CAST > Technologies > Technology Transfer

Technology Transfer

Considerable knowledge has been developed over the period of CRC funding for CAST. Dissemination and capture of this knowledge needs to occur at all levels in order for the maximum benefit and impact on Australian industry. An important aspect of the program over the last year has been to provide a diverse range of technology transfer activities.

A wide variety of innovative training programs, courses and information sessions have been developed and are presented to a range of industry audiences. Close liaison with CAST's industrial partners ensures relevant courses and information are delivered. All material prepared is in a format suitable for archiving and reuse in the future. Management of the intellectual property associated with the programs is broken down into three sectors: Operations staff training, Management/ Process issues and Technical information. Input on how to coordinate and balance the mix of programs covering these three areas has been generously provided by a host of individuals and organisations.

The areas within the light metals industry in Australia that have received particular emphasis are the processing of molten metal, design considerations for new applications and metallurgy/ manufacturing theory applicable to the shop floor. Examples of these issues are:

• Aluminium casthouses that require a mix of metallurgical processing and materials skills to cover a diversity of job responsibilities.
• The magnesium sector of the Australian light metals industry is developing from an almost zero base of expertise. A source of appropriately trained graduates and operations staff will be essential for the anticipated growth of this industry.
• Shop floor delivery of a range of educational materials is of benefit to the die casting industry. The geographical spread and size of the die casting industry necessitates an improvement in the style and access to educational resources and training methods.

SMEs Accessing Technology
A technology transfer project specifically aimed at enabling SMEs to access CAST intellectual property and world best practice manufacturing is the primary mechanism for SMEs to interact with the CRC. A total of 18 manufacturing companies have joined the project and there is widespread additional interest. Through this project companies have joined CAST as Associate Members. By building on the outcomes of earlier benchmarking, specific technology transfer projects have been established with individual companies. Results to date indicate substantial improvements in performance in a range of areas. Energy management has been identified through this project as a major industry issue. An Energy Roundtable has been established and an energy management training program for the die casting and foundry sector. Following the success to date, these technology transfer activities will be expanded to meet the demands of a broader group of companies.