Cell for a Sand Casting System and Associated Equipmentfor R& D Purposes

Further to the successful development of the AMCC 1 programme in the Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST) at Brunel University London (BRUNEL), the second phase development (AMCC 2) is now being established to expand this unique national facility for light metal research in processing and characterisation for fundamental research and industrial applications. Together with the EPSRC Future Liquid Metal Engineering Hub, and AMCC1, AMCC 2 will provide high performance light alloys, resource efficient manufacturing technologies and component innovations with advanced materials characterisation facilities to meet the long- and mid-term needs of UK industry.

The initiative is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and supported by a number of industrial partners. Funding for equipment at the AMCC 2 is available in the period up to 31st March 2017 to assist in establishing the new facilities at Brunel University London in Uxbridge. The equipment will be purchased by BRUNEL. All equipment must be accepted and staff trained on the Uxbridge site by the end of March 2017 at the latest.

An advanced sand casting system is required to be set up from raw sand delivery, sand mixing, moulding, mould striping, reversing and assembly. The system must also include two furnaces for melting and holding aluminium alloys. The system needs to work well with excellent integration for the different pieces of equipment. Additionally the cell must be versatile enough to be configured for research and development applications, with the possibility to modify the operation process during R&D. It is required that the supplier provides a complete solution with a turn-key supply of the system according to our purpose.