Background
Steel is the most widely used structural material in the world. Innovations in alloy development contribute to advances in key manufacturing sectors including automotive, packaging, defence and construction. Globally the development of new steel and coating alloys is a slow and iterative process involving significant business risk and expensive trials of many 100s of tonnes. This partnership intends to adapt a high throughput approach to trials where substantial numbers of small scale samples are prepared and their properties and processability tested and modelled using state of the art imaging, computational modelling and mechanical testing. The research direction is informed, but not limited, by the pull from customer requirements, future product projections and by existing constraints introduced by processing asset limitations and residual elements contained within scrap, an essential component of all primary steel. This radical virtual factory approach will be integrated into a scale up activity enabling the simultaneous solution of new materials invention and processing. This research will have the capability of transforming the steel innovation cycle and reducing screening times by a factor of 100 creating a vibrant 21st century steel manufacturing industry, feeding a diverse supply chain operating in multiple sectors.
The Project
The Rapid Alloy Prototyping project partners include Swansea University, Warwick Manufacturing Group (University of Warwick) and Tata Steel. The project is focused on accelerating the development of new alloys (substrate and coatings) through rapid alloy prototyping. This new, innovative approach combines a range of physical production, processing and testing from 20g to 30kg together with a range of computational and data modelling techniques to rapidly plan, manufacture and optimise hundreds of steel alloy and coating chemistries. Processability studies will be conducted on a refined number of alloy compositions through scale up facilities before the possibility of steel plant trials. The opportunities to increase the level of steel scrap together with assessing the quality of scrap/impurities (Cu, Sn, Ni) within existing steel production and RAP will also be explored, especially in the context of an integrated plant such as Tata Steel Strip UK – Port Talbot.
Work package 01.
Modelling
The use of predictive techniques to inform alloy compositions, predict solidification and thermo-mechanical behaviour as well as material properties.
Work package 02.
processing
The use of small-scale RAP techniques to develop novel materials, explore varying alloy elements and assess mechanical and microstructural properties.
Work package 03.
scale-up
Optimisation and short-circuiting of pilot scale processes. Development of new compositions and understanding process-structure relationships.
Work package 04.
sustainable supply
Examination of the role of impurities in steel grades. Developing understanding of the impact of scrap on product and process with minimum risk
Helping create a vibrant 21st century UK steel manufacturing industry
Progress
During its first year, the project has seen great progress and innovation potential across its reach.
New innovative developments in Machine Learning (ML) and data analytics algorithms applied to benchmarking grades selected with predictive capability
Three new RAP physical experimental laboratory lines established ranging from 20g to 4.5 kg with potential of 40 to 50 compositions per week, including design to mechanical properties, allowing already a speed-up by a minimum factor of 10 as compared to current laboratory 30kg route
New development of “InTrap” Insert methodology to bridge the physical length scale between 20g - 4kg - 30kg route
Initial optimisation of microstructure and process parameters on DP steel grades, leading eventually to new discussions on processing within the business and innovation challenges which will be set-up from 2020 onwards
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