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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M87832/01
Title: MANUFACTURE CONTROL & EVALUATION OF SPRAYED TOOLING
Principal Investigator: Grant, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Duncan, Professor S
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Ford Motor Co Kuka Ltd Sprayforming Developments Ltd
Sulzer
Department: Materials
Organisation: University of Oxford
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 January 2000 Ends: 30 September 2003 Value (£): 718,336
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Design of Process systems Manufacturing Machine & Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Cooling is essential for common manufacturing processes such as die casting, injection moulding, powder processing, stamping etc. This proposal concerns the development of a novel and economical process that creates accurate steel tools by spray deposition. The novelty lies in application of metallurgical principles to manipulate microstructure in order to achieve stability of the sprayed shape whilst the sprayed steel cools and solidifies. The proposed research will apply the knowledge base of process-microstructure relationships at OCAMAC within a more focused end-user driven context, developing further basic understanding where appropriate, and finally encompassing this know-how in a robust, controlled industrial process. The collaborating parties are OCAMAC, Sprayform Holding Limited (patent holders), Ford Motor Co via UK subsidiaries Aston Martin and Jaguar (end user), KUKA (industrial robots) and Sulzer Metco (spray processing equipment). Although the research programme is set within the context of developing a new route for tooling of direct benefit to Ford, it will require generic innovations in manufacture, control and modelling which can be exploited across a range of other industries by the partners.
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Organisation Website: http://www.ox.ac.uk