The second phase of BCAST’s scale-up research facilities, the Advanced Metal Processing Centre (AMPC), is now in the final stages of completion with the finishing touches on the building being completed in preparation for sign-off. A chemically bonded sand mould production line to sit within the Casting Laboratory section of the building has been delivered. Also included within this area is equipment for larger melting capability, gravity die casting equipment, a heated ladle for controlled melt processing and melt quality control equipment compatible with that in industry.
The building will also feature a new Forming Laboratory containing freeform bending equipment, electro-magnetic pulse welding equipment, and equipment for higher force stretching capability, along with cold metal transfer welding and flow-drill fastening. Extensive material characterisation equipment including micro and macro CT scanning, GOM dimensional scanning and a microscopy suite for fracture analysis will compliment tensile and fatigue testing facilities capable of elevated temperature characterisation. To complete the facility to enable test specimen manufacture capability, we are installing conventional CNC machining and electrical discharge machining (EDM) equipment.