| Summary: |
IN-SITU-CAST project is part of FERESPE's strategy of being always-ahead through the development of differentiated and high value-added products, addressing the needs of the following market segments: "Construction machinery-Offshore and Onshore" and " Dredging Equipment-Offshore and Onshore ". The impact of this project is the development of an advanced fabrication technology adapted to the foundry process that allows the production of components with complex geometry and tribological characteristics, meeting the market needs identified by FERESPE.
In fact, the project features the research and development of reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) for application in cast components, aiming an ideal combination of wear resistance (provided by the ceramic phase) and toughness (provided by the metal matrix). The advanced fabrication technology will be developed and applied to three materials, currently manufactured at FERESPE, with strategic potential for wear applications: high chromium white irons, stainless steels and structural steels. In the first case, the development of a surface reinforcement of alloy carbides with even higher hardness than the chromium carbides will provide a new grade of material with a high wear resistance in combination with toughness supplied by the austenitic matrix. In the second case, it is aimed an ideal combination of toughness and corrosion resistance (provided by the matrix of stainless steel) with wear resistance (conferred by the ceramic particles). In the case of structural steels, the local application of a high hardness reinforcement permits to convert a low cost steel into a material of higher quality grade, also combining its good machinability that allows to produce complex components with high dimensional accuracy and surface quality.
Three methods are proposed for the formation of localized reinforcements: two ex-situ and one in-situ method. In the first case, the ceramic reinforcement is previously sintered int  |
Summary
IN-SITU-CAST project is part of FERESPE's strategy of being always-ahead through the development of differentiated and high value-added products, addressing the needs of the following market segments: "Construction machinery-Offshore and Onshore" and " Dredging Equipment-Offshore and Onshore ". The impact of this project is the development of an advanced fabrication technology adapted to the foundry process that allows the production of components with complex geometry and tribological characteristics, meeting the market needs identified by FERESPE.
In fact, the project features the research and development of reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) for application in cast components, aiming an ideal combination of wear resistance (provided by the ceramic phase) and toughness (provided by the metal matrix). The advanced fabrication technology will be developed and applied to three materials, currently manufactured at FERESPE, with strategic potential for wear applications: high chromium white irons, stainless steels and structural steels. In the first case, the development of a surface reinforcement of alloy carbides with even higher hardness than the chromium carbides will provide a new grade of material with a high wear resistance in combination with toughness supplied by the austenitic matrix. In the second case, it is aimed an ideal combination of toughness and corrosion resistance (provided by the matrix of stainless steel) with wear resistance (conferred by the ceramic particles). In the case of structural steels, the local application of a high hardness reinforcement permits to convert a low cost steel into a material of higher quality grade, also combining its good machinability that allows to produce complex components with high dimensional accuracy and surface quality.
Three methods are proposed for the formation of localized reinforcements: two ex-situ and one in-situ method. In the first case, the ceramic reinforcement is previously sintered into the desired shape and after introduced in the mold cavity. It is intended to test the application of porous ceramics obtained by additive manufacturing and compare the results with the conventional powder metallurgical method. In the second case, the reinforcement will be formed by self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) from a reactant compact that is inserted into the mold cavity before the casting. The SHS method and the application of ceramic foams obtained by 3D printing are innovative solutions in industrial scale, although there are several problems to overcome, namely higher reactivity, differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion, as well as problems of wettability, cracking at the metal/ceramic interface and chemical and microstructural modification of the matrix.
For the implementation of this advanced fabrication technology, three prototypes will be developed. The definition of the material, geometry, casting process and method of reinforcement will take into account the results obtained previously in reinforced samples of simple and complex geometry. These prototypes will be tested under service conditions, which allow validation of the viability of the new solutions, aiming at a later stage, to extend its industrialization to other markets/customers. |