Advanced Simulation and Visualization for Steel Optimization Consortium

Goal: Launch an industry-led steel manufacturing consortium to support development of advanced simulation and visualization tools to overcome technical barriers that inhibit the growth of advanced manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. steel industry.

Lead: Purdue University Calumet, Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation
2200 169th St.
Hammond, Ind. 46323

Award Number: 70NANB14H049

Federal Funding: $480,049

Project Duration: 24 months

With commitments of support from 14 companies and other organizations, Purdue University Calumet aims to launch a consortium that will work toward long-range technical solutions that steel companies and their suppliers can implement to improve efficiency, lower production costs, and advance the quality of steel manufacturing in the United States. The steel-manufacturing consortium's initial task will be to develop an industry-led technology roadmap that identifies and prioritizes research projects directed towards applying simulation and visualization tools that will strengthen manufacturing performance across the steel industry's value chain.

About 120 steel plants now are operating in the United States. Altogether these plants and their domestic suppliers contributed $17.5 billion to the U.S. economy in 2010 and supported—directly and indirectly—more than a million jobs. However, the nation's steel industry faces significant challenges, from strong global competition to high raw-materials costs to a shrinking pool of skilled workers. To meet these challenges, the industry needs to optimize its manufacturing capabilities, improve efficiency, and improve workforce training throughout the value chain.Newly developed and emerging simulation and visualization technologies have the potential to significantly boost energy efficiency, improve processes and design approaches, reduce downtime, and equip current and future workers with valuable skills needed in advanced manufacturing operations.

For project information: Chenn Q. Zhou, (219) 989-2665, czhou [at] purduecal.edu (czhou[at]purduecal[dot]edu)

Funded Participants:

• American Iron and Steel Institute (Washington, D.C.)

AMTech Project Manager: Jean-Louis Staudenmann, (301) 975-4866, jean-louis.staudenmann [at] nist.gov (jean-louis[dot]staudenmann[at]nist[dot]gov)