Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST)

BCAST is an academic research centre focusing on both fundamental and applied research on solidification of metallic materials.

BCAST was first established in October 2002, and is now one of the world’s strongest solidification research groups. It comprises 60+ members of staff from academics, research fellows, postgraduate research students, technicians and administrative staff. Current projects cover a wide selection of topics that range from intensive shearing to direct chill (DC) casting to recycling to Molecular Dynamic Simulations of interfacial monolayers. In particular BCAST strives to realise a sustainable metals market and provide industries with environmentally friendly metal processing solutions. Our research activities span from fundamental research, to technological developments to industrial applications. Our research is well supported by EPSRC, TSB, EU and a network of industrial companies including Constellium, JLR and Aeromet to list but a few. We also provide a unique collection of state-of-the-art facilities.

Based at BCAST, the Future LiME Hub continues on the success of the EPSRC Centre LiME, which was established in February 2010. The long-term vision of the Hub is full metal circulation, in which the global demand for metallic materials is met by a full circulation of secondary metals (with only limited addition of primary metals each year) through reduced usage, reuse, remanufacture, closed-loop recycling and effective recovery and refining of secondary metals (as illustrated below). This represents a paradigm shift for metallurgical science, manufacturing technology and the industrial landscape. This vision is shared by both our academic spokes and our industrial collaborators. The Future LiME Hub will lay down a solid foundation for full metal circulation.