BRIDGEVILLE, PA, USA – (May 7, 2004) – A
federal-private partnership program has been launched by the U. S. Department of Energy
and a team led by Carpenter Powder Products (CPP) here to develop new functionally graded
materials (FGM) for manufacturing tools, dies and equipment. It could reduce energy
consumption by 120 trillion Btus per year and lower environmental emissions by more than
2.3 million tons of CO2 and 64,000 tons of other emissions per year. It could
also produce a $4.22 billion benefit per year in cost savings and improved process
efficiencies for manufacturers who adopt this emerging technology.
The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Division of DOE, through its Industrial
Technologies Program, has agreed to provide financial assistance of $2,325,000 for the
three-year project with an estimated budget of $3,850,000. DOE Golden Field Office would
manage the project, selected under a 2003 "Industrial Materials for the Future"
competitive solicitation.
The project team, consisting of five companies, each a leader in its field, a
technological university and a DOE National Laboratory, is uniquely qualified to develop
and commercialize ferrous- and nickel-base materials and composites, as well as innovative
near-net-shape manufacturing processes.
Participating partners
The project partners will collaborate to develop new monolithic and hybrid materials,
including both metallic and metallic-ceramic composites that are designed or graded to
provide the more demanding properties or combination of properties required by new
applications and emerging technologies. The project will initially focus on tools, dies
and industrial process equipment in the metal casting, forging and glass industries.
CPP, a division of Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE: CRS), Reading, PA, will lead
the project team. It has the largest gas atomized powder metals capacity in the world, and
is a leader in the manufacture of unique powder metal materials for advanced tooling,
components and high-temperature materials.
Carpenter’s powder division provides one of the two emerging fabrication
technologies, critical to the program, which can be used to create FGM tools, dies and
process equipment. This technology is solid-state, dynamic powder forging, which is a new,
near-net-shape powder consolidation process.
Metaldyne Corp., Royal Oak, MI, a corporate member of the team, is a leading global
designer and supplier of wrought and powder metallurgy (P/M) metal-based components,
assemblies and modules for transportation-related power train and chassis applications. It
will assist CPP in the design of forging dies and evaluate forged components fabricated
using the powder metallurgy (P/M) tooling.
GKN Sinter Metals, Romulus, MI, another team member, is the world’s largest
producer of powder metallurgy (P/M) and powder forged (P/F) products. Along with
Metaldyne, it is one of the largest suppliers of forged automotive components in the
world. GKN will conduct experiments relating to forging operations using prototype P/M
dies, and evaluate forged components, which are fabricated using P/M tooling.
Techneglas, Inc., Columbus, OH, another team member, is the leading manufacturer of
glass parts for large television picture tubes in the United States. It will lead in the
resolution of issues facing glass manufacturing dies through thermal modeling, and
participate in the evaluation of prototype FGM dies.
The fifth corporate team member, THT Presses, Dayton, OH, is a worldwide supplier and
manufacturer of die casting equipment. They will provide engineering data on die-casting
die needs, conduct experimental die-casting trials and help in the evaluation of dies
developed.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, a major partner in the project,
has extensive experience and facilities for the characterization and optimization of
high-performance materials and manufacturing processes. It also has processing facilities
dedicated to electromagnetic forming and joining, and elevated temperature ceramic and
dissimilar material joining
The Advanced Materials Processing Center at the South Dakota School of Mines &
Technology, (SDSMT), Rapid City, SD, the university partner, has a state-of-the-art 3kW
Laser Powder Deposition (LPD) system, obtained under a grant from the U. S. Army Research
Laboratory (ARL), Aberdeen, MD, which will be used to develop the second key method of FGM
fabrication. LPD is a promising Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) technology useful in
creating FGM tools, dies and process equipment. SDSMT will be making tools using ceramic
powders and CPP metallic powders.
Three companies with special expertise in laser powder deposition technology will
support development work of the SDSMT, Optomec, Albuquerque; N.M.; RPM and Associates
Inc., Rapid City, S.C.; and the Laser Cladding Services business unit of Gremada
Industries Inc., West Fargo, N.D.
Potential advantages
The two developing fabrication methods, based on powder deposition or compaction, offer
the potential for large energy savings by reducing the processing steps for tool and die
manufacturing.
Much larger savings may be possible when the functionally graded tools and dies are
used in product manufacturing processes.
For example, a tool with better thermal management, improved wear resistance and
reduced chemical reactivity can result in increased tool life, a reduction in scrap and
improved process productivity. These collective benefits can lead to a broad reduction in
energy consumption across all steps of the manufacturing cycle.
Target industries
Customizing the properties of tools, dies and equipment for the three industries
targeted in the program could produce significant benefits. The metal casting
industry could save $1.74 billion per year in energy consumption alone due to the
reduced need for aluminum casting tools, and the lower cost of operating associated
casting equipment. An additional $1.14 billion dollars per year in savings could stem from
the reduced need for frequent die replacement and/or extensive repair due to die life
extension and associated operational costs.
The forging industry could save an estimated $1.08 billion dollars yearly
by increasing the life of tooling, thus cutting the expense of each component forged.
Higher forging throughput could generate another $133 million dollars in savings per year.
Reduced energy requirements could save the glass industry $127 million
dollars annually. Less energy would be needed because of the reduction in glass losses
(scrap) and the lower energy needs of associated glass press-forming manufacturing
equipment.
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For more information about this project, business partner possibilities or
Carpenter’s advanced new method of powder metals compaction, contact Lou Lherbier at
phone: (412) 257-5126; fax (412) 257-5154 or e-mail llherbier@cartech.com
