* US Department of Energy material optimization project awarded to Caterpillar * Development of high strength Compacted Graphite Iron for heavy-duty engines * SinterCast Mini-System 3000 installation planned for summer 2013 [Birmingham and Stockholm, 19 April 2013] - Following an announcement by the Obama administration on 22 March 2012 providing USD 14.2 million in new funding to develop lightweight materials for advanced vehicles, the US Department of Energy has awarded USD 3.5 million to Caterpillar Inc. for the development of high strength cast alloys for heavy-duty high performance engine applications. As part of the three year project, Caterpillar will work together with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to investigate and develop new Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) alloys. In addition, UAB has entered into an agreement with SinterCast for the installation of a Mini-System 3000 at the UAB Department of Material Science & Engineering laboratories. The installation is planned for the summer of 2013. SinterCast will also provide in-kind technical support throughout the duration of the project. The objective of the project is to develop cost-effective high-strength cast materials that can enable future increases in specific power density (horsepower/weight) and increased thermal efficiency in heavy-duty diesel engines. "This project reinforces the need for continuous advances in engine performance and efficiency, and the need for advanced materials to support these objectives while ensuring durability and emissions compliance. These demands - and the opportunities for CGI growth - are particularly applicable in heavy-duty engine applications, defined by this project as the 10-17 litre displacement range, for engines with more than 350 horsepower" said Dr Steve Dawson, President & CEO of SinterCast. "Building on our successful experience with Compacted Graphite Iron in commercial vehicle engine applications, we look forward to this unique opportunity to explore leap-frog material advances." Dr Steve Dawson President & CEO Tel: +46 8 660 7750 e-mail: steve.dawson@sintercast.com With more than 11,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is an internationally renowned research university and medical center. UAB offers a full range of academic programs, including 137 different degree programs and is the largest, single-site employer in Alabama with an annual economic impact in excess of USD 5 billion. The metals group at UAB has 20+ years' experience in performing casting-related research in cast iron funded by industry, DOE, and DOD. Through these research projects, UAB has developed techniques for characterization and laboratory production of gray, ductile and CG iron. UAB maintains two casting labs including a 2000 and a 9600 square foot lab. Iron melting equipment includes a 175 KW power supply, a 500 lb. iron capacity hydraulic tilt box furnace, and a 100 lb. iron capacity hydraulic tilt box furnace. Microstructural characterization equipment includes optical and stereo microscopes with digital cameras for direct image acquisition and image processing software. Additional capabilities include scanning electron microscopy (SEM), casting simulation software, and casting modeling. The group is currently active in a variety of projects related to the engineering and science of metal solidification. For more information: www.uab.edu/metals SinterCast is the world's leading supplier of process control technology for the reliable high volume production of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI). With at least 75% higher tensile strength, 45% higher stiffness and approximately double the fatigue strength of conventional grey cast iron and aluminium, CGI allows engine designers to improve performance, fuel economy and durability while reducing engine weight, noise and emissions. The SinterCast technology is used for the production of more than 50 CGI components, ranging from 2 kg to 17 tonnes, all using the same proven process control technology. The end-users of SinterCast- CGI components include Aston Martin, Audi, Cameron Compression, Caterpillar, Chrysler, DAF Trucks, Ford, Ford-Otosan, General Electric Transportation Systems, General Motors, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lancia, Land Rover, MAN, Navistar, Porsche, PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Renault, Rolls-Royce Power Engineering, Scania, Toyota, VM Motori, Volkswagen, Volvo and Waukesha Engine. The SinterCast share is quoted on the Small Cap segment of the NASDAQ OMX stock exchange (Stockholmsbörsen: SINT). For more information: www.sintercast.com END [HUG#1693087]
University of Alabama to install SinterCast technology for project funded by the US Department of Energy
| Source: SinterCast AB