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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L43886/01
Title: THERMAL OPTIMISATION OF THE CASTING PROCESS USING FINITE ELEMENTS
Principal Investigator: Lewis, Professor RW
Other Investigators:
Cross, Dr J Gethin, Professor DT
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Fegs Ltd Pre Nexus Migration
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Organisation: Swansea University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 30 June 1997 Ends: 29 August 2000 Value (£): 171,980
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Manufacturing Machine & Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The project focuses on the development and validation of a numerical modelling system for automatically optimising casting designs. The mathematical model will be derived from those used in structural optimisation procedures. Some development has already taken place but further work is required to enable geometry changes to be modelled. New numerical procedures will be developed, although use will be made of commercial software (DOT) during the sensitivity analysis phase. These procedures will be incorporated into our Merlin casting software (developed under grant CG/J38550) to minimise training costs. Some experimental validation is required to demonstrate the practical value of the results obtained: this will be carried out at the collaborating foundries. The main deliverable will be a commercial standard computer program for 2D analyses and a demonstration of the mathematical and numerical procedures in 3D. The algorithms and numerical procedures are highly transferable and will provide an important starting point for the optimisation of other manufacturing processes (eg powder forming, rolling, forging, welding.
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Organisation Website: http://www.swan.ac.uk