Resource-efficient design of durable cast steel enabled by detailed structure-property investigation

Purpose and goal

Material and process development is key for achieving a sustainable and resilient supply of metals. The project focuses on the technological transition in cast steel, to enable more durable, light-weight cast components with integrated functionality. The purpose is to evaluate the potential impact of optimizing the microstructure on mechanical properties and sustainability, and the feasibility of enabling this potential gain by tailored materials and processes at the foundries.

Expected effects and result

The short-term results are a community and a roadmap outlining the current state-of-art in cast steel alloys and the path towards understanding structure-property relation and its potential benefits from technical, sustainability, and commercial perspectives. The learnings will lead to a full-scale project with the final result of manufacturing resource efficient durable cast components for load-bearing functional applications enabled by structure-property understanding.

Planned approach and implementation

The study starts by engaging partners across the value chain, including steel companies, foundries, and end-users, to realize the long-term vision for load-bearing functional cast steel components. The project also builds a solid scientific foundation and a roadmap by assessing feasibility and impact of detailed structure-property understanding through literature survey and initial tests, leading to a full-scale project plan aiming at resource efficient design of durable cast steel components.