Flash Processed Carbon Steels for Automotive Applications Award Number: DE-EE0007877 CX(s) Applied: A9, B1.31, B2.4 Advanced Manufacturing Office Date: 4/13/2017 Location(s): MI Office(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
April 13, 2017
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Flash Processed Carbon Steels for Automotive Applications
Award Number: DE-EE0007877
CX(s) Applied: A9, B1.31, B2.4
Advanced Manufacturing Office
Date: 4/13/2017
Location(s): MI
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide funding to SFP Works, LLC to design, develop, fabricate, and operate a machine that uses induction heating to heat 3 foot wide coils of steel sheet to over 1000 degrees Celsius and then within 5 seconds, quench the steel in water. Besides vendor developed components, all activities would occur at the SFP Works facility in Washington, MI. DOE is one of 11 federal agencies participating in the Small Business Innovation Research - Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR-STTR) programs enacted under the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 and run by the Small Business Administration. The SBIR-STTR programs work with eligible small technology firms to stimulate innovative, cost-effective solutions to challenging scientific and engineering problems. SFP Works has previously received both SBIR Phase I and SBIR Phase II awards. This SBIR Phase III award is a continuation of the work funded under their SBIR Phase I award. Phase III SBIR-STTR grants are used to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II research and development activities. This proposed Phase III project continues the Phase I work by scaling up the process to enable full coils (20,000 lb) of sheet product to be Flash Processed.
Vendors would design and build a 1.2 megawatt induction power supply, transformer, heat exchanger, steel coil handling components, and an induction coil system. These components would be assembled, integrated, debugged, and operated at the SFP Works facility to insure critical parameters are maintained for proper Flash operation and Flash processing requirements are met. This effort would qualify the equipment being used and validate the Flash processing of sheet metal at a scaled up to commercially relevant production rate with predictable and repeatable mechanical properties. Operational consistency of the Flash Line would be independently validated by a third party, production costs would be estimated, and a final report would be submitted to the DOE.