Alloying and Casting Furnace for Shape Memory Alloys

The concept in the proposed project is to create a melting, alloying and casting furnace for the processing titanium based SMA using cold crucible techniques. The cold crucible furnace configuration will allow the material to remain pure without ceramic contamination. By using a combination of arc melting and induction processes it will also allow the material to be fully alloyed from elemental feed stock. The complete alloying and casting process will be contained in one vacuum/atmospheric chamber reducing the introduction of oxygen in the process. The deliverable at the end of the project will be to deliver a fully developed melting, alloying and casting furnace for processing 500g melts to The Advanced Metallics Branch of NASA Glenn Research Center.

The NASA application of the proposed furnace is to enable the full theoretical properties to be explored of titanium based shape memory alloys (SMA). It is not limited to research of SMA it can be used for a wide range of reactive and refractory metal alloy development including intermetallic compounds.

The proposed furnace configuration is a saleable product for Arcast Inc. and we intend to market it once it is fully developed.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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