Völundr Scientific specializes in helping many types of customers overcome materials challenges that can cost them time, money, and can inconveniently take many years to solve without additional assistance. From technical challenges related to the ancient art and modern science of metal casting to the development of advanced alloy design methods, our expertise in science and technology helps customers advance and thrive.
Industrial Research and Applications
Focus Areas
Versatile Skills and Broad Expertise
Our technical consulting service specializes in traditional metallurgical manufacturing techniques, including casting, forging, and welding. We offer innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of the industrial landscape, ensuring smooth and efficient day-to-day operations. If you're facing a problematic process, our fresh perspective and expert materials processing knowledge can help you find the best solution.
Green Sand, Investment, and Die Casting
Our technical consulting service offers a wealth of expertise in various industrial casting processes. Our mission is to help you reduce costs, resolve scrap issues, and improve productivity. We work closely with our clients to address the diverse challenges faced by foundries of all sizes. Our team excels at identifying and resolving problems that often require in-depth root cause analysis or specialized material and process knowledge.
Ingot Forging, Rolling, and Shaping
Our team of experts has extensive experience in designing and studying techniques for manufacturing components from a wide range of materials, including conventional wrought materials like steel and aluminum, as well as specialized alloys such as nickel superalloys and heat-resistant stainless steels. We are well-equipped to assist in both developing new material solutions and tackling long-standing production issues.
Swaging, and Wire Drawing
Our technical consulting service is committed to helping you overcome challenges related to swaging and wire drawing for new and demanding materials. We also possess extensive knowledge in various end uses processes. Our expertise includes designing and processing wire for both welding applications and 3D printing, ensuring that you receive the most effective solutions tailored to your specific application.
Broad Metallurgical Expertise
We take pride in offering professional guidance in the field of metallurgy, drawing upon our team's extensive experience with a wide range of metals. We utilize industrially scalable techniques to study advanced high strength steels, various cast irons, aluminum-silicon alloys, bronze, magnesium, zinc, and nickel superalloys. If you're facing a persistent scrap issue or want to deepen your understanding of the core metals you use daily, our team is here to help.
Advanced Manufacturing and Alloy Design
The impact of the merger between industrial technology and AI is undeniable, and while it's wise to approach new technologies with caution, the potential for rapid design and implementation of materials solutions is too great to ignore. Our company specializes in the responsible use of AI and other computational tools to expedite material development and deployment. We aim to maximize the potential of computational tools while still addressing hands-on challenges that are currently too difficult to compute. Whether you're working with a brand-new process or an extension of existing technologies, our team can help you explore and investigate problems that directly affect your bottom line and competitive edge.
AI and Machine Learning Guided Alloy Design
The design space in metallurgy, even when limited to transition elements, is vast. With the increased reliability of computational material design techniques, huge areas of alloy composition design space can be intelligently explored. Our team has extensive experience in designing and executing research on computational alloy design, always keeping manufacturing concerns and scale-up in mind.
Additive Manufacturing Technologies
The team has conducted extensive research on a variety of additive manufacturing techniques, utilizing a diverse range of feed stocks and fusion power sources. We have studied polymers, metals, sands, and other materials used in 3D printing systems, from simple resistance heaters for melting wax to advanced vacuum electron beam systems for melting tantalum."
Directional and Rapid Solidification Processes
Our team possesses experience in Bridgman-style directional solidification of investment cast nickel and iron alloys, as well as zone crystal growth techniques. We have also utilized meltspinning, milling, and cold consolidation methods to produce supersaturated solid solutions for advanced alloy development. These processes provide exceptional control over the chemistry, structure, and properties of metal alloys.
Vacuum Arc and Electro-slag Remelting
Our team has studied and simulated the intricacies of fluid flow and solidification during vacuum arc remelting and electro-slag remelting processes used to create highly refined ingots of alloys for high-temperature applications. This includes wrought nickel superalloys and heat-resistant stainless steels. We understand the challenges of achieving both a refined grain structure and chemistry.
STEM Educational Outreach and Engagement
Educating the next generation of engineers, doctors, and scientists is of utmost importance, particularly in the face of challenges like COVID-19. Our team is dedicated to driving progress in K-12 education as well as college coursework delivery. We have extensive experience delivering course content and laboratory demonstrations to aspiring technical geniuses, from junior high through graduate school. If you're having difficulty reaching new recruits or need advice on demonstrations that can bring science to life, our team is here to help.
Course Development and Teaching
Communicating advances in engineering design and materials manufacturing technologies can indeed be a challenging task. If your organization is facing difficulties in effectively teaching and training your employees on various materials science and manufacturing technology topics, we can assist you. Whether you've recently acquired new capabilities in a new sector or are looking to disseminate and reinforce valuable accumulated knowledge within your facility, our team is equipped to cater to different learners, from aspiring employees to seasoned executives.
Recruitment Strategy and Engagement
Addressing the challenge of attracting and recruiting new talent in today's technical workforce, our team has honed a unique ability to identify individuals with the right skills and mindset to excel in diverse environments. Leveraging our extensive network of educators and manufacturing facilities, we effectively bridge the gap between job seekers and companies in need, ensuring the right talent finds the right opportunities.
Professional and Career Counseling
For those considering engineering or other technology-related career paths, our team can facilitate early engagement with industry leaders across various fields. We offer guidance on where to go, who to connect with, and the real-world experiences you can expect in different roles, whether you aspire to be a bachelor's level engineer or a cutting-edge researcher.
Biomedical Device and Material Design
Navigating the complexities of treating human injury and disease, devices designed to heal the body present unique challenges. Our team excels in translating the intricate operational needs of the human body into material performance requirements. Utilizing advanced computational tools, we design special alloys that not only meet structural demands but also fulfill functional requirements for treatment of injuries and diseases within the human body.
Cardiovascular Stent Alloys
Current cardiovascular stents, typically made of platinum chromium, are life-saving devices that are easily placed by doctors due to their radio-opaque nature. However, these stents can cause inflammation and complications in cardiovascular tissues over time. In response, extensive research has been conducted to develop bio-absorbable alternatives. Our team has contributed to early work on zinc biodegradable stents by advising on processing and alloy exploration, and continues to provide guidance on material processing and commercialization challenges related to this innovative alloy.
Porous Structures for Bone Tissue Development
Injuries and diseases that affect the human bone can be extremely traumatic and take a very long time to heal. Even after healing, heterotopic ossification can cause pain through development of abnormal tissues as the bone heals. The treatment for many severe bone injuries and diseases can include grafts which, if complications such a graft rejection do not occur, help provide support to damaged bone and accelerate healing. Current scaffolds used to support grafts are ferrous based and require a second surgery to remove if the bone graft was successful. Our team has experience researching and developing Bio-absorbable scaffolds for bone grafts used to treat various diseases.
Advanced Energy and Propulsion Materials
Efficient resource utilization is crucial for mitigating the environmental impact of non-renewable energy sources during the transition to cleaner, sustainable solutions. Our team has experience in managing and overseeing advanced energy systems that will impact global greenhouse gas emissions for decades. This includes coal and natural gas systems with higher cycle efficiencies. We offer insights on both technical and political factors affecting the adoption and development of various technologies.
Advanced Alloys for Extreme Environments
Materials in energy systems face demanding and harsh conditions, often experiencing constant or cyclic stresses at high temperatures in corrosive environments. Material limitations ultimately determine the efficiency of power generation and propulsion turbines and their mainatenance. Our team provides technical metallurgical insights on advanced materials used in various environments, including solutions for key challenges in operating systems at higher temperatures and pressures.
Process Design for Industrial Single Crystal Castings
Creating single crystal metal structures can be achieved through various methods, such as investment casting combined with Bridgman directional solidification. Our team has been involved in solidification research for over 15 years and has experience working in production facilities specializing in industrial scale single crystal casting. If you face challenges related to scrap or wish to adapt this process for creating other single crystal structures, we'd be delighted to discuss and share our expertise.
Development of Complex Predictive Material Property Models
AI and machine learning are distinct concepts, and our team is actively involved in projects that harness both for accelerated research and development. We have designed and executed research programs to develop advanced high-temperature material property models that may be used in conjunction with machine learning to predicting the alloy performance and optimal composition. This cutting-edge program has facilitated the identification and testing of several new compositions using rapid throughput and property feedback loops.
Entertainment, Science Communication, & Professional Witness Services
What do entertainment, law, and science have in common? More than you might think, especially in the realm of materials science. Our team offers expertise across various industries, providing on-the-spot analysis and guidance. We have assisted in forensic investigations for criminal cases, offering clients easy-to-understand technical facts and communication. Additionally, we've conducted research on broad scientific topics, such as multiverse theory, for rapidly growing entertainment production companies.
It's true, making technical topics engaging can be a challenge. Our team excels in bringing life to otherwise dry material by utilizing a blend of humor and creativity. This enables us to maintain the tone and intellectual depth required for your creative projects. Whether you need assistance researching the history of Damascus steel or actually making real things with it, look no further than our team.
Technical Research for Script Writers and Creators
Various social media platforms offer unique characteristics and benefits, each catering to different user preferences and needs. An effectively moderated community, centered around a business or activity, can significantly enhance its visibility and broaden the scope of its reach. Our team possesses a wealth of experience in moderating and nurturing informative communities that encourage open discussions on complex technical or educational subjects.
Web and Social Media Based
Science Communication
Navigating legal cases can indeed be intimidating, especially when they involve complex materials science concepts. However, with the right expertise and guidance, these challenges can be effectively managed. Our team specializes in helping attorneys navigate these intricacies, ensuring that justice is sought for their clients through objective forensic analysis. If you're facing a scientific issue that could significantly impact the outcome of a legal case, we have the experience and knowledge to provide valuable consultation. Whether it's a matter of avoiding hefty fines or potential jail time, we are here to help you make sense of the science and build a strong case.
Professional Witness
Services
