Developing new, water-based lubricants for sheet metal forming. There is increasing pressure on manufacturers, including the sheet metal forming industry, to use less toxic, water-based lubricants with a number of common additives being banned or being phased out internationally. In the case of automotive manufacturers, this is combined with demand for alternative sheet materials to reduce costs or cater for export markets. Efficient development of new lubricants or replacement additives require ....Developing new, water-based lubricants for sheet metal forming. There is increasing pressure on manufacturers, including the sheet metal forming industry, to use less toxic, water-based lubricants with a number of common additives being banned or being phased out internationally. In the case of automotive manufacturers, this is combined with demand for alternative sheet materials to reduce costs or cater for export markets. Efficient development of new lubricants or replacement additives requires a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between lubricant components and the surface of the sheet metal. This project will explore and model these interactions and how they are affected by the variables in a metal forming process.Read moreRead less
Understanding the role of nanoparticles in water based lubrication. This project seeks to understand the role of nanoparticles in the lubrication of hot strip rolling and then to develop novel nano-additive water-based lubricants to solve a long-standing issue for the steel-making industry. Lubrication significantly affects the surface quality of hot-rolled strips, roll wear and energy consumption in the steel-making industry. Currently, oil-based lubricants are used. However, their lubricant ef ....Understanding the role of nanoparticles in water based lubrication. This project seeks to understand the role of nanoparticles in the lubrication of hot strip rolling and then to develop novel nano-additive water-based lubricants to solve a long-standing issue for the steel-making industry. Lubrication significantly affects the surface quality of hot-rolled strips, roll wear and energy consumption in the steel-making industry. Currently, oil-based lubricants are used. However, their lubricant effect is considerably reduced by the use of high pressure cooling water, and the waste discharge is of environmental concern. Successful outcomes for the project are expected to improve product quality and reduce resource use.Read moreRead less
DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE DRILLING FLUIDS. An innovative technique of micro-emulsion of vegetable oils and water has been developed to create a new generation, low-toxicity drilling fluids for use by the petroleum exploration industry. The project aims at investigating the chronic toxicity of new generation drilling fluids to fish, and re-formulate the drilling fluids to minimize the toxic ingredients. Biomarkers of exposure and effects such as, but not limited to, EROD ind ....DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE DRILLING FLUIDS. An innovative technique of micro-emulsion of vegetable oils and water has been developed to create a new generation, low-toxicity drilling fluids for use by the petroleum exploration industry. The project aims at investigating the chronic toxicity of new generation drilling fluids to fish, and re-formulate the drilling fluids to minimize the toxic ingredients. Biomarkers of exposure and effects such as, but not limited to, EROD induction, DNA damage and stress proteins will be explored in fish exposed chronically to drilling fluids or their ingredients. Outcomes include environmentally acceptable drilling fluids, and will represent the start point for multi-million dollars agriculture and manufacturing industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Roll bite lubrication in hot strip rolling. Roll bite lubrication has been applied in hot strip rolling with significant cost savings in reduced rolling force, reduced roll wear and increasede productivity. However the mechanics of roll bite lubrication in the interface is not well understood due to the high temperature of the strip, scale oxide on the surfaces and contact asperities. It is known how the surface roughness is generated after rolling. This proposed project will develop a model to ....Roll bite lubrication in hot strip rolling. Roll bite lubrication has been applied in hot strip rolling with significant cost savings in reduced rolling force, reduced roll wear and increasede productivity. However the mechanics of roll bite lubrication in the interface is not well understood due to the high temperature of the strip, scale oxide on the surfaces and contact asperities. It is known how the surface roughness is generated after rolling. This proposed project will develop a model to simulate the roll bite lubrication process, to determine the roughness transfer from the roll surface to the strip surface, and optimise roll bite lubriation process.Read moreRead less
Strip shape performance at tandem cold mill. The shape of the strip at the cold mill are affected significantly by machine conditions and key process variables, and yet the inter-relationship between these key areas are not known and operators rely on trial-and-error methods to operate the mill. At high speeds, the shape of the strip leaving the mill is not good, causeing problems to rolling mills downstream. The project proposed here will integrate practical knowledge and numerical modeling of ....Strip shape performance at tandem cold mill. The shape of the strip at the cold mill are affected significantly by machine conditions and key process variables, and yet the inter-relationship between these key areas are not known and operators rely on trial-and-error methods to operate the mill. At high speeds, the shape of the strip leaving the mill is not good, causeing problems to rolling mills downstream. The project proposed here will integrate practical knowledge and numerical modeling of the strip shape of tandem cold mill at high speeds to optimise the quality of the strip exiting the cold mill, and enable the mill to operate at higher speeds than the current practiceRead moreRead less