The SUMMSEED project, funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, has been launched with the aim of developing new medium-manganese steels for mining and heavy industry. Coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the consortium brings together entities such as Sandvik, Sidenor, and Meltio, along with several technical universities, combining industrial casting and laser-directed energy deposition with wire.
Casting and laser: the dual path to a stronger steel ⚙️
The technical approach of SUMMSEED combines two processes: traditional industrial casting and laser-directed energy deposition with wire (DED-LB). The idea is to optimize the microstructure of medium-manganese steel to withstand extreme conditions of wear and fatigue. Researchers will adjust processing parameters and chemical composition to achieve a balance between hardness and toughness, validating the results on real components for mining machinery.
When steel becomes harder than the mine boss 💪
Project leaders assure that these steels will withstand impacts, abrasion, and fatigue without flinching. Almost like a miner after twenty years on the job, but without needing coffee or complaints. The curious thing is that while materials become more resistant, the operators will remain the same as always, only now with parts that will likely last longer than their patience with the plant's coffee machine.