"Ford Main Bearing Cap" Poster (PPT, 8.0 Mb)

Project Summary
Converting a ductile iron main bearing for 5.4 liter engine from a cast loaf design to a single cap cluster design using MAGMAsoft casting simulation software to test new possible designs.

"Differential Case Casting Characterization and Simulation" Poster (PDF, 0.4 Mb)

Project Summary
We Utilized a MAGMASoft to simulate a disamatic casting process of a differential case casting in order to gain a better understanding of how feed and riser systems influence and minimize porosity.

"Investigation of a Zinc Alloy with Improved Creep Resistance" Poster (PDF, 2.3 Mb)

Project Summary
The main purpose is the refinement of alloy composition to improve creep resistance. This part of the project consisted of casting and testing (creep, tensile, impact, etc.) samples of a series of ternary eutectic alloys. A benchmark of ZA-8 and/or Zamak 3 are used to compare. Castings which failed the previous creep testing were evaluated to help determine if failure was caused by metal or casting issues.

"Development of Fluidized Bed Heat Treatment for Squeeze Cast Magnesium Alloy " Poster (PDF, 2.1 Mb)

Project Summary
The purpose of this project was to develop a fluidized bed heat treatment for the AM60B magnesium alloy. Our objective is to help facilitate the change from aluminum to magnesium for specific automotive components in the automotive industry and further enhance the materials mechanical properties. With the use of the fluidized bed, a more time and cost efficient method of heat treating can be implemented.

"Optimization of a Differential Case" Poster (PPT, 4.6 Mb)

Project Summary
Designing a casting is a balance between manufacturability, machinability, reliability, and cost. A focus in any one of these areas typically results in suboptimal performance in the others. We are to develop a first hand look at the loads and deflections seen by a drive axle diff case and also determine how the casting and heat treating processes influence material properties, and in turn influence the casting design. The integration of materials science and mechanical design principles will provide a concurrent approach to casting design.

Project Summary
Powders from a Tellurex thermoelectric mother alloy have been produced at Michigan Technological University using a Union Process 01-HD attritor mill in an inert (argon) environment. The powders were found by Tellurex to be appropriate for fabricating thermoelectric elements. Tellurex is establishing milling facilities on-site and needs to determine the appropriate charge size, media, motor speed, and milling times to reproduce these powders of both N and P type thermoelectric materials. The alloys are in the family of N-type AgPbmSbTe2+m and P-type Ag(Pb1– y Sny)mSbTe2+m thermoelectrics (“LAST alloys”).

Abstract
It is known that cancer is dependent on the development and maintenance of a strong capillary network. Therefore, a potentially powerful method for treating a variety of cancers is through inhibition of angiogenesis, or the production and maintenance of new capillaries. Because ionic copper is required for the production of capillaries, copper chelators such as tetrathiomolybdate can potentially be used to prevent new capillary formation. Although systemic copper chelator delivery has been examined as an anti-cancer therapy, localized delivery is advantageous over oral drug delivery, as the body’s normal healing and tissue maintenance abilities would then be fully preserved. Therefore, this project examined the feasibility of incorporating tetrathiomolybdate (TM) into a fully resorbable delivery vehicle consisting of a micro-spherical polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). Development of a processing method for this purpose took into account the fact that the TM molecule is easily oxidized and thereby rendered ineffective in chelating copper. Initial research focused on the development of methods for incorporating TM into the PCL micro-spheres. It was determined that a stabilized TM solution could be produced by dissolving TM in methanol and adding a small amount of base (NH3). The concentration of such solutions could be quantified at 465 nm using UV-Vis spectroscopy. A 40,000 molecular weight PCL solution was then mixed with a 40 wt% concentration. A solution of TM in methanol was combined with PCL in dichloromethane (DCM) and then slowly added to highly agitated canola oil. Since both DCM and methanol are soluble in canola oil, PCL and TM precipitated out to form micro-spheres. These micro-spheres consisted of a PCL matrix with a homogeneously distribution of TM. Characterization of the TM release profile from the micro-spheres was performed using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Validation of the chelating effect was conducted by reacting TM containing solutions with various concentrations of copper nitrate solutions and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDX) analysis of the Cu-containing precipitates. Results showed that functionally active TM could be incorporated into PCL micro-spheres and released over a period over a period of several days, although a high percentage of the active TM was released after 48 hours.