AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Braunau am Inn - Ranshofen | Website
Short Description
LKR offers a semi-industrial direct chill casting machine for horizontal continuous casting of aluminium alloys with real time control.
Contact Person
M.Eng. Andreas Betz
Research Services
• Production of customized formats and alloys, including special alloys
• Alloys for welding wire production
• Process technology for high-quality, near net shape semi-products for direct processing of the semi-finished products (e.g. forging)
• Infrastructure for extended casting tests including peripheral equipment
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
Technical data:
• Manufacturer: HPI - High Performance Industries
• Furnace capacity: 100 kg to 1,600 kg aluminium
• Casting in single or multiple strands
• Round bars: Ø 50; 60; 70; 95; 100; 134 mm
• Other formats (oval, rectangular) on request
• Casting speed from 0 mm/s to 20 mm/s
• Flying saw, maximum strand length: ~ 12 m
Two cooling systems, max. 13 m³/min
The use of production related, but notably smaller plants compared to production facilities, allows the development of plant technology and the testing of new alloys under the same conditions as in later production, but in significantly more economical test quantities. In addition, production capacities are not blocked by R&D projects. The combination of these production related plants and scientific methods of materials research allows efficient development of process-optimized alloys and industry-related process developments.
LKR expertise:
• Process technology for casting parameters such as casting speed, cooling, lubrication, etc.
• Mould technology and surface properties
• Alloy design (effect of individual alloy elements on alloy properties)
• Adjustment of microstructure characteristics
• Adjustment of structure/heat treatment
• Melting technology and temperature control
• Melt quality (composition, purity)
• Melt treatment, grain refinement, modification
• Characterization (spectroscopy, metallography, DSC, dilatometer)
• Numerical methods of alloy development and process technology: microstructure simulation (MathCalc), casting simulation: mould filling and solidification.