Products manufactured using investment casting require little or no finishing but there are many factors which prevent this ideal being attained. Significant machining is commonly required and because of this and because of the high scrap rates, the cost of investment cast products is increased. The aim of this programme is to develop an understanding of those factors that lead to this increase in cost and then to use this information in either analytical or rule-based software so that net shape, sound castings can be routinely produced. Four main project areas will be addressed; pattern production, ceramic shell evaluation, pattern removal and casting. The problems associated with each step will be identified and methods to reduce tolerance errors and defects will be explored. The remit of the project will address the lack of fundamental understanding of science and technology within the investment industry. Integrated research will develop a greater understanding of the production route for companies within the supply chain, allowing quality castings to be produced. This will give the investment industry confidence to expand into new markets with assurances that they are producing high quality, precision castings on a competitive cost basis

Key Findings

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Potential use in non-academic contexts

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Impacts

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Summary
Date Materialised

Sectors submitted by the Researcher

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Project URL:

Further Information:

Organisation Website:

http://www.bham.ac.uk