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Center for Sustainable Casting
RISE's test and demonstration environment for sustainable casting brings together industry, academia, institutes, and the sector to develop and implement new sustainable materials, techniques, and processes. The aim is to enhance the competitiveness of the Swedish manufacturing industry and ensure a skilled workforce for the foundry industry.
This initiative is a partnership between Volvo Cars, the Volvo Group, Scania, Chalmers University of Technology, Jönköping University of Technology, and RISE. It responds to increasing sustainability demands, with advancements in die-casting technology, known as Megacasting, offering potential to reduce the carbon footprint.
Die-casting enables the mass production of complex components. The shift towards Megacasting allows larger parts to be produced, potentially replacing several components with a single piece. This innovation can lead to benefits such as greater design flexibility, more sustainable industrial processes, reduced lead times, and enhanced raw material circularity.
Applications of this technology are extensive, particularly in the automotive industry, but also in telecommunications and the manufacturing of furniture and handheld tools.
New technology requires new knowledge and collaboration across the entire value chain. Thus, the Center for Sustainable Casting will serve as an industrial-scale research and development environment. Companies will have a shared platform to test and validate new materials, processes, and methods for sustainable casting. The center will also address long-term skill needs in the foundry industry and offer education at all levels – from operator training to doctoral studies.
All industries are welcome
Competitiveness in Swedish manufacturing industry relies on cross-industry insights. Although the rapid advancements in die-casting are currently most evident in the automotive industry, the applications are diverse, and all industries are welcome.
Participating in the center provides access to research, education, and the latest equipment across various fields. This reduces the risk, time, and cost of testing new and unproven technologies. Participants can also utilize advanced analysis and testing equipment, both domestically and internationally. Most importantly, the center fosters collaboration across the entire value chain. For equipment and tool suppliers, it offers an opportunity to test and validate their products with potential customers while also serving as a "showroom" to showcase their innovations.
Our offer
Explore the opportunities the center provides for you based on your position in the value chain.
Product owners
- A comprehensive concept for component development and expertise in aluminium and casting
- The opportunity to develop and analyse material properties, processes and material models for recycled materials
- Optimization of tools regarding performance and lifespan
- Development of die-cast prototypes and pre-series
- Competence development of personnel in an authentic environment
Die-casting foundries
- Evaluation of new technology and reduced risk in new investments
- Optimization of tools and processes regarding performance and lifespan
- Increased productivity, for instance through demand-driven lubrication and cooling of the casting tool via IR camera
- Reduced climate footprint through process analysis and proposed improvement measures
- Education and implementation of routines for the development of climate data sheets for components and validation
- Competence development of personnel in an authentic environment
Suppliers of raw material
- Support in development and verification of environmentally and economically sustainable melting and purification processes, from characterization to ingot delivery
- Advanced and unbiased material characterisation
- Analysis, evaluation, and verification of the alloy's properties in different applications
- Issuance of LCA analysis and/or climate data sheets for various alloys
Tool manufacturers
- The opportunity to analyse and evaluate process data in an advanced die-casting machine
- Evaluation and verification of tool lifespan, from a technical and economical perspective.
- Resources for testing and evaluating different techniques for service, reparation, and renovation/remanufacturing, for instance through 3D printing
- Evaluation of sensor technology in casting tools, for instance, for optimizing cycle time
- Optimization of tools and processes regarding performance and lifespan
Suppliers of tool steel
- Long-term testing in a real-world die-casting process where various damage mechanisms can be analysed, quantified, and correlated with the process parameters the tool has been subjected to
- Development of models to predict different tool wear patterns based on component geometry and process parameters
Suppliers of technology and supplies
- Equipment and supplies can be evaluated and receive certificates verifying production and climate performance
- Development and improvement of products and services, for instance by providing process data for modelling and simulation
- The means to conduct training sessions for end customers or industry personnel
Furnace suppliers
- An authentic environment where different melting concepts and melting treatments can be evaluated, supported by qualified analysis equipment and expertise
- The opportunity to try various technical solutions verified from an energy and climate perspective, in order to offer quality-assured process and climate performance
Contact us!
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