Virginia Tech Foundry Institute for Research and Education
Virginia Tech Foundry Institute for Research and Education
Virginia Tech Foundry Institute for Research and Education
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VT-FIRE<br />
<strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> <strong>Foundry</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Education</strong><br />
Dr. Alan P. Druschitz<br />
Associate Professor <strong>and</strong> Director VT-FIRE<br />
540-315-5198 cell (voice or text), adrus@vt.edu<br />
www.mse.vt.edu/vtfire<br />
Southeastern <strong>Virginia</strong> Advanced Materials<br />
Partnership Forum<br />
Newport News, VA – Feb. 28, 2012
• History<br />
− What is VT-FIRE<br />
− Supporters<br />
− <strong>Education</strong><br />
− Capabilities<br />
− <strong>Research</strong><br />
Outline<br />
• Interactions<br />
− Professional Societies, National Labs, VT<br />
− Industry<br />
− Other Activities/Outreach<br />
• What VT-FIRE can do <strong>for</strong> Southeast<br />
<strong>Virginia</strong> Industry
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Kroehling Advanced Materials <strong>Foundry</strong><br />
(Home of VT-FIRE)<br />
• >50% of funding from individuals & industry<br />
• <strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Research</strong> Emphasis<br />
• Interdisciplinary Team Teaching & Collaboration<br />
College of Engineering<br />
Materials Science <strong>and</strong> Engineering<br />
Mechanical Engineering<br />
Industrial Systems Engineering<br />
College of Architecture <strong>and</strong> Urban Studies<br />
School of Visual Arts<br />
Industrial Design Program<br />
• Facility mostly completed & first class started in Jan 2011
Steel Industry<br />
• Steel Dynamics Inc.<br />
<strong>Foundry</strong> Industry<br />
• Carolina Industrial <strong>Foundry</strong><br />
• Cast Metals <strong>Institute</strong><br />
• Conbraco<br />
• Dominion Metallurgical<br />
• Electro-Mechanical Corp.<br />
• Fairmont Minerals<br />
• Foseco<br />
• Graham-White<br />
• Heraeus Electro-Nite<br />
• Inductotherm<br />
• Investment Casting <strong>Institute</strong><br />
• Minco<br />
• Palmer Manufacturing<br />
• Piedmont <strong>Foundry</strong> Supply<br />
• United Erie<br />
• <strong>Virginia</strong> Castings LLC<br />
• W Abrasives<br />
• Walker <strong>Foundry</strong><br />
• Wheelabrator<br />
Supporters<br />
Manufacturing Industry<br />
• Ameripumps<br />
• CMC Howell<br />
• General Dynamics<br />
• Newport News Shipbuilding<br />
• Precision Castparts Corp.<br />
Others<br />
• AFS Piedmont Chapter<br />
• AIST Southeast Chapter<br />
• Black Lab Corp.<br />
• BWF America<br />
• CA Tooling<br />
• Commercial Steel Erectors<br />
• Digital Lumens<br />
• Mory Metal Fabricators<br />
• Peter E. Macler Associates<br />
• Rex Heat Treat – Alabama, Inc.<br />
• Royal United/Specialty <strong>Foundry</strong><br />
Products<br />
• SE&M<br />
• Southwest Specialty Heat Treat
<strong>Education</strong><br />
• New metal casting & metallurgy oriented classes<br />
– <strong>Foundry</strong> Safety<br />
– Government Regulations<br />
– Elementary & Advanced Metal Casting Labs<br />
– Physical Metallurgy of Metal Casting<br />
– Modeling of Metal Casting (ProCast)<br />
– Test Methods <strong>for</strong> <strong>Foundry</strong> Laboratories<br />
– Metals & Alloys<br />
– Rapid Prototyping (ME Dept.)<br />
– Manufacturing Processes (ISE Dept.)<br />
– Topics in Sculpture: Metal Casting (Art Dept.)<br />
– New option in metallurgy (target 2014)<br />
– New minor in metal casting (target 2014)
Molding<br />
bonded s<strong>and</strong><br />
investment casting<br />
printed molds<br />
Capabilities<br />
Melting<br />
iron, steel, brass & bronze (up to 300 lbs)<br />
capability <strong>for</strong> air melt nickel & cobalt alloys<br />
electric resistance melting <strong>for</strong> aluminum<br />
Analytical<br />
mold filling <strong>and</strong> solidification modeling<br />
on-site chemical analysis <strong>for</strong> aluminum, iron & steel <strong>and</strong> brass &<br />
bronze alloys<br />
Rapid Prototyping<br />
3-D printer <strong>for</strong> patterns, molds or “additive manufacturing”
Capabilities<br />
Casting Process<br />
Idea<br />
Pattern<br />
Mold<br />
Melt & Cast<br />
Finish<br />
Final Product<br />
Molding<br />
• versatile<br />
• high volume<br />
• highest precision available<br />
• fast, unique (eliminate pattern)<br />
Melting<br />
• all common engineering materials<br />
Analytical<br />
• no guess work<br />
Rapid Prototyping<br />
• fast to market<br />
• advancing the state-of-the-art; potentially<br />
re-inventing the cast metals industry
Bonded S<strong>and</strong> Molding
3-D Printing: Patterns or Molds<br />
“impossible” to mold network structure (ME Dept.)<br />
prototype transducer housing
Investment Casting
Investment Casting
Melting<br />
induction tilt (300 lb capacity)<br />
induction crucible (#60 crucible)<br />
electric resistance (#30 crucible)
VT Metal Casting Undergraduate Students
Molten Metal Treatment & Analysis<br />
Rotary inert degas &<br />
reduced pressure test
Advanced CCD Based Optical Emission<br />
Spectrometer<br />
Chemical Analysis<br />
Spectrometer Elements<br />
Iron & Steel Alloys: C, Si, Mn, P, S, Cr, Mo, Ni,<br />
Cu, Al, As, B, Bi, Ca, Ce, Co, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sn,<br />
Ta, La, Ti, V, W, Zr, Zn, Se, Mg<br />
Aluminum Alloys: Si, Fe, Cu, Mn, Mg, Cr, Ni,<br />
Zn, Ti, Ag, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Ga, In, Li,<br />
Mo, Na, P, Pb, Sn, Sr, V, Zr, Sb, Hg<br />
Copper Alloys: Zn, Pb, Sn, P, Mn, Fe, Ni, Si,<br />
Mg, Cr, Al, S, As, Be, Ag, Co, Bi, Cd, Sb, Zr, Ti,<br />
Au, C, Nb, Se, Te<br />
Thermal Analysis <strong>for</strong> Iron
Cast Metals <strong>Research</strong> Projects - Current<br />
• Undergraduate Independent Study<br />
− Shot Blasting (MSE)<br />
− 3D Printed Molding (ISE & ME)<br />
− Investment Casting (ISE)<br />
− Heat Treatment of Ferrous <strong>and</strong> Non-Ferrous Alloys (MSE)<br />
− Intercritical Austempering of AISI 9310 Steel (CHEM)<br />
• Senior Design<br />
− Optimized Rotor Design <strong>for</strong> Small Rotary Inert Degasser<br />
• Undergraduate Paid Positions<br />
− “Fall Prevention” at Steel Dynamics Inc. Roanoke Bar Division
Cast Metals <strong>Research</strong> Project Proposals<br />
• Sacrificial Anodes <strong>for</strong> Naval Applications<br />
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melting <strong>and</strong> casting<br />
electrochemical (corrosion) testing<br />
• Additive Manufacturing <strong>Tech</strong>niques <strong>for</strong> Advanced<br />
Structures<br />
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structural design<br />
printing molds or wax assembly & investment molding<br />
melting <strong>and</strong> casting<br />
mechanical testing<br />
• Intercritically Austempered Irons & Steels (high strength,<br />
high toughness)<br />
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alloy design<br />
melting <strong>and</strong> casting<br />
heat treatment<br />
mechanical testing
Senior Design Project
Interactions<br />
• Professional Societies, National labs, VT<br />
– FEF (<strong>Foundry</strong> <strong>Education</strong> Foundation)<br />
– AFS (American <strong>Foundry</strong> Society) Piedmont Chapter<br />
– AIST (Association <strong>for</strong> Iron & Steel <strong>Tech</strong>nology) Southeast Section<br />
– Oak Ridge National Laboratory research at High Flux Isotope Reactor<br />
& Spallation Neutron Source on trans<strong>for</strong>mation characteristics of austenite<br />
– Organizing “Advances in Metal Casting <strong>Tech</strong>nologies” symposium at MS&T<br />
<strong>for</strong> 2012<br />
– Working with VT Human Powered Submarine, SAE Formula Team, Center<br />
<strong>for</strong> Intelligent Materials Systems <strong>and</strong> Structures, Turbomachinery Group
Interactions: Industry<br />
• Steel Dynamics, Inc., Roanoke Bar Division<br />
• Naval <strong>Research</strong> Laboratory & Naval Surface Weapons<br />
Center – Carderock Division (discussions on mutual interests)<br />
• Newport News Shipbuilding<br />
• Discussions/Visits<br />
− Ameripumps<br />
− CMC Howell<br />
− Electro-Mechanical Corp.<br />
− Graham-White<br />
− Precision Castparts Corp.<br />
− Southwest Specialty Heat Treat<br />
− <strong>Virginia</strong> Castings, LLC
Other Activities/Outreach<br />
• Cast Metals <strong>Institute</strong> (May 3-5, 2011) – through VT Continuing Ed<br />
− “Gray <strong>and</strong> Ductile Iron Metallurgy” Class – 20 students from industry<br />
• Cast Metals <strong>Institute</strong> (March 13-15, 2012) – through VT Continuing Ed<br />
− “Induction Melted Cast Iron Processing” Class – 12 registered<br />
• Air Force <strong>Research</strong> Laboratories (Innovation Based Manufacturing)<br />
− 1 day in the foundry – 12 participants<br />
• CEED (Center <strong>for</strong> Enhancement of Engineering Diversity)<br />
− 50 high school students<br />
• MSE In<strong>for</strong>mal Seminar <strong>for</strong> Freshman<br />
− 31 students<br />
• Engineering <strong>Research</strong> Seminar <strong>for</strong> College of Engineering<br />
− 175-200 engineering freshman<br />
• Roanoke Governors School<br />
− 80 high school juniors & seniors plus staff & faculty
What VT-FIRE can do <strong>for</strong><br />
Southeast <strong>Virginia</strong> Industry<br />
• Work<strong>for</strong>ce Development<br />
− our students<br />
− continuing education programs <strong>for</strong> existing work<strong>for</strong>ce<br />
− alliances, such as Newport News Apprentice School<br />
• Industry Support<br />
− problem solving<br />
− failure analysis<br />
− fast replacement parts<br />
• Industry/Small Business R&D<br />
− metal casting materials & processes<br />
− steel & steel making
VT Office of Economic Development<br />
• John Provo<br />
• Whitney Bonham<br />
• Amy Jahnke (Graduate Assistant)<br />
• Deborah Hamilton (Assoc Dir., Corp. & Fdn. Relations, COE)<br />
• Per<strong>for</strong>med economic impact study of “foundries” in VA<br />
• Developed list of potential companies to visit<br />
• Setting-up Road Trips<br />
− get the word out<br />
− gather data on specific needs<br />
• Thinking about job training programs<br />
• Thinking about how to promote VT <strong>for</strong> industry/small<br />
business R&D
The First Class of <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> Metal Casters<br />
with Joan <strong>and</strong> John Kroehling
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