An aggressive, but achievable, goal for productivity by 2020 is to produce twice as much with the same amount of people. On an interim basis, the industry should strive to achieve a 15% increase in productivity (measured as tons produced per production worker) and a 50% reduction of the average lead time every five years. By 2020, the industry should also endeavor to reduce the amount of energy consumed per unit value of shipments by 20%, with interim reduction targets of 3 to 5% every five years.
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AREA |
STATUS |
BARRIERS |
|
Manufacturing |
Critical |
Difficult and expensive to achieve higher levels of dimensional accuracy |
|
Critical |
Using new technologies is costly and funds for capital outlays are scarce |
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Critical |
Many of the causes of scrap generation are not known |
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Lack of rapid die-casting technologies |
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Lack of materials other than steel for die casting dies |
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Limited capabilities of existing equipment for metal handling |
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Soldering problems in die tools |
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Present understanding of the lost foam process is considered deficient in several key areas |
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Lack of full understanding of the FM process and the Cosworth process; specific issues include increasing dimensions, cleanliness, and soundness |
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Sensors and Controls |
Critical |
Lack of continuous monitoring of sand in molds |
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Automated controls are incapable of learning |
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Current sensors cannot detect subtle changes |
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Don't know when control algorithms are optimized |
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Modeling |
Critical |
Modeling runners and gates is hard due to complexities |
|
Critical |
Inability to model turbulence for defect reductions |
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No consistent data for mold filling |
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Lack of fundamental understanding of the microstructure of materials |
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Mold designs are not fast or intuitive |
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Problems with system compatibilities between processes (computer and other) |
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Lead Time |
Critical |
Customization for smaller lots requiring rapid tooling |
|
Critical |
Too much trial and error in tooling development |
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Critical |
Lack of effective scheduling software |
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Lack of 3-D description of parts |
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Lack of understanding of process flow |
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Lack of engineering discipline
- design expertise
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Lack of software that puts on the gates and risers |
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No calculations of expected results during design phase |
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Failure to communicate changes in product requirements |
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Lack of process versatility commensurate with materials versatility |
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Businesses require back-logs |
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Industry is vertically disintegrated |
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Typically it takes longer for concept development, tooling production, and prototype delivery of castings than alternative product forms |
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Long lead times limit the use of castings in new component designs |
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Productivity |
Critical |
Too much labor in the cleaning room (post-casting processing) |
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Critical |
Lack of robust productivity sensors |
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Critical |
Lack of process models that adequately describe metalcasting processes |
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Casting yields that are less than optimal increase the costs of castings, making them less economical compared with more expensive fabricated components such as welded assemblies or forgings |
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The rules currently used in designing gating and pouring systems are at best empirical, contributing to low casting yield and quality |
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Too much downtime |
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Quality and Consistency |
Critical |
Too many inclusions |
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Gaps in knowledge about the conditions that cause the different types of casting defects inhibit the ability of casters to modify and control casting processes to eliminate defects |
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Perceived soundness issues have prevented castings from being considered for many critical applications |
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Inability to test molten metal quality "in real time" |
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Lack of consistency in the soundness of castings has prevented them from being treated as forgings or weldments. |
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Lack of directional solidification during casting |
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Molding processes that have typical tolerance recognition are extremely conservative in their capabilities prediction, giving a poor perception of the dimensional accuracies attainable with common casting processes |
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Problems with dimensional control hurt the ability of some producers to assure potential customers that their tolerances can be met |
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The complex injection profiles used by die casters are less than optimal because of a lack of knowledge about the transition between the different portions |
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Energy |
Critical |
Lack of robust sensors and controls suitable for hostile environments |
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Lack of understanding of process flow |
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Long heat treating times |
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Energy wasted in metal melting |
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High temperatures for handling metals may not be needed |
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The melting processes used in metalcasting are not controlled as well as those in wrought steel production, leading to higher energy intensity in metalcasting |
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Inadequate understanding of material/process interactions and process fundamentals related to induction hardening |
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Relatively low cost of energy |
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Cross-Cutting |
Critical |
Lack of educated workforce |
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Existing knowledge base is not being applied |
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Metalcasting is not a time-efficient, low-cost manufacturing process |
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Lack of systems to identify scrap at early stages of process where value added components is low |
|
|
Poor equipment choices |
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Category |
Priority |
Time Frame |
Research Needs |
|
Fundamental Understanding |
Top |
Near |
Improve the ability to produce size/dimension
- the use of low-expansion sand in lost foam casting
- the use of "3-d shrink" factors in die casting
|
|
|
Near |
Correlate thermal and physical properties to flowability in sand systems |
|
|
Near |
Database of the thermal and physical properties of sand molding systems |
|
Top |
Mid |
Understand folds for aluminum lost foam casting |
|
High |
Mid |
Develop understanding of what causes inclusions
- reducing defects will reduce waste |
|
High |
Mid |
Develop methods to improve yield |
|
High |
Mid |
Improve the correlation between separately cast test bars versus the material in casting
- help improve design of castings
|
|
Top |
Long |
Figure out how die casting dies actually fill |
|
Top |
Long |
Model of micro-structure to determine residual stress and mechanical properties |
|
Medium |
Long |
Tie modeling to casting processes to determine defects in the micro-structure |
|
Medium |
Long |
Develop modeling technology for all casting processes
- include optimization of energy use
|
|
Medium |
Long |
Develop relationships between process conditions, material attributes, and part attributes |
|
Design Aids |
Top |
Near |
Improve speed and accuracy of tool design simulation software |
|
|
Near |
Develop systems to support distributed design
- to improve collaboration among physically separated participants
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|
|
Near |
Improve existing rapid prototyping processes for cast components |
|
Top |
Mid |
x Develop low-cost rapid tooling technology
- for both making and changing the tooling
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|
|
High |
Mid |
Develop design-for-casting methods and supporting systems
- e.g., CAD environments that help design/engineer castings
|
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|
Mid |
Develop better solid model casting design tools |
|
High |
Long |
Develop better methods for describing parts - describe shape, functionality design intent, materials, etc.
- digital description
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|
Processing Technologies |
Top |
Near |
Transfer understanding of current scrap analysis methods and remedies includes an atlas of root causes, defects, and preventative measures |
|
Top |
Mid |
Cost-effective and dimensionally accurate patternmaking processes for use in sand casting |
|
High |
Mid |
Improve lost foam casting process for steel casting segment
- energy improvement
- dimensional improvement
- yield improvement
- lead-time reduction
|
|
High |
Mid |
Develop the advantages of semi-solid metal casting (SSM) process
- for higher-performance (aluminum)
- more alloys
- environmentally benign
|
|
High |
Mid |
Demonstrate effective joining techniques for new and dissimilar cast materials
- to join new alloys (especially for automotive applications)
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Medium |
Mid |
Develop methods to produce thinner wall castings
- expand metal casting into new markets
- improve energy efficiency
- will depend on better dimensional control
|
|
|
Mid |
Miniaturization of systems to reduce cost and increase utilization |
|
|
Mid |
Integration of pattern core and sand mold systems to improve dimensional accuracy |
|
Top |
Long |
Melting and pouring technologies that do not introduce gases to the process |
|
Medium |
Long |
Processing techniques with alloys that don't need heat treatment |
|
Medium |
Long |
Faster heat treating processes for both ferrous and non-ferrous materials |
|
|
Long |
Develop lost foam capability for iron and steel in addition to aluminum |
|
Medium |
Long |
Develop material that adheres to dies and does not have to be replaced each cycle |
|
Mold Technologies
|
Top |
Near |
For die casting (permanent molds), need capability to cast to shape
- use of cavities
|
|
Top |
Mid |
Improve tooling design to reduce the time to market
- low-cost rapid tooling technology
- both making and changing the tooling
|
|
Top |
Mid |
New molding processes for as-cast dimensional accuracy in sand systems |
|
Top |
Mid |
Dimensionally stable molding materials for sand casting that are environmentally benign sand molding or core systems with low or no emissions |
|
Top |
Mid |
Die materials and coatings to eliminate solder and heat checks in permanent cast applications search for die materials other than steel |
|
|
Mid |
Develop better understanding of the mechanisms of dimensional change of mold materials during the processes of pouring and solidification
|
|
|
Long |
Smart molds for continuous monitoring |
|
|
Long |
Develop low-cost production mold technologies (vs. prototype)
- cheaper ways to make mold quickly that is dimensionally correct
- recyclable
- disposable
|
|
Sensors and Controls
|
Top |
Near |
Develop a systems approach to scheduling and tracking |
|
High |
Near |
Develop robust sensors and controls suitable for hostile environment |
|
Top |
Mid |
Affordable, robust software for gating and risering |
|
Medium |
Mid |
Methods to rapidly determine quality and dimensions
- e.g., tomography, real-time xrays
- develop data to verify gate-flow models
|
|
|
High |
Mid |
Develop mathematical model that describes process and can control machine |
|
Top |
Long |
x Smart controls and sensors for automation supervision |
|
|
High |
Long |
Develop automated system for gating location
- fully automated
|
|
Medium |
Long |
Develop fastresponse, closed-loop diecast shot cylinder controls |
