ITP Metal Casting: 2002 Metal Casting Industry of the Future ...

Advanced Steel Casting Technology, University of Alabama - Birmingham -This Steel Casting Technology program is a
consortium effort directed by the Steel Founders Society of America and conducted by the University of
Alabama-Birmingham and companies in the metal casting industry. The work conducted by the consortium focuses on
understanding the relationship between material properties and steel casting performance. A second task of the consortium is
to utilize dilatometry and heat treatment techniques, supplemented with metallographic examinations, to determine the
decomposition of ferrite into austenite and other phases in two duplex stainless alloys. The first task will develop a
relationship between micro-porosity, a modeling parameter such as Niyama criteria, and material properties. Ductility can be
significantly affected by micro-porosity. A pathfinder trial on micro-porosity effects on carbon steel tensile properties was
conducted by UAB in the past year. Careful analysis of the data showed an effect of micro-porosity on yield strength. The
population for the high micro-porosity specimens had a skewed normal distribution compared to a normal distribution in the
low micro-porosity specimens. UAB will extend the research to four commercially interesting alloys, conduct simulations of
selected casting geometries, produce the castings, evaluate the predictions, evaluate casting soundness, and modify the code if
necessary to provide more accurate predictions of porosity and mechanical properties. Research to determine the
transformation diagrams for duplex stainless steel is being conducted by Iowa State University. In this task of the project
researchers at Iowa State University will determine isothermal transformation diagrams, continuous cooling transformation
diagrams. They will then interpret these diagrams and develop an empirical model of diagrams based on their results.
Steel Founders' Society of America, Dominion Castings Ltd., Ontario, Can The Sawbrook Steel Casting, Lockland, OH
Barrrington, IL Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, WI Sivyer Steel Corp., Bettendorf, IA
American Steel Foundries, Granite City, IL Harrison Steel Castings, Attica, IN Southern Cast Products, Meridian, KS
Arena, Albuquerque, NM National Castings, Inc., Cicero, IL Viking Engineering Cast Products, Witchita,
Atchison Casting Corp., Atchison, KS
KS
Clean Cast Steel Technology, Phase IV, University of Alabama-Birmingham - The objective of this research is to improve
casting product quality by removing or minimizing oxide defects and allowing the production of higher integrity castings for
high speed machining lines. Research in past years has focused on macroinclusions that break or chip tool cutters and drills
and cause the immediate shut down of machining lines and optimizing pouring techniques, including metal stream shrouding
and ladle design. It also has focused on determining the sources of heat-to-heat variations in metal cleanliness. Research in this
phase will be to reduce the amount of surface macroinclusions and improve the machinability of steel castings.
Macroinclusions have been identified by industry sponsors as a major barrier to improving the quality and marketability of
steel castings. Additional clean/dirty heat trials will be conducted at interested foundries. The ability of a foundry to reduce
the incidence of macroinclusions through modification of the melting process can reduce energy usage and post-casting cost
and generally adds no cost to the melting process. This will provide foundries with melting guidelines that will reduce the
incidence of macroinclusions. Research also will continue working with the steel foundry industry to produce a set of
guidelines on how to properly gate a steel casting that will minimize macroinclusion formation. Finally, research will identify
metallurgical factors that affect machinability and conduct designed foundry trials to verify the improvement in machinability.
Steel Founders' Society of America, Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, WI Sivyer Steel Corporation, Bettendork, IA
Barrington, IL Flow Technology, Los Alamos, NM Southern Cast Products, Meridian, MS
American Magotteaux, Pulaski, TN Harrison Steel Castings, Attica, IN Stainless Foundry & Engineering, Milwaukee,
American Steel Foundries, Granite City, IL Keokuk Steel Castings, Inc., Keokuk, IA WI
Atchison Casting Corp., Atchison, KS Maynard Steel Castings, Milwaukee, WI Viking Engineering Cast Products, Witchita,
Dominion Castings Ltd., Ontario, Can. National Castings, Cicero, IL KS
Electric Steel Castings, Indianapolis, IN Sawbrook Steel Casting, Lockland, OH Wisconsin Centrifugal, Milwaukee, WI
Selee Corporation, Hendersonville, NC
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