Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

This project will investigate the feasibility of creating coated FSW tools using a novel high energy physical vapour deposition (PVD) process – HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering). Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an innovative joining process, which uses a rotating, non-consumable tool, which is traversed along the interface of two work-pieces. The process typically provides enhanced weld quality, strength and durability together with reduced energy consumption and environmental impact when compared to conventional fusion welding processes. However, FSW tooling is an extremely demanding environment – high temperature (>700°C), high abrasion and exposure to the reactive effects of freshly exposed metal surfaces – this has limited its commercial application to low melting point alloys, principally aluminium. Through the application of HiPIMS coating, we hope to enable the welding of ‘high-temperature’ materials, such as steel and titanium for high-value industries (e.g. Aerospace & Transport).

"CROWN 2 builds on a previously-funded project (CROWN) that aims to completely change the way offshore wind foundations are protected from corrosion. While a well-established and robust solution is to use a paint and galvanic anode approach, protection lifetime is limited by paint degradation and anode mass. Such systems are also expensive to manufacture, install and maintain. The consortium will be investigating whether a single coating of aluminium, applied to the surface by arc-spraying, can replace paint and anodes entirely. If successful, such a coating would lower the cost of wind energy, by removing bottlenecks in the manufacture of wind turbine foundations and eliminating a significant amount of secondary steelwork that has to be expensively welded by skilled professionals."

The AVLAM project, which started in June 2008, undertook ground-breaking research into the use of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) in conjunction with advanced CAD/CAM techniques to enable cost effective and environmentally sustainable high value manufacturing. The flexibility of the ALM process and its ability to produce complex net-shape parts with little or no material waste was seen as an attractive enabling technology for a future low-carbon economy, with the UK leading the world in this field. In AVLAM, commercially available Titanium Alloy powder and Titanium matrix composites were used to produce net shape components, minimising waste from the manufacturing process whilst also reducing the weight of structural parts through material tailoring and topology optimisation. This represented a step change in manufacturing technology, and potentially defining ALM as key enabler for many innovative engineering products in the future. The consortium included Partners from different areas of the development and supply chain. These included EADS Innovation Works, Bombardier Aerospace, The Welding Insititute (TWI), Materialise, TISICS and the University of Exeter. This partnership included two of the largest European aerospace manufacturers, as well as a number of ALM technology experts, Metal Matrix Composite experts and Universities. Between them the consortium has access to a wide range of ALM equipment, such as MTT SLM systems, Concept Laser M2, EOS M270, Arcam A2, Accufusion Laser Consolidation, Trumpf DMD505, and a bespoke system where a 7kW laser beam is manipulated using a high accuracy robot.