The FHNW Casting Centre is the scientific port of call for the casting sector.
Development and service from a single source
Bringing together the School of Engineering's wide-ranging casting-related expertise and resources, the Casting Centre is managed by well-established experts with years of experience in research and production. We focus our efforts consistently on requirements specific to the industry. Our collaborative services range from classic casting and melting technology through to modern Rapid Prototyping and numerical simulation of casting processes, and we also offer a continuing education programme in casting technology.
Competencies
For our partners and customers in the casting industry we develop and optimise processes in the area of casting and melting technology. Our casting laboratory enables instrumentalised trial castings using sand blasting and chill casting techniques. A 50 kW induction crucible furnace serves as a melting unit for alloys based on iron, aluminium and copper, for example.
We use MAGMA-Soft to simulate and optimise casting processes. We also make use of other programmes such as ANSYS, ABAQUS and Flowmaster to perform calculations relating to production technology and strength.
Our expert materials engineers help you analyse materials in detail and undertake further development, with our well-equipped metallography laboratory providing the necessary basis.
Our light and electron microscopy, EDX analysis and spark emission spectrometry facilities enable a wide range of material tests to be performed, and we also have the equipment to carry out tensile and hardness tests as well as differential thermal analysis.
Selected projects
Innovative brass components
Tap manufacturer KWC joined forces with FHNW to develop innovative brass alloys so as to comply with new standards.
Continuing education programme in casting technology
Qualified young talent is very much in demand for middle and senior management positions in foundries. This is precisely the target group of the continuing education programme Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Casting Technology, taught in German. It is first specialised continuing education programme to be offered in the field of casting at university level in Switzerland.
