The Experts below are selected from a list of 228 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Masahiko Hirao - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Monitoring and analysis of solvent emissions from Metal Cleaning processes for practical process improvement
Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2012Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Y. Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:OBJECTIVES: Industrial Cleaning processes are a major source of emissions of chlorinated organic solvents in Japan. Solvent emission mechanisms from Metal Cleaning processes were analysed to support process improvement aimed at emission reductions. METHODS: The amounts of solvents directly emitted from a washing machine and solvents taken out by Metal parts to be cleaned were measured in laboratory experiments using an industrial washing machine. Direct emissions to a local ventilation system and to the workplace were analysed, while several process conditions were changed. The drying rate of solvents on surfaces was analysed for seven Metal parts to clarify the effects of their materials and shape. RESULTS: The results for direct solvent emissions show that solvents emitted because of the movement of Metal parts inside a washing machine can be mainly exhausted through a local ventilation system, while the operation of an ultrasonic device can increase solvent diffusion to the workplace. Lowering the cooling water temperature can be effective in avoiding such solvent diffusion to the workplace. The results also show that the heat capacity and shape complexity of Metal parts can affect the drying rate of solvents on their surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the results shows the effectiveness of using a local ventilation system and cooling pipes in controlling solvent emissions for several work tasks. The minimum time required to dry all solvents on the surface of Metal parts was also estimated. Analyses of the emission mechanisms in this study clarified the major factors in solvent emissions and the effectiveness of process modifications for emission reductions. The findings are applicable to practical process improvement aimed at emission reductions in Cleaning sites.
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Modeling of open-system process for sustainable production: case studies in Metal Cleaning process
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2012Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract Strategies for modeling of open-system processes were developed in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Experiments were conducted under conditions reflecting industrial processes, and mass flow of chemical substances in a process was analyzed and modeled based on data obtained in experiments. Two emission routes: through a local ventilation system and through the work-place, were considered in the model in order to enable the evaluation of impacts on human health and on the environment. The results show variations in solvent emissions from a washing machine, when several process conditions were changed. Solvent emissions can be estimated in process design by applying the model. When process designers determine process operation under constraints of product quality, they can also develop measures for controlling emission of chemical substances for sustainable production by considering impacts on human health and on the environment based on the results of this study.
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Analysis of risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents: case study of Metal Cleaning processes
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2011Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:When substance substitution is implemented to reduce the target risk of production processes, countervailing risks may occur. The goal of this study is to analyze the risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Global environmental impacts and local risks were evaluated for the eight scenarios by life cycle and risk assessments, respectively. The results show that the contribution of the processes using chlorinated solvents to photochemical ozone creation, human toxicity, ozone depletion, and ecotoxicity was larger than processes using aqueous detergents, while the contribution of aqueous processes to eutrophication was larger than chlorinated processes. Neighbors’ health risk around a Cleaning site using chlorinated solvents was sufficiently small in all scenarios, whereas ecological risk due to surfactants which are contained in aqueous detergents and emitted to the local aquatic environment should be reduced. Cleansing agents and process facilities should be selected on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of risk trade-off relationships for feasible and cleaner production.
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Local risks and global impacts considering plant-specific functions and constraints: A case study of Metal parts Cleaning
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2010Co-Authors: Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Background, aim, and scope To achieve sustainable development in industrial processes, attributed chemical risks as well as environmental impacts should be managed. Such nonmonetary issues have been analyzed by scientific assessment methodologies such as various risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) procedures. Local risks to be addressed in RA are microenvironments, including the workplace and neighborhood. Although a comprehensive interpretation of such risks is necessitated in industrial decision making, no practical method has been developed to interpret various types of risk with sufficient understandings of plant-specific functions and constraints. Because elaborate model-based approaches are inevitable for practical process development, actual case studies on chemical risks and detailed plant-specific functions and constraints should be performed. Manufacturing processes require that Metal parts must be cleaned in preparation for surface treatments or the completion of Metal processing. The significant amount of cleansing agents utilized in Cleaning processes has become an issue in Japan. Almost all Cleaning processes in Japan are carried out by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Machinery processes have not been systematically analyzed in terms of chemical risks and, in addition, the environmental management skills of SMEs are generally far behind those of large enterprises. The objective of this study is to reveal the relationships between chemical risks and plant-specific conditions for a practical risk reduction carried out by industrial decision makers. For this purpose, we aimed at the analysis of such relationships in Metal-Cleaning processes. Through this analysis, the correlation between local risks and global impacts were discussed in terms of plant-specific conditions. Materials and methods Through several investigations on Cleaning processes, plant-specific functions and constraints were determined with process data required for plantspecific RA and LCA. By plant-specific RA, workers' and neighbors' health risks of inhalational exposure to the utilized cleansing agents were evaluated as unit exposure amount [mg·kg−1·day−1] and total exposure amount [mg·day−1] in the workplace and neighborhood. As global environmental impacts, human health impacts were evaluated by LCA using disability-adjusted life years through the life cycle of process chemicals including cleansing agents and utilities. On the basis of evaluation results, the relationships among plant-specific conditions and the results were analyzed and discussed by using the results of regression analyses and the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Results The impacts due to the use of cleansing agents contributed largely to total human health in the LCA results. The results of the functional unit “Cleaning of unit weight of products” demonstrated that the magnitudes of total impacts were not considerably different. In plant-specific RA results, the neighborhood concentrations in some cases were higher than the average concentration in Japan. The neighbors' total exposure amounts were highly connected with the emission amount of cleansing agents and population densities. Because workplace concentrations were different from site-to-site and do not have a simple relationship to the emission amount of cleansing agents, the exposure amounts of workers indicated complicated trends. According to detailed interpretation of all the results, a relationship between occupational exposure and agent emission was revealed. Some devices that enhance the process functions became emission factors, such as the local ventilation device installed to keep the workplace safe. Additionally, the shapes of Metal parts to be cleaned and Cleaning requirements increased the emission of cleansing agents to indoors and outdoors directly. Additionally, some regression analyses and AIC comparisons showed that these plant-specific conditions can be regarded as factors having non-negligible effects on local risks and global impacts. Discussion In Cleaning processes, utilizing various agents to meet cleanliness requirements, plant-specific conditions should be taken into account in their assessments to reduce the chemical risks practically. Constraints from decision makers in the other stages of a product life cycle are unchangeable for on-site engineers in a given process. In this regard, however, the process functions for complying with the requirements originating from the constraints can be managed by on-site engineers. To deal with the risks originating from such factors, operations and devices should be appropriately designed. To achieve such designs, statistical approaches and process understandings should be used in a collaboration to reveal the practical relationship among local risks, global impacts, and process conditions. Conclusions Local risks and global impacts attributable to Metal parts Cleaning processes were evaluated in terms of workers' and neighbors' health risks and global human health impacts. A careful interpretation of evaluation results revealed that local risks have features different from those of global impacts. In this paper, we demonstrate that local risks are highly connected with plant-specific conditions. For an appropriate practical implementation of local impacts, as well as plant specification, the characteristics of industrial sectors, including related laws and regulations, should be taken into account to address them from the viewpoint of agent emissions, which can be obtained in ordinary LCA. Otherwise, the data collected in life cycle inventory should be sufficiently expanded to estimate the requirements or to specify an appropriate model. Recommendations and perspectives The approach to analyze and relate the plant-specific functions and constraints with local risk and global impact can be useful and effective for revealing their factors, which can be supporting information of generating alternatives for reducing them. The application of such an approach can also clarify the plantspecific risk and LCA performance in general. Additionally, the clarified relationship might lead to the increase of the attention of global issues within the decision making including industrial process design and policy making. Severalmodels should be developed formodel-based decision making considering plant-specific conditions.
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Activity and Information Infrastructure for Risk-Based Process Design
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2009Co-Authors: Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract This study presents a set of models of activity and information infrastructure required for practical risk-based process design. In this process design, local risk and global impact are evaluated and interpreted comprehensively by integrating risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). The type-zero method of Integrated DEFinition language, or IDEF0 and the Unified Modeling Language for information system, or UML, were applied for enabling systematic and effective definitions of requirements for process designers and supporting information infrastructure. In this study, a case study is performed on Metal Cleaning process, where various chemical substances have been utilized. With the description of developed IDEF0 and UML models, risk-based process design involving on-site engineers was proposed.
Yasunori Kikuchi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Modeling of open-system process for sustainable production: case studies in Metal Cleaning process
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2012Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract Strategies for modeling of open-system processes were developed in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Experiments were conducted under conditions reflecting industrial processes, and mass flow of chemical substances in a process was analyzed and modeled based on data obtained in experiments. Two emission routes: through a local ventilation system and through the work-place, were considered in the model in order to enable the evaluation of impacts on human health and on the environment. The results show variations in solvent emissions from a washing machine, when several process conditions were changed. Solvent emissions can be estimated in process design by applying the model. When process designers determine process operation under constraints of product quality, they can also develop measures for controlling emission of chemical substances for sustainable production by considering impacts on human health and on the environment based on the results of this study.
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Analysis of risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents: case study of Metal Cleaning processes
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2011Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:When substance substitution is implemented to reduce the target risk of production processes, countervailing risks may occur. The goal of this study is to analyze the risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Global environmental impacts and local risks were evaluated for the eight scenarios by life cycle and risk assessments, respectively. The results show that the contribution of the processes using chlorinated solvents to photochemical ozone creation, human toxicity, ozone depletion, and ecotoxicity was larger than processes using aqueous detergents, while the contribution of aqueous processes to eutrophication was larger than chlorinated processes. Neighbors’ health risk around a Cleaning site using chlorinated solvents was sufficiently small in all scenarios, whereas ecological risk due to surfactants which are contained in aqueous detergents and emitted to the local aquatic environment should be reduced. Cleansing agents and process facilities should be selected on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of risk trade-off relationships for feasible and cleaner production.
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Local risks and global impacts considering plant-specific functions and constraints: A case study of Metal parts Cleaning
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2010Co-Authors: Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Background, aim, and scope To achieve sustainable development in industrial processes, attributed chemical risks as well as environmental impacts should be managed. Such nonmonetary issues have been analyzed by scientific assessment methodologies such as various risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) procedures. Local risks to be addressed in RA are microenvironments, including the workplace and neighborhood. Although a comprehensive interpretation of such risks is necessitated in industrial decision making, no practical method has been developed to interpret various types of risk with sufficient understandings of plant-specific functions and constraints. Because elaborate model-based approaches are inevitable for practical process development, actual case studies on chemical risks and detailed plant-specific functions and constraints should be performed. Manufacturing processes require that Metal parts must be cleaned in preparation for surface treatments or the completion of Metal processing. The significant amount of cleansing agents utilized in Cleaning processes has become an issue in Japan. Almost all Cleaning processes in Japan are carried out by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Machinery processes have not been systematically analyzed in terms of chemical risks and, in addition, the environmental management skills of SMEs are generally far behind those of large enterprises. The objective of this study is to reveal the relationships between chemical risks and plant-specific conditions for a practical risk reduction carried out by industrial decision makers. For this purpose, we aimed at the analysis of such relationships in Metal-Cleaning processes. Through this analysis, the correlation between local risks and global impacts were discussed in terms of plant-specific conditions. Materials and methods Through several investigations on Cleaning processes, plant-specific functions and constraints were determined with process data required for plantspecific RA and LCA. By plant-specific RA, workers' and neighbors' health risks of inhalational exposure to the utilized cleansing agents were evaluated as unit exposure amount [mg·kg−1·day−1] and total exposure amount [mg·day−1] in the workplace and neighborhood. As global environmental impacts, human health impacts were evaluated by LCA using disability-adjusted life years through the life cycle of process chemicals including cleansing agents and utilities. On the basis of evaluation results, the relationships among plant-specific conditions and the results were analyzed and discussed by using the results of regression analyses and the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Results The impacts due to the use of cleansing agents contributed largely to total human health in the LCA results. The results of the functional unit “Cleaning of unit weight of products” demonstrated that the magnitudes of total impacts were not considerably different. In plant-specific RA results, the neighborhood concentrations in some cases were higher than the average concentration in Japan. The neighbors' total exposure amounts were highly connected with the emission amount of cleansing agents and population densities. Because workplace concentrations were different from site-to-site and do not have a simple relationship to the emission amount of cleansing agents, the exposure amounts of workers indicated complicated trends. According to detailed interpretation of all the results, a relationship between occupational exposure and agent emission was revealed. Some devices that enhance the process functions became emission factors, such as the local ventilation device installed to keep the workplace safe. Additionally, the shapes of Metal parts to be cleaned and Cleaning requirements increased the emission of cleansing agents to indoors and outdoors directly. Additionally, some regression analyses and AIC comparisons showed that these plant-specific conditions can be regarded as factors having non-negligible effects on local risks and global impacts. Discussion In Cleaning processes, utilizing various agents to meet cleanliness requirements, plant-specific conditions should be taken into account in their assessments to reduce the chemical risks practically. Constraints from decision makers in the other stages of a product life cycle are unchangeable for on-site engineers in a given process. In this regard, however, the process functions for complying with the requirements originating from the constraints can be managed by on-site engineers. To deal with the risks originating from such factors, operations and devices should be appropriately designed. To achieve such designs, statistical approaches and process understandings should be used in a collaboration to reveal the practical relationship among local risks, global impacts, and process conditions. Conclusions Local risks and global impacts attributable to Metal parts Cleaning processes were evaluated in terms of workers' and neighbors' health risks and global human health impacts. A careful interpretation of evaluation results revealed that local risks have features different from those of global impacts. In this paper, we demonstrate that local risks are highly connected with plant-specific conditions. For an appropriate practical implementation of local impacts, as well as plant specification, the characteristics of industrial sectors, including related laws and regulations, should be taken into account to address them from the viewpoint of agent emissions, which can be obtained in ordinary LCA. Otherwise, the data collected in life cycle inventory should be sufficiently expanded to estimate the requirements or to specify an appropriate model. Recommendations and perspectives The approach to analyze and relate the plant-specific functions and constraints with local risk and global impact can be useful and effective for revealing their factors, which can be supporting information of generating alternatives for reducing them. The application of such an approach can also clarify the plantspecific risk and LCA performance in general. Additionally, the clarified relationship might lead to the increase of the attention of global issues within the decision making including industrial process design and policy making. Severalmodels should be developed formodel-based decision making considering plant-specific conditions.
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Activity and Information Infrastructure for Risk-Based Process Design
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2009Co-Authors: Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract This study presents a set of models of activity and information infrastructure required for practical risk-based process design. In this process design, local risk and global impact are evaluated and interpreted comprehensively by integrating risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). The type-zero method of Integrated DEFinition language, or IDEF0 and the Unified Modeling Language for information system, or UML, were applied for enabling systematic and effective definitions of requirements for process designers and supporting information infrastructure. In this study, a case study is performed on Metal Cleaning process, where various chemical substances have been utilized. With the description of developed IDEF0 and UML models, risk-based process design involving on-site engineers was proposed.
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Activity and Information Modeling of Comprehensive Assessment for Sustainable Process Design
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2009Co-Authors: Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract This study presents an activity model for sustainable process design with comprehensive assessment integrating risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). The type-zero method of Integrated DEFinition language, or IDEF0 and the Unified Modeling Language for information system, or UML, were applied for enabling systematic and effective development of procedure and information infrastructure of such comprehensive assessment in process design. Integration of different assessment can be fulfilled by these modeling. In this study, to demonstrate the proposed model, a case study is performed on Metal Cleaning process where various chemical substances have been utilized.
Emi Kikuchi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Monitoring and analysis of solvent emissions from Metal Cleaning processes for practical process improvement
Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2012Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Y. Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:OBJECTIVES: Industrial Cleaning processes are a major source of emissions of chlorinated organic solvents in Japan. Solvent emission mechanisms from Metal Cleaning processes were analysed to support process improvement aimed at emission reductions. METHODS: The amounts of solvents directly emitted from a washing machine and solvents taken out by Metal parts to be cleaned were measured in laboratory experiments using an industrial washing machine. Direct emissions to a local ventilation system and to the workplace were analysed, while several process conditions were changed. The drying rate of solvents on surfaces was analysed for seven Metal parts to clarify the effects of their materials and shape. RESULTS: The results for direct solvent emissions show that solvents emitted because of the movement of Metal parts inside a washing machine can be mainly exhausted through a local ventilation system, while the operation of an ultrasonic device can increase solvent diffusion to the workplace. Lowering the cooling water temperature can be effective in avoiding such solvent diffusion to the workplace. The results also show that the heat capacity and shape complexity of Metal parts can affect the drying rate of solvents on their surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the results shows the effectiveness of using a local ventilation system and cooling pipes in controlling solvent emissions for several work tasks. The minimum time required to dry all solvents on the surface of Metal parts was also estimated. Analyses of the emission mechanisms in this study clarified the major factors in solvent emissions and the effectiveness of process modifications for emission reductions. The findings are applicable to practical process improvement aimed at emission reductions in Cleaning sites.
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Modeling of open-system process for sustainable production: case studies in Metal Cleaning process
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2012Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:Abstract Strategies for modeling of open-system processes were developed in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Experiments were conducted under conditions reflecting industrial processes, and mass flow of chemical substances in a process was analyzed and modeled based on data obtained in experiments. Two emission routes: through a local ventilation system and through the work-place, were considered in the model in order to enable the evaluation of impacts on human health and on the environment. The results show variations in solvent emissions from a washing machine, when several process conditions were changed. Solvent emissions can be estimated in process design by applying the model. When process designers determine process operation under constraints of product quality, they can also develop measures for controlling emission of chemical substances for sustainable production by considering impacts on human health and on the environment based on the results of this study.
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Analysis of risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents: case study of Metal Cleaning processes
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2011Co-Authors: Emi Kikuchi, Yasunori Kikuchi, Masahiko HiraoAbstract:When substance substitution is implemented to reduce the target risk of production processes, countervailing risks may occur. The goal of this study is to analyze the risk trade-off relationships between organic solvents and aqueous agents in the case study of Metal Cleaning processes. Global environmental impacts and local risks were evaluated for the eight scenarios by life cycle and risk assessments, respectively. The results show that the contribution of the processes using chlorinated solvents to photochemical ozone creation, human toxicity, ozone depletion, and ecotoxicity was larger than processes using aqueous detergents, while the contribution of aqueous processes to eutrophication was larger than chlorinated processes. Neighbors’ health risk around a Cleaning site using chlorinated solvents was sufficiently small in all scenarios, whereas ecological risk due to surfactants which are contained in aqueous detergents and emitted to the local aquatic environment should be reduced. Cleansing agents and process facilities should be selected on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of risk trade-off relationships for feasible and cleaner production.
David Ferguson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Recycling a Nonionic Aqueous-Based Metal-Cleaning Solution with a Ceramic Membrane: Pilot-Scale Evaluation
Environmental Progress, 2001Co-Authors: David Ferguson, Abraham S.c. Chen, Nicholas StencelAbstract:The effectiveness of a zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) membrane filter was evaluated for recycling a nonionic aqueous Metal Cleaning bath under real-world conditions. The pilot-scale study consisted of four 7-to 16-day filtration runs. Each processed a portion of the Cleaning bath during immersion Cleaning of aircraft engine and motor parts. The results indicated that the filter was effective in removing contaminants such as oil and grease and suspended solids from the process solution, thus extending the life-span of the bath up to three times. The process bath, however, had to be replenished with surfactant additives to compensate for those removed by the filter. The fouled membrane could be effectively cleaned with its permeability fully restored for reuse.
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Using ceramic membranes to recycle two nonionic alkaline Metal-Cleaning solutions
Journal of Membrane Science, 1999Co-Authors: Abraham S.c. Chen, Nicholas Stencel, David FergusonAbstract:Abstract One ZrO 2 ultrafilter (0.05 μm pore size) and two α-Al 2 O 3 microfilters (0.2 and 0.8 μm) were used to remove one synthetic ester oil and two polyalphaolefin-based and two petroleum hydrocarbon-based oils and greases from two nonionic alkaline Cleaning solutions (i.e., Turco ® 4215-NCLT and Daraclean ® 282). The removal was evaluated using a series of filtration runs on a bench-scale unit equipped with a tubular crossflow filtration element. The system was operated by closely controlling the permeate flux and the process parameters that influence flux, and by monitoring changes in pressure gradient across the membrane. Oil and grease, total alkalinity, and organic additives were measured in the feed, permeate, and retentate samples. The ZrO 2 ultrafilter completely removed the oils and greases, and its permeability could be restored up to 75% of the initial value. While allowing passage of almost all inorganic salts, the filter retained almost all surfactant additives. The α-Al 2 O 3 microfilters became fouled progressively during filtration, and therefore, were not recommended for this application.
C. Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Optimization of Permanent Mold Mechanical Property Test Bars in A356 Alloy Using a New Mold Design
International Journal of Metalcasting, 2013Co-Authors: Y. Wang, D. Neff, D. Schwam, X. Zhu, C. ChenAbstract:Using separately cast test bars is a quick and convenient method of determining as-cast Metal quality in the foundry—although such results are only representative of the section of a casting solidifying at the same rate as the test bar. Unfortunately the current standard test bar mold suffers from shrinkage porosity which detracts from best properties. In this work computer simulation has been utilized to predict and design an improved permanent mold test bar mold. A356 alloy has been melted and treated with best Metal Cleaning practices (degassing, filtration) in order to assess the effect of clean Metal as a baseline (Phase 1) of this research prior to microstructural enhancements (modification, grain refinement, SDAS) which is Phase 2 of this research. The results show that with a knife ingate in the re-designed test-bar mold, better tensile properties with A356 separately cast test bars heat treated to T6 can be obtained on a more consistent basis throughout a varying mold temperature range. With best in-furnace clean Metal practice and virgin ingot, applying filters in the test bar mold have minimal effect, but show that filtration is beneficial if melting recycled Metal. Even without the additional microstructural enhancements, preliminary results in the standard heat treated T6 condition show that the new test bar mold delivers a high quality result as measured by the Quality Index method.
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Optimization of Permanent Mold Mechanical Property Test Bars in A356 Alloy Using a New Mold Design
International Journal of Metalcasting, 2013Co-Authors: Y. Wang, D. Neff, D. Schwam, X. Zhu, C. ChenAbstract:Using separately cast test bars is a quick and convenient method of determining as-cast Metal quality in the foundry—although such results are only representative of the section of a casting solidifying at the same rate as the test bar. Unfortunately the current standard test bar mold suffers from shrinkage porosity which detracts from best properties. In this work computer simulation has been utilized to predict and design an improved permanent mold test bar mold. A356 alloy has been melted and treated with best Metal Cleaning practices (degassing, filtration) in order to assess the effect of clean Metal as a baseline (Phase 1) of this research prior to microstructural enhancements (modification, grain refinement, SDAS) which is Phase 2 of this research.