Swedish aluminum, iron, and steel foundries want to improve their ability to detect and assess defects and deviations on the surface of cast components, to ensure consistent and high quality of delivered products. The working environment and the content of the quality control work need improvement, as it currently involves physically demanding manual handling with heavy lifting, and significant responsibility under often high time pressure. The foundries also want to reduce scrap and remelting of materials and components, thereby becoming more resource-efficient in terms of material use and energy consumption. The idea of the project is therefore to streamline the ongoing quality control of castings using computer vision systems and physics-based machine learning.

The goal is to pave the way for a digital computer vision tool for the next generation of quality control of surface defects on cast components. Today, the use of computer vision in  foundries faces two major challenges: the lack of relevant training data and the demanding industrial environment in a component foundry. This project will develop hybrid methods with physics-based machine learning to produce relevant synthetic training data for the vision systems and establish guidelines for the design and requirements of a future digital tool. In the long run, this will enable new and combined data flows between different systems within foundry production for new and expanded applications.

The role of aluminium in sustainability

Aluminium is an indispensable material, valued for its lightweight nature, strength, corrosion resistance, and recyclability. It plays a vital role in the transition to net zero, supporting sustainable solutions across various industries, including energy-efficient transportation and durable, lightweight construction materials.

The challenges in aluminium production and usage

Despite its advantages, significant challenges exist in the production and use of aluminium. Production is energy-intensive, with high carbon emissions and environmental impacts from bauxite mining. Although highly recyclable, effective recycling and scrap management pose challenges due to potential impurities and variations that can affect product quality. Additionally, by-products from the manufacturing process can be difficult to manage in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way, potentially impacting profitability and competitiveness.

How RISE can support you

RISE is here to help minimise these challenges and promote the sustainable use of aluminium through a combination of services and expertise in research, development, and innovation.

We'd like to hear from you

Contact me to drive progress and innovation in sustainable aluminium development. We are here to support you throughout the entire process, from concept development to the final product!

The project aims to introduce a machine learning sand reclamation model to assist foundries in optimizing process parameters, better manage their sand recycling process, optimize their material consumption, and increase the process predictability and thereby increase the quality of castings.
 

In this project, we will develop simulation models for optimization and control of a number of steel foundries' heat treatment processes. We are thereby starting a digitization project intended to ultimately completely replace local tradition and rules of thumb with more precise and systematic digitized methods to control these processes.

The purpose of the project is to develop digital calculation and planning tools based on physical principles that provide a fully science-based decision support. When the time in the furnace is shortened, value creation increases in the form of increased productivity and higher resource and energy efficiency. The digital tools being developed give foundries a whole new flexibility in the heat treatment process, as times, temperatures, furnace packing numbers and other parameters can be easily adjusted to achieve the desired quality outcome for a large number of products and alloys.

The overall picture of the possibilities for energy and resource efficiency that is built up will already during the project period lead to the initiation of supplementary measures and the development and commissioning of new digitized systems. After completion of the project, the digital tools are expected to be further developed to higher TRL levels and ultimately become new commercial products.

Projektets mål var att ge svenska gjuterier förutsättningar att producera likvärdiga eller bättre produkter, men med ett signifikant minskat miljöavtryck genom att öka användningen av dagens restprodukter.

Sveriges gjuteriindustri arbetar intensivt för att genomföra en hållbar omställning med bibehållen konkurrenskraft. Medvetenheten är hög inom branschen om att en omställning mot ökad resurseffektivitet är både nödvändig och önskvärd och att den i hög grad kommer att påverka hanteringen av restprodukter.

Gjuteribranschen har lång erfarenhet av att tillverka produkter av skrot och eget återgångsmaterial. Idag kommer återgångsmaterialet från ingjutsystem, kasserade delar, egna utslitna produkter, skrot och vissa bearbetningsspånor. Däremot tar man idag inte vara på slagg, slipmull, kontaminerade spånor, filterstoft och glödskal. Ansatsen i projektet var att både praktiskt och teoretiskt undersöka, utvärdera och utveckla nya förädlingsmetoder för att göra dessa restprodukter till användningsbart återgångsmaterial. Målet var också att förädlingen skulle ske så nära gjuteriet som möjligt för att minska onödiga transporter av restprodukter.

Projektet inkluderade ett stort antal företag där både stora och små gjuterier var representerade liksom flera olika metalliska material. I projektkonsortiet fanns också bearbetare och teknikleverantörer för förädlingsprocesserna representerade. Projektet kunde genom ett generiskt angreppssätt snabbt ge kunskap som ledde till miljövinster för hela gjuteribranschen. Projektet skapade möjligheter till kostnadsbesparingar genom att omvandla restprodukter, som företagen idag ofta betalar för att deponera, till råvaror som kan återföras till produktionen och på så sätt skapa intäkter. Miljövinsterna tillsammans med kostnadsbesparingen har gjort att projektresultaten kan öka konkurrenskraften för svenska företag.

The process from concept to finished component design will be illustrated through some examples where we use the latest methods to simulate cast components. We will look at additive manufacturing as a tool to produce the final component.

Content

The course consists of the following content:

• Topology optimization
• General design rules e.g. wall thickness / sections
• Processes / casting methods
• Material selection
• Directional solidification
• Simulation
• AM-cast, hybrid AM for the foundry industry.

Target group

For people working as a designer of cast components this course will give a broad overview of guidelines and methods used when designing castings. Procurement engineers or purchaser may also benefit from this course to increase their knowledge on how different parameters will affect the cost for cast components.

Expected prior knowledge 

No previous knowledge necessary.

Lecturers

Martin Risberg
Erdzan Hodzic
Anton Bjurenstedt
Martin Lundberg

Price

8,975 SEK

Discounts

We give quantity discount if several of your employees attend our training/courses at the same time.

When registering two or more from the same company, a discount of 10% is given for the second participant and all subsequent ones.

Other information

Contact course coordinator below for questions about the course and its content and the administrator on practical questions.

All courses can also be ordered as commissioned on-site training and then also be adapted to your needs at your company.

Distributed materials from this course include presentations as well as guidelines concerning casting design.

Global demand for die-cast components is steadily increasing, especially in the automotive industry, but also in sectors such as hand-held tools, electronics, digital infrastructure, furniture and the construction and healthcare sectors. New resource-efficient alloys, casting processes and flexible automation solutions are being developed to be able to meet customers' requirements for ecologically and economically sustainable components. Also, concerning die casting tools, new conditions are created with high-performance steels and efficient manufacturing methods, such as additive manufacturing.

The emphasis of the course is on die casting of aluminum in a horizontal cold chamber machine. Areas that are affected are basic material knowledge including smelting and melt treatment, manufacturing of molds, different types of die casting machines and die casting processes. Connected to the component, design and construction rules, design of the casting system in the tool, including vacuum, and simulation of mold filling and solidification are discussed.

Goal and purpose

The purpose of the course is to give participants a good insight into the basic principles of die casting and the possibilities and limitations of the technology regarding materials and geometries of the component. The goal is for the participants to be able to determine when die casting is a suitable manufacturing method, and to understand how the various steps in the process affect the component's quality and manufacturing cost.

Content

The course consists of the main elements: 

• Materials knowledge
• Tool knowledge
• Die casting machines
• Process knowledge 
• Process simulation.

Target group

The course gives both machine operators and product developers / designers a good theoretical understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the die casting process linked to different components and applications. The course is also suitable for buyers of die-castings and personnel in the quality and environmental area.

Expected prior knowledge

No previous knowledge required.

Lecturers

Roger Svenningsson
Conny Gustavsson

Price

8,950 SEK

Discounts

We give quantity discount if several of your employees attend our training/courses at the same time.

When registering two or more from the same company, a discount of 10% is given for the second participant and all subsequent ones.

Other information

The regular place of education is Jönköping, but the course can also be carried out as a company-specific and company-based commissioned training which can then be adapted to the specific company's needs and wishes. If desired, the course can also be held digital via Microsoft Teams.

Contact course coordinator on questions regarding technical content, and the administrator on practical questions.

The course also serves as a meeting place with interesting discussions and exchange of experiences between the participants.

Content

The course runs over two days and consists of the following elements:

• Overview of casting methods and cast materials
• Construction of cast components
• Production technology
• Cast iron and cast steel
• Molds and cores
• Digitization
• The foundry industry's environmental, work environment and energy issues
• Research and future.

Target group

The course provides a broad introduction to new employees at foundries and to employees in positions outside the direct production. The course provides useful insight and new knowledge to you who are new to the industry. The course is also aimed at those who already work with casting but who want to rehearse and broaden your knowledge.

Expected prior knowledge

No previous knowledge required.

Lecturers

Lennart Elmquist
Åsa Lauenstein
Martin Risberg
Mahsa Saeidpour

Price

17,950 SEK 

Dinner day 1 is included in the price. Any accommodation is booked and paid for by the participant themselves.

Discounts

We give quantity discount if several of your employees attend our training/courses at the same time.

When registering two or more from the same company, a discount of 10% is given for the second participant and all subsequent ones.

Practical information

The course is held in Jönköping.

Other information

Contact us for questions about the course content.

All courses can also be ordered as commissioned training and then also adapted to some extent to your company.