May_June_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 9 1 3 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY COMPOSITE, HEAL THYSELF Repairing cracks in composite structures is now cheaper and easi- er due to a newly patented technology developed by researchers from EPFL’s Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites in Switzerland. The team designed a material that can easily heal after being damaged. This advanced composite could have applications in aircraft, wind turbines, cars, and sports equipment. When a wind turbine blade or an airplane is hit by something, the damaged part must either be replaced or patched with resin. Replacing the part is expensive, while repairing it with resin can make it heavier and change its properties. Now, the Swiss team’s new technology allows for these composite structure cracks to be quickly and eas- ily repaired. “With our technology, a repair agent is incorporated in the composite material,” says researcher Amaël Cohades. Cracks in the resin can be quickly repaired on site by simply heating the material to 150°C. The heating process activates the repair agent and the damaged part heals without any change to its original properties. This new technology can be applied to all kinds of structures, extending their lifespan at least threefold. The material’s properties and initial crack resistance are the same as those of traditional com- posites. What’s more, the technolo- gy is compatible with current man- ufacturing processes, so production facilities would not require retool- ing. One limitation is that the material does not heal if the impact breaks the fibers. However, because the resin is always damaged first, this heat-based self-healing system is expected to work in most applications. energy.gov, www. epfl.ch/en. DOE PROJECTS SUPPORT METAL MANUFACTURERS The DOE, in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Labora- tory, will invest $1.2 million in four new projects to support American steel and aluminum manufacturers in improv- ing energy efficiency, increasing pro- ductivity, and accelerating manufac- turing innovation. The funding will pro- vide advanced computing capabilities to improve manufacturing processes and resolve key manufacturing chal- lenges through the use of high perfor- mance computing (HPC). Projects were selected from the sixth solicitation for the High Performance Computing for Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) program. The program facilitates technical support from national laboratories in- cluding access to supercomputing ca- pabilities, high-end modeling and sim- ulation software, and subject matter experts. Selected projects are awarded up to $300,000 and include the compa- nies listed here. energy.gov, llnl.gov. • Alcoa, New Kensington, Pa.—Project will use HPC simulations to under- stand and optimize the performance of Alcoa’s new advanced smelting cell to make aluminum from ore. • AK Steel, Dearborn, Mich.—Project will use HPC simulations for real- time modeling of hot-strip mill roll- ing to improve process operation. • ArcelorMittal, East Chicago, Ind.— Project will use modeling and ma- chine learning to enable production of cleaner, higher-quality continu- ously cast steel slabs. • US Steel, Munhall, Pa.—Project will use physics-based modeling to im- prove predictions of the behavior of steel during hot-strip mill rolling for better quality. Swiss researchers designed a newmaterial that can heal itself after being damaged. BRIEF Sage Metals Private Ltd., Novi, Mich., a manufacturer of specialty metal products, acquired Jayco Manufacturing LLC, Grand Prairie, Texas. Jayco assembles, integrates, and produces precision custommetal-formed components for a variety of industrial and consumer product manufacturers. sagemetals.com , jaycomfg.com . The DOE selected four projects that support manufacturing in steel and aluminumproduction.