News: AMRC developing a new approach to magnesium moulding

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, based at the AMP in Rotherham, is helping Cambridgeshire-based precision manufacturing company, Shearline, develop a new approach to magnesium moulding.

The project aims to evaluate a new magnesium injection moulding process called Thixomoulding, particularly with regard to new alloys for the aerospace, automotive and defence sectors. An example of the type of ultra lightweight, very strong, complex moulded components were showcased at the Farnborough International Airshow last week.

Charles Maltby, Technical & Commercial Director of Shearline, said: "Thixomoulding is a relatively new process which enables the precise moulding of magnesium alloy components with thin walls and complex shapes within a single process.

"Magnesium alloys are already widely used for low cost, high volume components for computers and mobile phones and also in high performance cars where strength and lightness is required.

"We see an opportunity to provide similar magnesium components for low volume, high value manufacture particularly for prototypes and first production cycles.

"Metal injection moulding via Thixomoulding and new additive layer methods for producing tooling can reduce the overall cost of tooling and construction.

"Components that may previously have required several manufacturing processes, or to have been constructed in parts and then assembled, can now be integrated within a single mould."

Shearline will be the first commercial facility in the UK to offer design for manufacture knowledge in magnesium Thixomoulding. There are currently only a few sites capable of providing this service in Europe and they are almost all in research labs.

Shearline has been working closely with the University of Sheffield and the AMRC and has secured a Knowledge Transfer Programme from the university to work on the new activity.

KTP Associate Rachel Peachey said: "I am really looking forward to working at Shearline and with University of Sheffield support and knowledge this will be an excellent opportunity to bring advanced manufacturing methods to the UK."

Iain Todd, Reader in Metallurgy and Director of Materials, University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing added: "Shearline is a progressive company and this project provides a great example of the way universities can work with world-class organisations to bridge the gap between emerging research and industrial application.

"We see tremendous potential for this process with some compelling applications."

Shearline website
AMRC website

Images: brchamber.co.uk