Von L. Richards II, the Robert V. Wolf Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at UMR, has always been revved about metal. While other fourth graders were playing on swing-sets and watching television, Richards was trying to make metal castings in his garage. “It made my parents very upset," he admits.
These days, it would be nearly impossible to make someone upset with Richards’ metallurgical work. Richards heads a UMR research project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Steel Founders Society of America, that aims to make fast cars even more efficient by improving the quality and strength of the mold shells used to create engine parts.
“A lot of high-performance engines use investment casting because manufacturers can make them with low-alloy steel in a very complex shape and actually save weight over using a previously stamped and formed component," explains Richards.
UMR has been a leader for years in the research of lost foam casting, a metal casting process that produces castings with foam patterns. Richards’ research is taking lost foam casting to a new level by using the technique on various types of steels, including carbon, low alloy and stainless. “If you could cast a steel crankshaft for an automobile, it would reduce the weight and total dimensions of the engine package by about 20 percent," he says.
For nearly a year, Richards and his team of four undergraduate and two graduate students have been working with different castings, designs, polymer chemistries and ceramic coating materials, taking advantage of UMR’s lost foam foundry.
“We have one of the best equipped lost foamed foundries of any university," Richards says. “It’s a miniature of the full production."
In a foundry, the big energy consumption occurs during the melting operation. “Every time we can melt 10 percent less metal for the same (automotive) part," he says, “we will have saved a substantial amount of energy in the long run. Similarly, the less metal you have to throw back into the furnace because you have a cracked mold shell, the more energy you save in the melting operation."
As the production of his research continues to grow, Richards is traveling unchartered territory with his efforts in lost foam casting of steel. “Almost nothing has been published on lost foam steel casting research before," he says. “Whatever we can contribute will only enhance this development."
Interview with Von Richards
KUMR feature on the benefits of investment casting, hosted by UMR's Vice Provost for Research Wayne Huebner
Dear Sir,
We are one of the leading engineering companies in India. As part of our expansion program we have decided to adopt Lost Foam Casting Technology.
We would be grateful if you can guide us in this venture. Please send us information about the following:
1)Deatils of technology
2)Machinery required & cost
3)Catalogues of Machinery
4)Cost of tooling
5)Infrastructure required
6)Do you give the complete technical know-how or just machinery
Here are some details from our end:
Metals: CI & Aluminium
Turnover: 200 MT per month
Industry: Automobile
Pouring Capacity Per Casting:
Max: 15 Kgs.
Min: 50 grams
Wall Thickness of Castings:
Max: 15mm
Min: 05mm
Casting Size:
Max: 600mm X 500mm X 300mm
The above capacities & sizes are projections, we are open to alter them as per your recomendation.
We would be grateful if you can send us some samples of patterns for us to understand the process. I am sorry if this is of inconvinence to you.
We would be very garteful if you send us this information at our office address below.
Regards,
Sunil Mohite
--
Metallon Foamcast India,
Office: RH # 39, Krishna Kunj,
Vasant Vihar, Pokhran Road # 2,
Thane (W) # 400610,
Maharashtra, INDIA.
Tel.: +91-9867180179