squeeze casting: the future - International Specialised Skills Institute

RecommendationsGovernmentGovernment can play an integral part in the development and transformation of the die casting industry.This can be realised in number of ways:• Provide funding for research on squeeze casting to be done in partnership between die castingindustries, the CSIRO and educational Institutes.• Assist educational institutions to set up research facilities in squeeze casting.• Actively encourage industry to take up squeeze casting technology, so that it can becomeinternationally competitive.The lack of squeeze casting research in Australia is due to a lack of applied research in general, asemphasis is more on commercial research for specific companies.Industry• Invest in squeeze casting technology, to enable international competitiveness.• Invest in research into squeeze casting technology to create new composite materials.• Conduct research into the development of parts created using squeeze casting.• Conduct research into converting automotive parts from iron and steel to lightweight aluminium.• Apply this new technology in new fields.• Die casting companies need to upgrade their internal technical expertise to meet these challenges.• Conduct research into using this technology with wrought alloys. This would then lead to partsproduced by squeeze casting having same properties as forged parts.• Work with the educational establishments and the CSIRO for future research, to provide equipmentfor education and research, and to train personnel ready for industry.• Industry and TAFE institutes need to work together so that the training that takes place at the TAFEinstitutes is relevant to the requirements of industry.• Future Fellowships and joint collaborative projects to be organised through the ISS Institute.Business and training contacts have now been made in the USA that could be developed further.Professional Associations• Develop a proactive approach to squeeze casting technology.• Encourage industry and Local, State and Federal Governments to take up the challenge of squeezecasting technology.• Assist when the Training Packages are up for amendments and require squeeze casting technologyto be written into the package as mandatory competency units.Education and Training• Education and training institutes have an important responsibility to be at the forefront of innovationand development. This Fellowship is a testament to the commitment to continue to research andwork towards bringing innovation into the hands of future graduates.Consequently, based on the results of this research and investigation, Dr Iyer recommends thatthe squeeze casting process becomes part of the considerations in curriculum development foradvanced manufacturing program enhancement.4445