Advancement of plaster moulding to reduce cost and raise productivity for light alloy and copper based castings.

Objective

EU light alloy castings producers with a current turnover of approximately 12bn EURO annum are facing severe competition from imports from non-EU countries and from other materials such as plastics. There is therefore an urgent need to reduce costs and improve product quality. This project will address this need by developing the full potential of plaster moulding to achieve high definition castings of extremely high quality at much lower cost than die or investment castings. The efficiency of prototype and volume castings production will be increased as process times will be shortened by 50%. The project will open up major opportunities for SME castings producers enabling them to enter new high value markets in key growth sectors such as the aerospace and plastics forming industries. Economy in raw material usage will be of paramount importance, and a major improvement in the working environment will result. The employment prospects of 50,000 or so people will be greatly increased.

Programme(s)

• FP5-GROWTH - Programme for research technological development and demonstration on "Competitive and sustainable growth 1998-2002"

Topic(s)

• 1.1.3.-1. - Key Action Innovative Products, Processes and Organisation

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

CASTINGS TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

Address

East Bank Road 7
S2 3PT Sheffield
United Kingdom

Participants (4)

BPB FORMULA GMBH

Germany

Address

37445 Walkenried

MAUS MODELL-UND FORMENBAU GMBH

Germany

Address

Am Viehweg 9
Karlsruhe

TECHCAST FOUNDRIES LTD

United Kingdom

Address

Piggot House, Parkway Avenue
S9 4WA Sheffield

TECHNICA INDUSTRIAL DEL MOLDE SA

Spain

Address

Ctra Murcia - Alicante, Km60, 800 S/n
03205 Elx - Alicante