Innovations in Metallurgical Manufacturing: From Concept to Implementation

Innovations in Metallurgical Manufacturing: From Concept to ImplementationPatricio F. Mendez
Assistant Professor
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Colorado School of MinesABSTRACTMetal processing operations are governed by a number of physical principles, typically
many more than other manufacturing processes such as the assembly of parts, for
instance. This physical complexity is a double edge sword: it opens the door to radically
new ideas, but it makes their design and implementation very difficult. This presentation
will address this challenge from both points of view.
I will introduce a conceptual framework and new tools to address technical complexity;
we will see how scaling and similarity techniques can be extended to tackle the multicoupled
and often poorly defined problems in metals processing, using welding as an
example. I will also use some of these tools to analyze a radically new metallurgical
process very similar to Contour Crafting, and show how this analysis could be extended
beyond metals. Finally, I will describe de invention of a new die-casting process using
semi-solid metals, based on the alteration of existing processes. This process has
revolutionized the semi-solid industry, and it is currently being used to manufacture a
component of the Ford Focus.

Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - 309

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Shah Nirav