Latest news / events
- CBI Regional director visits TWI in Rotherham
- NEW modelling demonstrations
- Steel and aluminium production...halving carbon emissions by 2050?
- Non destructive testing on vital vessels puts RNLI's mind at rest
- Materials issues surfacing and particulate engineering
- Continuous health monitoring and non-destructive assessment of composites and composite repairs on surface transport applications
- The UK's first industrial microwave oven secured by TWI
- Friction Welded Wheels provide improved performance and reduced running costs
- Process Monitoring for Quality Control of Friction Stir Welding
- Training: An Introduction to Friction Stir Welding
- Laser Surface Hardening with Adaptive Control
- Specialist Materials & Joining - A new Section at TWI?
CBI Regional director visits TWI in Rotherham
News from RIDO, the Regional Investment and Development Office
Business chief sees the future - in Rotherham
Tuesday January 12 2010
One of Yorkshire and Humber's leading business figures has praised the high-tech activity at the region's Advanced Manufacturing Park, in Rotherham.
The regional director of the Confederation of British Industry, Andrew Palmer, said the Park - the only one of its kind in the UK - was a jewel in the crown not just of South Yorkshire but of the entire region.
"In fact, having seen the wide diversity of companies and nations represented here, it's clear this is an international resource," he said. "We're lucky in our region that we have so many facets to our economy, but this mix of high-quality R&D and hi-tech manufacturing has to be one of the most important."
"This is the future. I've seen it, and it is clearly working for the UK."
He was speaking after visiting several AMP companies, large and small, on a tour organised by Rotherham Investment & Development Office, the Borough Council's regeneration arm.
He took in Dormer Tools UK, Fripp Design and Research, The Welding Institute's TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire) and the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing (AMRC).
Dormer, part of Sweden's Sandvik group, is a world leader in engineering cutting tools. Its premises at the AMP's Evolution development, officially opened in January 2009, incorporate a pioneering training room, a major research and development facility and an international export service to support emerging and developing markets. It employs some 45 people.
General manager John O'Donoghue said: "This is Dormer's key site for sales - in the UK and around the world - with £22m-worth of orders processed. We're also the composite drilling centre for all Sandvik companies worldwide and one of four global training centres, so this is a major operation."
Fripp Design and Research provides 3D computer-aided design, support and rapid prototyping for companies and organisations including Boots, Rolls-Royce and the NHS. It reduces customers' time-scales and costs across a range of operations and products, from highly conceptual packaging to artificial joints and heavily-engineered mass produced components in plastics and metals.
It aims to more than double its workforce on the park in 2010. Managing Director Steve Roberts, who set up Fripp Design and Research with wife Sue and Tom Fripp, said: "Being located on the AMP is of strategic importance to our business as it is the UK centre of excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and associated industries and services - everything from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacture. Our mission is to take 'best practice' in advanced manufacturing from industry and apply this within the health care sector; where we see plenty of opportunity."
TWI is one of the world's foremost independent research and technology organisations, providing industry with engineering solutions in structures incorporating joining and associated technologies. Its welding processes are among the most advanced in the world.
Sector manager Mark Roughsedge, who runs membership development, said: "Since 2002 TWI Yorkshire has helped create and safeguard 1,297 jobs and £81m in turnover for companies in the region, through a series of Yorkshire Forward-funded Technology Transfer Programmes."
The AMRC, which includes the Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future, is one of the world's leading centres of its kind. Two events in December underscored its importance. It played a leading role with Yorkshire Forward, with help from RiDO, in winning the Rolls-Royce Nuclear AMRC for the Park, and providing expertise and composites that helped Boeing's new Dreamliner aircraft take to the air.
It is not only pushing the boundaries in aerospace and other research but is helping produce Britain's next generations of high-quality engineers. Projects director John Baragwanath said that its R&D skills helped companies such as Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Airbus massively reduce their timescales - in one case from 145 hours to 19, in another, from 54 to five. The AMRC aims to double its current 108-strong workforce over the news few years.
Andrew Palmer said: "I've been so impressed not just by the expertise packed into the Park but by the sheer enthusiasm among the businesses. With people and companies like these, the region's future is bright."
NEW modelling demonstrations
To explore examples of our core business in the modelling area and to learn more about our work and solutions offered to customers, please follow the link below to our new demonstration pages. Enjoy the animations and presentations which will give you a good overview of how we can help and add value to your company by using the latest modelling technology.
Steel and aluminium production...halving carbon emissions by 2050?
Approaches for cutting carbon emissions, and the emerging business opportunities, will be thrust under the spotlight at Great Abington later this year when TWI hosts a one-day conference on the subject.
The event follows the recent award by the UK government of a £1.5 million 'Leadership fellowship' to Dr Julian Allwood to lead an emissions related project. Known as Well Met 2050 the five year long project's central theme will be to explore a full range of options for reducing the impact on the climate of steel and aluminium production and usage.
A groundswell of interest in just how carbon emissions can be reduced has become a hot topic for many TWI Industrial Members of late. So TWI is now working with the University of Cambridge and a number of major industrial partners to explore the relevant issues.
Scheduled for 29 September 2009 the one-day conference is designed to communicate a range of options that can be pursued. There will be time to discuss the key issues and identify the potential business opportunities that will arise. The underlying issues are indeed important ones. Climate change scientists believe that it is necessary to make a cut of at least 50% in global carbon emissions by 2050 to contain global warming. The UK government actually hopes to achieve an 80% cut.
Roughly two thirds of man-made carbon emissions arise from the use of energy, and it is estimated that steel and aluminium are responsible for 10% of these. Until the credit crunch last year, global demand for these two metals was growing at around 6% per year, with demand forecast to double by 2050.
The primary producers for both metals are focusing on widespread adoption of carbon capture and storage, or CCS as it is dubbed, as the key solution to allow demand to grow without limit.
The EU ULCOS consortium proposes that for steel, smelting reduction will allow easy separation of CO2 from other flue gases, which can be captured, compressed and cooled into liquid form, then transported to geologically suitable sites for permanent underground storage.
Energy requirements for aluminium production are largely in the form of electricity, so provision of 'carbon-free' electricity, from CCS or nuclear power, also apparently allows unlimited growth.
But the dream of CCS as the ideal solution to respond to concern about climate change is not based on certainty. CCS is itself energy intensive. The first CCS pilot scale power plant opened in September 2008. It is uncertain if there is enough storage capacity, and the risks are unknown.
An alternative response to global warming is to seek radical reductions in the demand for energy. Conventional recycling of steel and aluminium is clearly beneficial in energy saving, cutting energy requirements by about half for steel and to a tenth for aluminium.
To be kept informed of details for the conference at TWI on 29 September, please contact chris.peters@twi.co.uk.
Non destructive testing on vital vessels puts RNLI's mind at rest
Lifeboats of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) operate in some of the most demanding sea conditions imaginable. The RNLI designs and tests its lifeboats accordingly. However it is not surprising that, on occasion, the vessels suffer damage as a result of operating in these conditions. The RNLI consulted TWI when a very heavy slamming impact caused damage to the structure of one of the charity's Tamar class lifeboats.
The RNLI planned to make use of non-destructive testing techniques to assess the damaged area, both before and after repairs. They particularly wanted to evaluate alternative methods to provide additional information on the condition of the solid glass fibre reinforced epoxy hull.
With TWI's assistance, pulsed thermography was used. While some of the hull stiffening had disbonded from the hull and suffered damage due to high local deflections, the non destructive examination proved that no damage had been caused to the hull itself and therefore limited the amount of material that had to be removed. The damaged stiffening was subsequently repaired and the lifeboat returned to service.
Results provided useful information and demonstrated to the RNLI the benefits of using pulsed thermography techniques.
Materials issues surfacing and particulate engineering
WJS Materials Technical Group Meeting held at TWI Conference Centre on Tuesday 2 June 2009
The Welding and Joining Society hosted the anticipated Materials Technical Group Meeting on Tuesday 2 June 2009 at TWI Cambridge Conference Centre and captured both the historical and present issues on the subject of surfacing and particulate engineering, through discussions and presentations from Rolls Royce, Atomising Systems, Hoganas, Leicester University and TWI. The highly successful meeting was co-sponsored by the Particulate Engineering Committee of IOM3.
This one day event included a tour of TWI Surfacing facilities for a demonstration of thermal spraying as well as a visit to the TWI library for a brief introduction to the information services with a particular focus on the latest MI-21 data base (www.mi-21.com, a new service run by TWI in collaboration with NAMTEC and World Metal Index).
Delegates had a chance to network and establish contacts throughout the day. Those, particularly interested in professional development were encouraged to join WJS, The Welding Institute and IOM3, and informed of benefits of professional membership and the registration with the Engineering Council towards for example, CEng status.
For a full summary of this meeting and further information on future meetings of the WJS Materials Technical Group, please contact directly the secretary, Dr. Cem Selcuk at cem.selcuk@twi.co.uk
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Left to right: Chairman, Peter Boothby (Macaw Engineering) and speakers: Jeffrey Allen (Rolls Royce), Roger Fairclough (TWI), John Dunkley (Atomising Systems), Paul Nurthen (Hoganas) and Dave Harvey (TWI) with Secretary, Cem Selcuk (TWI) |
Continuous health monitoring and non-destructive assessment of composites and composite repairs on surface transport applications
The ComPair project is partly funded by the European Seventh Framework Program (FP7) over three years and will develop new techniques to non destructive assessment and monitoring of composites and composite repair on surface transport (Buses, trucks, trams and high and low speed trains).
The aim of ComPair is to create an improved way for continuous health monitoring and non-destructive assessment of composites and composite repairs.
The project will also establish a certificated procedure - guidelines on these applications, in order to generate a cost effective manufacturing and maintenance procedure.
The three main objectives of ComPair projects are:
- To develop quantitative non-invasive NDT approaches for prompt assessment of composites during the manufacturing and assembly stages of the composite materials and structures.
- To develop a health monitoring approach for the composite components on full scale structures.
- To develop a robotic scanner that will accommodate the NDT approach for the in situ testing of the structures during inspection and maintenance.
For more information about ComPair, visit www.compairproject.com or contact Dr Chiraz Ennaceur at chiraz.ennaceur@twi.co.uk.
The UK's first industrial microwave oven secured by TWI
| Hephaistos Microwave Oven from Weiss Gallenkamp |
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TWI has recently received delivery of the UK's first and world's second industrial microwave oven from Weiss Gallenkamp. The 'Hephaistos' is a new microwave oven which represents the first time advantages of microwave technology have been successfully developed to an industrially mature, high technology level. Its unique hexagonal interior working space, together with its control systems enables the homogeneous microwave field distribution within the unit, minimizing the potential of 'hot spots' and uneven cure. Hence, the potential of producing high quality parts much faster than through convection heating methods.
Some of the benefits of the 'Hephaistos' and microwave technology are listed below;
- Significantly reduced cycle time
- Savings in running costs
- Improvements in product quality due to homogenous heating
- Ability to use metallic tooling
Microwave technology will allow finding a solution to one of the biggest issues with composites, which is cost. This should convince companies in various industries to use composites as the 'alternative of choice' for current traditional materials.
The Hephaistos equipment will be located at TWI's Middlesbrough facility, where work on the equipment will start shortly after installation and commissioning.
Microwave technology is not a new area of expertise at TWI since it has been successful in the past in the curing of thermoset adhesives and welding of thermoplastic pipes. It is envisaged work will continue using the Hephaistos equipment towards February 2009, with the aim of producing an update on the work undertaken in the next TWI's Auto E-News. For more information on the Hephaistos equipment, please visit www.weiss-gallenkamp.com or contact Museok Kwak at museok.kwak@twi.co.uk.
Friction Welded Wheels provide improved performance and reduced running costs
High performance automotive wheels are often made in aluminium or magnesium alloys to minimise weight. These alloys are prone to porosity formation when fusion welded, which makes post weld forming very difficult. TWI, working with its Members, has shown that friction welding processes can be used to produce joints of high integrity and strength which are readily formed to shape without further heat treatment.
Demonstrated examples include:
- Rotary friction welding of cast aluminium alloy wheel rims and centres.
- Friction stir welding of wrought aluminium alloy rim seams before spinning. The centre then being joined by either MIG welding or mechanical fasteners.
- Friction stir welding of wrought aluminium alloy rim seams before spinning and then friction stir welding of the wrought rim to a cast aluminium alloy centre.
Single piece cast aluminium alloy wheels have a number of advantages over large pressed steel wheels in terms of aesthetic appearance and weight saving. However, the production of large wheel castings of high quality is challenging, as molten metal must flow through the hub and spoke die cavities to accurately form the rim and tyre regions. To achieve effective casting behaviour the actual wheel design is often compromised in terms of weight.
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Images courtesy of Fundo Wheels, Norway |
A number of TWI Member companies have identified the benefits of fabricating wheels using higher strength wrought alloys and introducing weight saving features which would not be possible using casting alone.
Fundo Wheels in Norway have adopted a novel approach to this issue by using a cast wheel hub to which a wrought rim is attached by friction stir welding, giving an optimal design. The wheel has the aesthetic appearance of a cast wheel but with much greater styling freedom. The design is optimised for dynamic performance and gives a 3.5kg static weight saving per wheel. The rim, made from a higher strength wrought alloy, is of reduced thickness and therefore weight. A weight saving cavity also runs around the entire circumference of the wheel where the cast and wrought components join. The total impact on vehicle un-sprung weight, emissions and fuel consumption is equivalent to more than a 20kg reduction in actual vehicle weight.
Images courtesy of Fundo Wheels, NorwayThe prototype wheel shown above has a cut-away section displaying the two friction stir weld locations and the internal cavity. The Volvo XC90 SUV was the first vehicle to use these 19" diameter wheels.
The lifetime savings achieved by these fabricated wheels are expected to far outweigh the costs and resources associated with their development and production. Energy and time efficient friction welding processes are a significant contributor to the success of these products.
For further information on the friction welding of wheels please contact Mike Nunn at TWI ( mike.nunn@twi.co.uk).
Process Monitoring for Quality Control of Friction Stir Welding
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new welding technology, which has been rapidly developed and implemented throughout the world, since its invention by TWI in 1991. Control methods for FSW have also developed rapidly during this period, and a number of different systems have been produced by various FSW machine manufacturers and process users. Such systems usually act to control one of the key welding parameters, most commonly z-axis position or force (although systems that control x-axis force, z-axis torque, or weld/tool temperature have also been demonstrated). A review of these different control approaches is timely in order to provide guidelines for process users on the most appropriate choice of system for a given FSW application.
Full article (Members only- Login required)
Training: An Introduction to Friction Stir Welding
The course will be an intensive mixture of classroom lectures, tutorials and practical demonstrations using both video footage and live demonstrations on TWI's equipment. There will be opportunities for individual discussions with TWI engineers.
Among the topics to be discussed will be history of the process, licensing, patents and standards, process fundamentals, process advantages and disadvantages, process control, comparison with other processes, machine technology, tool technology, materials and weld performance issues, quality control, economic benefits, current/planned applications.
Attending the course will give students the necessary knowledge to make balanced decisions about the process and to deal with confidence with suppliers of equipment or friction stir welding process providers/users.
The date for the next FSW training course at Sheffield will be 20-22 October 2009.
See more information about the course.
Laser Surface Hardening with Adaptive Control
Laser surface hardening was one of the first industrial applications of lasers and is rapidly developing as new and more cost-effective lasers, advanced laser optics and control systems, become available. The compact and energy-efficient direct diode lasers give a higher process efficiency and energy efficiency, making them more attractive to be integrated into a manufacturing line. The key factor for laser surface hardening is to maintain a constant surface temperature during the process. Variations in the surface temperature can cause fluctuations in the profile of the hardened layer. More recently, the development of new beam-forming optics and process monitoring systems has enabled the process to be controlled in real time to suit different industrial applications. Laser hardening parameters can be adaptively controlled based on the surface temperature of the sample and interactions between the laser beam and workpiece surface to achieve consistent surface properties.
This work therefore aims to assess the capabilities of laser surface hardening with adaptive control using a high power direct diode laser (HPDDL) and to establish the effect of laser parameters on the hardness profile of the hardened layer.
Full article (Members only- Login required)
Specialist Materials & Joining - A new Section at TWI?
Well no, not really, more a case of a better description of what two existing sections, Ceramics & Microtechnology, already do.
These two sections have always been closely aligned, having many areas of common interest ranging from packaging for electronics and sensors in safety critical or aggressive environments and thermal management in hybrid vehicles through to development of sol-gel routes for depositing transparent conductors in displays and photovoltaics or as protective hard-coats for mobile phones.
The two sections have now come together to enhance the service they can offer to Members. The new name is designed to reflect the specialist nature of expertise in materials such as ceramics high temperature alloys and processes such as fine-scale laser and micro friction stir welding.
So whether it's the development of bespoke brazing or diffusion bonding cycles, advice on ceramic materials or precision reliability in safety critical components, SMJ is here to help.
Archive
- Future Technology: Forecasting and Funding - 5th Feb 09
- High pressure H 2 equipment - Partners now called to European and UK Collaborative
- Fume emissions from resistance welding through organic coatings
- Low Stress No-Distortion (LSND) - Modelling of aluminium alloy welds
- Improving turbocharger performance (Case study)
- Multi-disciplinary brainstorm aids manufacturer
- Critical review of joining processes for powder metallurgy parts
- Mayor of Chongqing visits TWI/li>
- Assessment of Bobbin Friction Stir Welding for the Joining of Aluminium Alloys
- High pressure hydrogen testing
- Structural performance of components for racing vehicles
- Composites research fuels innovative application
Future Technology: Forecasting and Funding - 5th Feb 09
Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
In the current economic climate, no small and medium enterprise can afford to be poorly informed. A clear understanding of the workings of the UK's 'Technology Strategy Board' is essential - it's 25 'Knowledge Transfer Networks' (KTNs) have a crucial role to play.
This one day seminar - in partnership with the Integrated Products Manufacturing KTN - will give valuable insight into funding opportunities for innovative new products and processes. The focus will be on practical outcomes for assisted funding and accurate technology-related business forecasting as well as explaining how advanced technology choices are made. The Integrated Products Manufacturing KTN's main goal is to put companies and innovators in contact with the knowledge and funding that they need to bring new products and processes to market.
Examples from the automotive industry will illustrate how large companies, first-tier suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) decide which technological direction to take and how they expect sub-suppliers to respond. These experiences apply across all sectors where there is a complex and well developed supply chain.
5 February 2009, Pera Conference Centre, Leicestershire
High pressure H 2 equipment - Partners now called to European and UK Collaborative
TWI is now ideally placed to use its new high pressure hydrogen facilities as European industry moves towards a hydrogen economy. Already two Collaborative calls have been made relating to use of this equipment.
The lengthy business of commissioning TWI's new facility is nearly complete. The equipment will allow mechanical testing to be carried out in hydrogen pressures of up to 1000bar.
Development of safe, cost effective materials and fabrication routes are priorities for TWI. Richard Pargeter, is on the committee for ISO 11114-4 concerned with testing methods to allow selection of metallic materials resistant to hydrogen embrittlement.
Material will be loaded dynamically in the environment allowing the effect of hydrogen environmental embrittlement on tensile, low cycle fatigue and toughness properties of materials to be quantified. The equipment is expected to be
able to operate over a range of -150 to +85 Celsius.
To learn more click here.
Partners now called to European and UK Collaborative
Two forthcoming Collaborative calls are relevant to this subject area. The first is part of Framework 7 through the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Joint Technology Initiative. Details of the calls are described in the Implementation Plan and can be downloaded at: https://www.hfpeurope.org/hfp/keydocs
The second call is from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) which is a UK based initiative, and is entitled: Environmental Sustainability: Fuel cells and hydrogen technologies
For more info on other forthcoming and anticipated TSB calls, click here.
Fume emissions from resistance welding through organic coatings
Resistance welding and pyrolysis tests were carried out on weld-through TOCs and oils used in the automotive and white goods industries. The main objective was to develop a test method, suitable for standardisation, for generating emissions data for presentation on MSDSs. To this end, data were generated to identify the components emitted and their relative amounts and, in the case of pyrolysis, the effect of different test temperatures. Pyrolysis and welding data were compared to establish whether sufficient correlation existed that a pyrolysis method alone could be standardised. Consideration was given to a procedure for identifying the most important components for inclusion on MSDSs.
For full report, click here
Low Stress No-Distortion (LSND) - Modelling of aluminium alloy welds
Finite element models have been developed to simulate LSND welding with a trailing heat sink. The LSND technique was applied to a butt and fillet joint in an aluminium alloy.
For full report, click here (Members only- Login required)
Improving turbocharger performance (Case study)
'We need more appropriate materials for the task in hand and more advanced processing, if we are to stay ahead of the competition' is a familiar plea heard by TWI's brainstorming team.
For full article, click here
Multi-disciplinary brainstorm aids manufacturer
When one of the world's biggest car, truck and bus manufacturers needed to join the high tolerance parts of a crucial suspension component it initially drew a blank.
For full article, click here
Critical review of joining processes for powder metallurgy parts
EuroPM2008 International Powder Metallurgy Congress and Exhibition
(29 September - 1 October 2008) Mannheim, Germany
Powder metallurgy (PM) processes have high productivity and are ideal for making near net-shape parts of especially complex geometries from a range of materials, which maximises material utilisation, and hence minimises or eliminates secondary operations such as machining. Secondary operations are common for components made via liquid metal processing, and result in an additional step in manufacturing with substantial cost and waste implications. Despite this obvious advantage of PM processes, however, the joining of materials synthesized from powders has been associated with difficulties related to their inherent characteristics, such as porosity, contamination and inclusions, at levels, which tend to influence the properties of a welded joint.
This paper presents a critical review of the current state-of-art of welding PM components. It also seeks to identify preferred joining processes and identify apparent technology gaps in joining of PM parts, in terms of initial processing and attendant materials issues, with an emphasis on offering solutions to welding problems.
For full paper, click here
Mayor of Chongqing visits TWI
On the 6 August 2008, TWI and COMRI signed, in the presence of the Mayor Mr Wang Hongju, a co-operation agreement to facilitate the transfer of technologies in advanced manufacturing to Chongqing industrial companies. The first project will be a consultancy and training programme in laser welding of thin sheets.
For full article, click here
Assessment of Bobbin Friction Stir Welding for the Joining of Aluminium Alloys
The friction stir welding (FSW) process was invented by TWI and was originally developed for industrial exploitation via a TWI Group Sponsored Project (GSP), the Sponsors of which were amongst the first to benefit from the new technology. TWI has recently developed a novel enhancement to the FSW process, which offers the potential to produce improved full penetration welding performance using significantly simplified, and therefore cheaper, equipment. The enhanced process can be implemented in two varieties named fixed and floating bobbin FSW. Bobbin friction stir welding has the potential to be a valuable high productivity manufacturing technique for structures of interest to the transport industries, offering high quality, highly repeatable welds at a competitive cost. It is proposed to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of bobbin FSW via a new GSP. Participants in the GSP will be ideally placed to become early adopters of the new technique and to benefit from the enhanced capabilities that it offers.
For further information, please click here.
High pressure hydrogen testing
Commissioning trials nearing completion
TWI's capabilities for high pressure hydrogen testing have recently been extended with the development of a new purpose designed test facility. Commissioning trials are almost complete and it is anticipated that the first research programme carried out for an Industrial Member using the facility will commence in October.
The new facility will be capable of operating at 1000bar, within a temperature range of +85 to -150°C. The equipment is designed for testing in high pressure hydrogen but equally can be used for high pressure testing in other environments. A range of tests can be carried out including fatigue, tensile testing and fracture toughness testing.
The equipment supplements TWI's existing facility which is designed to operate up to 450bar at temperatures from ambient up to 85°C. The first facility was initially designed and built in order to carry out a large programme of tests for the Japan Research and Development Centre which is working closely with the TWI Industrial Member, Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC).
The work was part of a large programme being undertaken in Japan to provide data to support the activities in Japan related to the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. In particular, test data are required to ensure the safe performance of hydrogen storage and handling systems for automotive applications and specifically for hydrogen storage tanks for passenger vehicles. Clearly safety issues are paramount and thus the performance of potential materials needs to be thoroughly researched in the appropriate environment.
The two testing facilities are located in an isolated building, which is also scheduled to house an elevated temperature hydrogen autoclave (for disbonding testing and hydrogen charging) which is being re-located on the Abington site. The building has a test booth for each pressure vessel, and a control room separated from the testing machines by steel doors with a safety interlock. The roof over the test booth is of lightweight construction, and would provide an easy path for any sudden pressure release or explosion. The combination of interlocks, gas and fire detectors and procedures, however, make this an extremely unlikely event.
It is anticipated that demand for the two facilities will be high and testing programmes are already planned. Members requiring more information or enquiring about their availability should contact hydrogen@twi.co.uk.
Structural performance of components for racing vehicles
The performance engineering sector of the UK has always been personified by the high performance technologies applied to Formula One motor racing where the structural performance of components is critical to racing success. TWI has been involved with supporting the materials validation, inspection and joining requirements for several race teams over the years, and recently there has been an increase in the volume of R&D support provided to this sector.
One recent example where TWI has provided support is in the application of its advanced electron beam welding technologies. This particular example related to the fabrication of small pressure vessels manufactured from thin wall titanium. The EB process was used to weld two dome ends to these assemblies. The thin walls of the structure and the predicted in-service conditions meant that the highest degree of quality and joint integrity was required.
Due to the range of specialised equipment and staff on hand, TWI was able to provide a specific technical solution for the fabrication of these critical components which were raced on Formula One cars during the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Composites research fuels innovative application
Composites sandwich panels are gaining popularity in industry for a number of reasons, such as good mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties, resistance to corrosion and ease of use. Now there is an additional requirement to add value, as most industry sectors are looking for ways to improve their products by incorporating additional functionality.
TWI has now developed a mechanism (patent applied for) which enables composite sandwich panels to be formed with integral fuel cells thus providing power to structures containing them.
This approach removes many of the drawbacks associated with current methods of combining polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with laminate or sandwich structures, such as excluding the requirement for complex housing design.
Integrating the PEMFC into a sandwich structure helps prevent the damage or loss of fuel cell functionality when assembling the stack and enables the construction of complex field flow plates to achieve good gas transfer to the electrodes by specific machined channels in the composite laminate.
The initial feasibility study has shown that a very simple single device embedded into a composite can provide power similar to an AA 1.5 volt battery.
TWI has a long history of innovation in joining technology in both the fuel cell and composites fields and is now in need of partners to take this to market.
For more information and to register your interest, please contact Paul Burling. paul.burling@twi.co.uk
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