CastFast

Installing key fast-make technologies to enable rapid manufacture of high-quality repeatable castings, while utilising the latest additive manufacturing technologies for sand and investment castings.

Castings could be viewed as old technology, with roots firmly placed with the ancient Egyptians more than 4,000 years ago. The technologies funded by this project however have brought castings as a capability back to the table in terms of consideration for down-selection for next generation aircraft platforms.

The implementation of the latest digital technologies has demonstrated that incumbent alloys can be further enhanced and utilised on new and emerging products by using better processing techniques and controls during manufacture. In addition, there are significant benefits in terms of sustainability of the manufacturing process, with the use of recycled material possible.

The CastFast project made use of counter-gravity casting techniques with sand and investment castings. This demonstrated that repeatable automated casting combined with minimal turbulence offers significant quality improvement. The project also showed that ductility was consistently more than doubled and the repeatability of mechanical properties produced was far better than that of equivalent wrought products. Demonstrating this was also achieved in line with Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency guidelines.

The equipment funded as part of the programme has enabled significant activity to demonstrate the opportunities to improve sustainability by utilisation of the casting process, with digital data capture to monitor power usage and opportunities for power saving. In addition, the opportunities for use of recycled material have been demonstrated without degrading the product’s material properties.