Our smaller Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) machine – the HPD 25 – has also been installed in its new home in the Royce Discovery Centre.
Training took place at the end of April 2021 and the equipment will now be available to the UK manufacturing community over the coming weeks, as well as staff and students working in materials-related fields across the UK.
FCT Systeme FAST capability
The uptake of the FAST process for structural metals has increased significantly over recent years. The concept of using an electric current/field to assist in consolidation of ceramic powders has existed for over a century; today the modern FAST process is being exploited to manufacture traditionally difficult-to-process alloys into near-net shapes.
FAST has advantages over hot isostatic pressing as more rapid sintering can be achieved without the need for process-limiting steel canning and degassing steps. In addition, the process has benefits for material utilisation and reuse of waste material. Powder feedstocks such as titanium, steel and nickel superalloys can be processed to produce properties superior to casting in one solid state processing step.
In Sheffield, FAST has been effectively combined with closed die forging to provide UK industry with a low-cost hybrid processing route – termed FAST-forge. Today, Royce at the University of Sheffield is working with partners such as the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre - Advanced Forming Research Centre, the Alan Turing Institute, regional businesses, long-standing supply chain manufacturers and multi-nationals to translate the UK-developed technology into next generation components. While FAST technology can also be used to join dissimilar powder materials and provide functionally graded material solutions for designers.
Professor Martin Jackson, Research Area Lead for Advanced Metals Processing at Royce, based at the University of Sheffield, said: “We have been developing as-forged properties in high strength powder alloys and machining waste through FAST and FAST-forge technologies for several years now, in collaboration with industry partners such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Safran Landing Systems and DSTL.
“The semi-continuous large-scale FCT Systeme FAST facility with rapid cooling capability is unique to the UK and provides our industrial and academic partners with access to this exciting technology for feasibility trials at a scale that will provide confidence for stakeholders in this emerging UK supply chain. The FAST capability also integrates well within the new Advanced Metals Processing capability at Royce, whereby vacuum induction melting, atomisation, additive manufacturing, hot isostatic pressing and extrusion/rolling capabilities are embedded in the heart of Sheffield’s engineering campus.
“Over the coming months, Royce at the University of Sheffield will be continuing to demonstrate how waste powder or machining swarf can be recycled into near net shapes with as-forged properties for a range of aerospace, automotive and defence components. This national capability will underpin the UK’s position as a world leader in hybrid FAST and FAST-forge processing of advanced metallic systems.”
You can find out more about the FAST process by watching this animation from the MAPP – the EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei3SEPmUfjI
To enquire about our FAST capabilities and equipment, please email royce@sheffield.ac.uk