sometime this summer.” Accord- ing to Weiss, customers already are seeking quotes on parts infused with nanoparticles.
• ALCS program. In support of the Advanced Lightweight Casting Solutions (ALCS) program, Eck Industries is helping find ways to produce wrought alloys and metal matrix composites (MMCs) via metalcasting. ALCS promotes the production of lightweight, high strength metals and the casting methods and supporting technolo- gies to produce them. Aluminum alloys with the specifications of wrought materials would be stronger than traditional casting alloys without increasing their weight, but they feed poorly and are subject to hot tearing when used in the casting process. “We are working on pro- ducing 7075 wrought alloy castings and low pressure casting of MMC discs into a more traditional alumi- num matrix to reduce the amount of composite you use,” Weiss said.
• Nanoparticles in wrought alloys. The company has discovered a rela- tionship between nanoparticles and wrought alloys. According to Weiss, adding nanoparticles when casting wrought alloys has been shown to help them achieve the desired mechanical properties, improve feeding and reduce hot tearing. • E-SMARRT MMCs. For the
Energy Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT) program, Eck’s goal is to develop a production capable cast aluminum MMC alloy with an operating temperature range of 482- 572F (250-300C). The alloy would reduce the weight and cost of the titanium alloys currently used to sat- isfy the requirements. While fund- ing for the project was on hold for about a year before being released last month, Weiss is optimistic about the future of the program. “I am almost glad there was a hiatus in funding,” he said. “Some of the stuff we learned in making nano- composites we are going to apply [to MMCs]. It got us over a hurdle that I think we are going to be able to solve when we get back in.”
• Ablation. Eck Industries has a long-running relationship with Alotech LLC, Brooklyn, Ohio, which is developing high property castings using a technique known as ablation. Ablation uses a fluid media to remove the casting mold during casting solidification, result- ing in steep thermal gradients and high cooling rates. Eck is currently working with Alotech to explore the ablation of composite materials.
The Case for Each Project Te way Eck and Weiss tell it, Eck
Industries wouldn’t be in business
without the success of its 200-series alloy programs. Only about 25% of the company’s products are poured in the material (50% is in 355 and 356 aluminum), but the chemistry control and metal handling expertise that comes from working with 206 allows them to make more difficult castings in 300-series materials, as well. “Pouring simple castings out of
traditional alloys, there is no money in it,” Weiss said. “So you have to be [in another niche] to be in business.” While it has its hand in what seems like a lot of pies, Eck Industries is selective about the R&D projects it takes on. Almost all the projects are selected with the goal of improving the material properties of metal cast- ings. In some cases, customers come to the company specifically looking for an alloy with elevated properties. “A new R&D project for a customer
is a more traditional return on invest- ment [decision],” Weiss said. “How much do we think we have to spend, what do we think the odds of success are, and in the end, what is the sales dollars or profit level we can generate?” It’s not always that easy. Eck
Industries rarely jumps into a project without another entity providing some funding. If it’s a government entity, industry association or university rather than a customer, the decision to take the work on can be more difficult. “Te externally funded work is
About 60% of the castings produced at Eck Industries are nobake parts.
20 | MODERN CASTING June 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60