The Hot Cup Consortium
A large amount of critical thinking, technical work and detailed analysis has already been applied to the Hot Cup Die Casting process.
However there is a lot more to be done to make it available as an industrial process.
The proposed method of progressing this technology is via a consortium of interested organizations.
Who can benefit from the Hot Cup Consortium ?
Die Casting Users
Companies that use Die Cast parts as components in their products or sub-assemblies such as those in the automotive sector and other manufacturers of high quality products'
Die Casters
Makers of high pressure Die Cast parts who want to improve their production, reduce their reject rates and offer increased capability to their customers.
Machine Suppliers
Manufacturers and suppliers of Die Casting machines who want to offer new technology solutions to their customers.
Equipment Suppliers
Manufacturers and suppliers of ancillary equipment, technology and sub-systems who are looking for new opportunities in the Die Casting industry.
Objectives the Hot Cup Consortium
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To undertake research into the Hot Cup Die Casting process
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To develop the Hot Cup Die Casting process to enable it to be commercially available to industry
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To obtain funding for the R&D activities from the participating organizations
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To own and retain the fundamental intellectual property pertaining to the Hot Cup Die Casting process
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To authorize and licence organisations to use the intellectual property for the purposes of:
- manufacture and supply of Hot Cup Die Casting machines and equipment
- manufacture of Die Cast components using the Hot Cup process
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To reward organizations who have contributed to the R&D funding by way of early access to the technology and favorable licence agreements
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To provide education and training in Hot Cup technology to contributors to the consortium
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To promote and publicize the Hot Cup Die Casting process, and its licencees, on a global basis
Founders of the Hot Cup Consortium
Edmund A Herman
Mr Herman has spent his whole career in manufacturing technology. As a qualified Industrial Engineer, he began in plants making pressure Die Castings where he quickly got to grips with the technical issues. He could see that to improve the process, industry needed to apply scientific research and techniques to the process. He joined the US Society of Die Casting Engineers as the Education Officer, where he organised the training programs. Over several years, he wrote a series of text books on Die Casting technology which became the bedrock of training in the industry. Some of the titles of these text books are: Gating Die Casting Dies, Heat Flow, Dimensional Repeatability, Costing of Die Castings, Die Casting Dies Designing and Die Casting Process Engineering Control. His name is found on many papers by the SDCE and the North American Die Casting association. He worked for many years with a large automotive manufacturer where he was involved in a range of industrial processes and technologies.
Graham L Wilson
Has extensive experience in the manufacturing of industrial components, design and manufacturing of cavity tooling and research and development. With a tertiary science qualification, he has an ongoing interest in applying science and engineering to manufacturing to achieve better outcomes. He developed hot sprue technology and hot runner technology for use in the hot chamber Die Casting process and has implemented it in industrial plants. He has also developed and refined advanced shot-monitoring hardware and software, and thermal control equipment for use in the Die Casting process. He has been closely associated with The Australian Die Casting Association, the CSIRO and the CAST Cooperative Research Center and has maintained an active interest in education and training for Die Casting engineers.
Eric N Buckley
Eric studied Industrial Chemistry at the University of New South Wales and began his career in the oldest Diecasting company in Australia, Lawrenson Diecasting. He then moved to the laboratory of a non-ferrous metal producer. Soon he was visiting Die Casting plants, analysing the metal content and solving a myriad of Die Casting process and die design problems. He joined the Society of Die Casting Engineers of Australia and spent many years in leadership positions on the NSW and National Committees. He has worked in several Die Casting companies in very senior roles, making zinc, aluminium and brass Die Castings by the high pressure, gravity and low pressure processes. Always active in education and technology with the Australian Die Casting Association, including seminars, technical presentations and conferences, he also has many years of experience marketing high technology Die Castings to automotive companies around the globe. He later formed his own company supplying high and low pressure Die Casting machines and ancillary equipment as well as consulting and problem solving services to the industry. He has a vast knowledge of the Die Casting process, its applications and technical capabilities.