In some grey cast ironGrey cast iron components, which are cast in sand moulds, the metalMetals sometimes penetrates into the mould producing defectsDefects and causes difficulties when cleaning the components. To improve knowledge of the metalMetals penetration mechanism, a series of test casting was performed in production scale where the influence of different inoculantsInoculant and different amounts was studied. Investigation of the various inoculantsInoculant shows that the inoculation of grey cast ironGrey cast iron will influence the metal expansion penetrationMetal expansion penetration in areas with late solidificationSolidification times. The amount of inoculantInoculant added shows a clear effect on the degree of metalMetals penetration. The whole casting processProcess was simulated with the software MagmaSoft® in order to investigate the solidificationSolidification characteristics as well as the porosityPorosity in the casting component. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2024.

A newly designed superconducting magnet of the Canted-Cosine-Theta (CCT) type was developed as a result of a collaboration between Swedish universities (Uppsala and Linneaus) and Swedish industries. This magnet was designed to function as a replacement of the present LHC orbit corrector magnets, which are approaching their end of life due to the radiation load. As a result, the new CCT magnet was developed to be more radiation tolerant and to constitute a one-to-one replacement to the currently installed version, which is a 1 m long 70 mm double aperture dipole magnet. The final magnet, which is currently under construction, will be tested at FREIA laboratory at Uppsala University and generate a magnetic field of 3.3 T and an integrated field of 2.8 Tm at about 85 A. To examine the magnet quench behavior and to identify a suitable quench protection system, the 3D electro-magnetic and thermal behavior of the coil was modeled using the RAT-Raccoon software. Based on the simulation results, a Metrosil varistor was selected to protect the magnet during the test. In this article, we report the results of the numerical analysis. The magnet model is equipped with a spot heater to initialize the quench and the temperature and voltages are monitored during the avalanche effect. The simulated current decay and the hot-spot temperature are analyzed with a focus on the impact of quench-back on the magnet protection.

A prototype CCT dipole magnet developed by a collaboration between Swedish universities, Swedish industry and CERN will be tested at Uppsala University. This 1 m long double-aperture magnet can provide a field strength of 3.3 T at 85 A in a 70 mm aperture with an integrated field of 2.8 Tm. It is intended to replace the current LHC orbit corrector magnets which are reaching the end of their expected life due to the radiation load. The new magnet is designed to handle the radiation dose of the upgrade to the high-luminosity LHC, which will deliver about ten times the current radiation dose. It must therefore be more resistant to radiation and meet strict requirements in terms of electrical insulation while matching the original field quality and self-protective capability, mechanical volume, and maximum excitation current. This paper will present the latest of the design and manufacturing work, including the results of simulations of the mechanical field and the mechanical stress. Details of the various tests performed before machining the parts are also presented.

The production of steel casting can in some cases be complicated and difficult. To produce quality castings, it requires the casting to be clean and free from any defects. One of the main casting defects is hot tearing, also known as a crack or shortness. This phenomenon represents the formation of an irreversible failure (crack) in the steel semisolid casting. The second defect that commonly occurs in casting is porosity. Porosity is often used to describe any void or hole found in a casting. To control the porosity, you need to understand its sources and causes. Porosity can occur either by gas formation, solidification shrinkage, or non-metallic compound formation, all while the metal is liquid. This experimental work is focused on reducing the porosity defects in steel casting components at a production scale. The produced casting component was strongly affected by porosity defects.

The High Luminosity LHC requires dipole orbit correctors grouped in double aperture magnet assemblies. They provide a field of 3.1 T at 100 A in an aperture of 70 mm. The current standard design is a classical cosine-theta layout made with ribbon cable. However, the electric insulation of this cable is not radiation-resistant enough to withstand the radiation load expected in the coming years of LHC operation. A new design, based on a cable with polyimide insulator, that can replace the existing orbit correctors, is needed. The challenge is to design a magnet that fits directly into the existing positions and that can operate with the same busbars, passive quench protection, and power supplies. The new orbit corrector design meets high requirements on the field quality while keeping within the same mechanical volume and maximum excitation current. A collaboration of Swedish universities and Swedish industry has been formed for the development and production of a prototype magnet following a concurrent engineering methodology to reduce the time needed to produce a CCT magnet. The magnet has a 1 m long CCT dipole layout consisting of two coils. The superconductor is a commercially available 0.33 mm wire with polyimide insulation in a 6-around-1 cable. The channels in the coil formers, that determine the CCT layout, allow for 2 x 5 cable layers. A total of 70 windings makes that the coil current can be kept below 100 A. We will present the detailed design and preliminary quench simulations.

Microscopic investigation

Grey cast iron is one of the easiest metals to cast in a foundry, and of ferrous metals, it has the lowest pouring temperature, high fluidity, and very low shrinkage during the transformation from the liquid to solid phase. One of the disadvantages of this grade of cast iron is the presence of the different types of defects produced in green sand casting. Cast defects are, at a higher proportion, caused by evolution of gases. Pinholes and blowholes are major casting defects caused by gases. This experimental work has focused on reducing gas defects on casting component, stator housing, at a production scale using the green sand casting process. The casting component produced was strongly affected by gas defects. A series of simulations were performed using the casting simulation program MAGMASOFT® in order to investigate the solidification characteristics as well as the porosity formation in the casting component.

One of the most common surface defects in sand casting of grey cast iron is caused by metal penetration into the sand mould. Metal penetration is a surface condition in which metal or metal oxides have filled the voids between sand grains to various depth without displacing them, thus yielding a phase of sand grains surrounded by metal and frequently by mould–metal reaction products. The penetration is often so severe that casting components are beyond the point of economical rework and must be scrapped. This experimental work has focused on reducing metal penetration on casting component on a production scale. The casting component produced has strongly affected by sand sintering metal penetration. A series of simulations were performed with the casting simulation program MagmaSoft® in order to investigate the solidification characteristics as well as the porosity formation in the casting component. 

Steel is a very essential structural material and its production worldwide has shown significant increase over the last years. In steels there always exist a large number of inclusions which can have a degrading effect on the fatigue properties. This study is focused on the link between the characteristics of non-metallic inclusions and how they affect fatigue strength of the standardized case-hardened carbon steel 20MnCr5 and a version of this steel with a more favorable inclusion distribution, a so-called Clean steel. For the evaluation of the mechanical properties the test result from rotary bending tests are compared and an improvement by 37.5% in fatigue strength can be noted between the different steels. The new performed ultrasonic tests illustrate the difference in the size of defects in materials with different manufacturing processes and degree of reduction. By studying international and European standards for non-destructive testing and investigation of alloy compounds, the current material specification can be adjusted. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2018.