Lewellyn Cupido: "Experimental and Numerical investigation of Heat Treatment of Al-Si-Cu Alloy".
Supervisor: Dr Nawaz Mahomed , Cape Penisula University of Technology
Co-supervisor: Dr Pawel Leszek Zak , AGH University of Science and Technology
Summary:
Al-Si-Cu alloys presents opportunities for weight reduction in automotive applications, besides other high-technology applications. This is partly due to enhanced mechanical properties induced by Silicon and Copper.
For such components produced by sandcasting (or HPDC), there is a need to improve the microstructure through heat treatment. This is to reduce the chemical inhomogeneity due to microsegregation which generally leads to a reduction in mechanical properties of the material.
This study therefore involves the investigation of the improvement in microstructure of Al-Si-Cu alloys under varied heat treatment regimes in order to establish the mechanical properties of this alloy, for comparison with existing ferrous-based alloys use in current high-technology applications. The analysis will be further corroborated through numerical simulations using MAGMAsoft, with the aim of developing thermo-mechanical-metallurgical properties for use in the simulation process.
This study will lead to a general know-how of heat treatment of non-ferrous alloys and their associated microstructural evolution.
Jecois Fourie: "Application Of Magmasoft™ To Gating System Optimization Of Inlet Valve Casting Made Of Titanium Alloy".
Supervisor: Dr Nawaz Mahomed , Cape Penisula University of Technology
Co-supervisor: Ph.D. D.Sc. Janusz Lelito , AGH University of Science and Technology