Additive Manufacturing for Repair and Re-use of Castings - AdCast

**AdCast** is a radical approach to reduce the loss of high-value metal-cast products in two key areas: in the foundry and in the field. 5% of castings are scrapped as unrepairable, due to defects, generating thousands of tonnes scrap globally per year. A further 20% of defective castings are re-heated and manually repaired using large amounts of gas.

To achieve this game-changing advance three technologies will be combined for the first time:

**Directed Energy Deposition** (DED) to deposit metal repairs on challenging high-chrome cast substrates.

**Metal wire feedstock for DED,** optimised for the repair of high chrome-content white iron castings, notoriously hard and difficult to repair.

**AI-assisted** **software.** 3D scanning will compare defect to nominal CAD shape and automatically generate the 3D additive weld path and calibrate to the target casting location.

This **Additive Repair (AdR)** approach will change the repair of high-specification cast structures (in the foundry and in the field) from a risky, resource-intensive operation **taking days** of oven heating and manual labour with variable results and poor financial viability, to an intelligent, self-improving and efficient operation **taking hours**, requiring no pre-heating.

The presence of industry experts is key:

* Weir Minerals, a global manufacturing company, with drive to improve sustainability and resource efficiency by reducing foundry scrap and offering repair/refurbishment services.
* AiBuild has AI-based CNC simulation and analysis tools adapted to DED operations that will be leveraged to provide rapid repair calibration and automated repair routines.
* MTC has advanced laser-based AM systems with skills in real-time monitoring and inspection to optimise quality and speed.

By providing the technology for refurbishment and repair cells globally, AdCast will significantly impact global resource efficiency and benefit UK plc by the export of a world-leading products and services.