International Recognition for Materials Processing Institute Chief Technology Officer
Alan Scholes, Chief Technology Officer at the Materials Processing Institute, has won a prestigious industry award from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).
Alan Scholes has been awarded the Best Paper Award by the AIST, as co-author of a paper titled "Development of Tailored Roll Grade Materials for the Early Stands of Finishing Hot Metals" along with other research and steel organisations.
The accolade is presented to the author(s) of the best paper submitted to the Rolls Technology Committee.
The paper summarises how a methodology for the manufacture of small castings has been developed using microstructural and thermal-mechanical testing. By using this approach, several new material grades have been produced, analysed and refined, including grades that have now been cast as full-scale rolls. Specific grades have been developed to target mills that have difficulty using standard HSS (high- speed steel) and to further improve the performance of HSS in service.
The research, which was supported by the European Research Fund for Coal and Steel, has provided a means to simulate the rolling environment and to test new material grades. It has removed the need for expensive and high risk of failure mill trials.
Alan said: "Techniques to develop new material grades were achieved through the combined expertise and collaboration of several organisations, and it is a great honour to be part of this award-winning research team."
Co-authors of the paper were:
- Andrew J. Brown and Jason B. Sychterz, Union Electric Steel UK Ltd, U.K.
- Petrus H. Bolt, M. Krugla, S. Sengo, M.Rijnders, Tata Steel Research & Development, Netherlands
- Alan Scholes, Materials Processing Institute, U.K.
- Eliette Mathey, ArcelorMittal Mazières Research S.A. France
- Gisèle walmag. Olivier leMaire, Jurgen Malbrancke, Centre de Recherches Métallurgiques ASBL, Belgium
Chris McDonald, Chief Executive of the Materials Processing Institute, added: "I am delighted for Alan, whose work has always been of the highest standard, and this international recognition is fully deserved. His research, along with the work of his fellow co-authors, has identified a cost-effective practice within the industry and everyone at the Institute is proud of this achievement."
The award will be presented at AIST 2017, which takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, from 8th-11th May.
13 March 2017
