| Profil Title | Rapid casting for automotive and aviation parts with similar properties to production parts | |
| Reference Nr. | 12 GB 4103 3OYC | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom | |
| Profil Type | Offer | |
| Entry/Update | 2012-04-20 / 2013-04-15 |
Abstract | A UK company has significantly improved the material properties in rapid metals casting. Parts produced are similar to production parts. This will allow for much faster product development through the combination of the flexibility of rapid prototyping and real time testing and design confirmation. Manufacturers of metal castings in the automotive, aviation and other sectors are sought for technology transfer and commercial agreements. |
Details | Rapid casting is a low volume manufacturing technique that does what the name suggests: it allows for quick producing of parts in metal, alloys and other materials. It has become an indispensable part in product development in the automotive, aviation and several other industries. At the same time, it has so far not been intended to achieve comparable results to hard tooling.A UK company has developed and validated an advanced rapid casting method based on extensive knowledge in metallurgy. The current weaknesses such as the castings being brittle have been overcome. Extensive tests have revealed an average load to failure of rapid parts to be within a small spread around 96.4% of production parts made with high pressure die casting.The process brings together the key requirements of component development:-near net shape-production intent standard material-flexibility-speedThus the new rapid casting process has been applied not just to product development but also low volume manufacturing (see Picture 1 for a concept car containing parts supplied by the company).Innovative Aspects:The company has extensive secret know-how and registered designs on the process, to improve the mechanical properties of metals and alloys.The new process benefits from all the advantages of rapid prototyping (speed, lack of tooling, reduction of machining, flexibility) while making like production parts. These can be put through ‘on vehicle’ testing procedures prior to committing funds for hard tooling manufacture.The process is being used for low volume manufacturing without any prototyping. |
Technology sector | - Design and Modelling / Prototypes - Industrial Manufacture |
Market application | - Airlines - Motor vehicles, transportation equipment and parts |
Stage of development | Already on the market |
Patent Rights (IPR) | Secret know-how |
| A combination of secret know-how and registered designs. The company is working with leading car and truck manufacturers and also with aviation partners. | |
Cooperation type | - License Agreement - Assembly - Engineering - Technical consultancy - Quality control # Type of partner sought Industry. # Specific area of activity of the partner Manufacture of metal castings for automotive, aviation or other industries. # Task to be performed by the partner sought The partners are expected to engage intensively in the assembly and provide technical consultancy on the sector`s specific business needs.Through its agents in several countries the UK company can respond to enquiries from all over Europe. The UK company will provide both bureau service and transfer of technology including supply of equipment if partners are interested in setting up an in-house facility. |
Organisation type | Industry Org. Size: 11-50 |
| Status | update |