ACRC Spring Meeting at OSU
The Spring meeting of ACRC will be held at OSU, Columbus, Ohio on May 27 and 28, 2026. Please mark your calendars. Details and agenda will be sent out in April 2026.
Collaboration with the Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition Lab at FIU
ACRC is collaborating with the Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition Lab (ColRAD) at Florida International University (FIU). This partnership seeks to advance research integrating additive manufacturing into the aluminum die casting industry, with a focus on leveraging wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) to produce advanced tooling solutions.
The ColRAD lab houses a state-of-the-art facility used to conduct R&D for cold spray, wire arc additive manufacturing, and plasma spray systems, providing a strong platform for innovation and applied research. The UCI team is investigating the use of cored wires with various powders inserted, and wire arc additively processed for the production of die materials.
Alan Luo Elected to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI)
Congratulations to Alan Luo! He has been elected to the National Academy of Inventors for his innovations in new lightweight alloys, manufacturing processes, and computational tools for the manufacturing industry.
The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, governmental agencies, and non-profit research institutes. Currently, there are over 4,600 individual members, including Fellows, Senior Members, and Chapter Members, affiliated with more than 260 institutions worldwide. The NAI was founded to recognize and encourage inventors with U.S. patents, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and to create wider public understanding of how its members’ inventions benefit society.
Both ACRC Directors at UCI and OSU – Apelian and Luo – are members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). In addition, Apelian and Luo are members of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), along with Kevin Anderson of Mercury Marine (ACRC member).
ACRC – A Buehler Center of Excellence
ACRC has had a long-term strategic relationship with Buehler Corporation, an ITW company. Morgan Manning and Brandon Lin met up with the UCI team in mid-January to review potential new opportunities and planning for future workshops. ACRC is proud of this relationship, and our students and research work is benefitting from this collaboration. Michael Keeble of Buehler has been key in providing tutorials for our researchers.
METAL Boot Camp at OSU
OSU has conducted 10 bootcamps with 136 attendees for the Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program aiming to reverse the decline of the U.S. casting and forging workforce, while inspiring a new generation of metallurgical professionals. Led by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) and supported by the Department of Defense, METAL aims to empower individuals and engage them in the field of metallurgy. The program also aims to reverse the decline of the U.S. casting and forging workforce, while inspiring a new generation of metallurgical professionals. Guided by industry and faculty experts, students gain valuable insights and open doors to careers in metalcasting and forging.
Almex USA and ACRC Collaboration
Since its inception, Almex has specialized in aluminum Direct Chill (DC) casthouse equipment and technology supply. Today, it has a customer base spreading five continents, with intellectual property held in several countries. Almex’s “Furnace to Finish” approach encompasses all the equipment and technology beginning with the casthouse melting furnace through to the finished end-product inspection (of billets and slabs) in a D.C. casting operation. This includes complete automation and control systems, process technology, and know-how.
Our Newest Members
Loukus Technologies produces castings in both ferrous and non-ferrous alloys in casting processes including sand, permanent mold, squeeze and direct chill casting for both research and medium run production. Recently, a 16” rolling mill and forging press have been installed to facilitate wrought alloy research. Loukus also produces specialty alloys, including those used for additive powders and additive friction stir processing. Defense projects include both alloy and processing solutions for existing and advanced concept air, sea and ground vehicle applications. Recent projects include a jet blast deflector produced from an Al-Ce alloy that utilizes passive cooling technologies.
MAGMA Foundry Technologies is a global leader in metalcasting process optimization. Its software, MAGMASOFT®, empowers foundries and casting designers to improve quality, reduce costs, and optimize processes through simulation and virtual experimentation. Using Autonomous Engineering™ and virtual Design of Experiments, MAGMASOFT® enables users to evaluate multiple design and process scenarios automatically, leading to robust solutions and data-driven decisions. From mold filling and solidification to heat treatment and microstructure prediction, MAGMASOFT® provides comprehensive insight across all casting processes and materials.
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Sakshi Bajpai Successfully Defends Dissertation
Sakshi Bajpai successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation on Oct 29, 2025. Her work was focused on the CoCrNi alloy as a model system to understand the fundamental mechanisms governing the mechanical behavior of complex concentrated alloys. The stability of the single-phase FCC structure was examined through severe deformation and long-term annealing, revealing processing-dependent phase evolution and elemental partitioning. The study also explored chemical short-range ordering, identifying conditions that promote its formation and assessing its effect on strengthening. Furthermore, minor alloying additions were used to develop a dual-phase CoCrNi-based alloy that enhances high-temperature creep performance. Overall, the study highlights how controlled processing, chemical ordering, and targeted alloying can be strategically combined to tailor the properties of CCAs.
Congratulations, Sakshi!
Two New Additions to the ACRC Research Team
Aoudarya Sanaka joined the ACRC team this Fall as a Doctoral candidate in the Department of Material Science and Engineering and will be working on the newly selected project: Self Lubricating Tooling for HPDC. She received her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from JNTUH, India. She earned her M.S. in Scientific Instrumentation from EAH Jena, Germany where she studied the heat-affected zone (HAZ) behavior in stainless steels. The project Focus Group Chairs are Paul Brancaleon (NADCA) and Randy Beals (Magna).
Nathan Stoetzel joined the ACRC team this Fall as a Doctoral candidate in the Department of Material Science and Engineering and will be working on the newly selected project: Recycling of Scrap for Universal Cast Alloys. He received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and his MS degree also in mechanical engineering from Cal State where he worked on wire-laser directed energy deposition process. Nathan also has some industrial experience as he worked at Asendio in Ann Arbor from 2021-2023 before starting his MS work at Cal State. The project Focus Group Chair is Kumar Sadayappan (CANMET).
Manufacturing Science Summer School
The Physical Sciences Directorate (ALPDS) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Materials Science & Engineering Department at the University of California Irvine (UCI) have partnered to provide junior/senior undergraduates and/or first/second year graduate students an opportunity for classroom instruction and project-based research experiences focused on manufacturing science. The students will be working on three projects: (i) Solidification Science (weeks 1 and 2); (ii) Spray Technologies (weeks 3 and 4); and (iii) Additive Manufacturing of Topologically Optimized Materials and Structures (weeks 5 and 6).
Newest Members
We are happy to report that ESI, part of Keysight, has joined ACRC. Welcome!
ESI Group, now part of Keysight Technologies, brings advanced predictive modeling and virtual prototyping into Keysight’s design and test ecosystem. Together, we enable manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, defense, and heavy industry to simulate mechanical behavior and manufacturing processes early in development—improving decision-making and reducing costly redesigns.
We are happy to report that Honda has joined ACRC.
Since its foundation, Honda has been committed to using technology to help people. Through its automobiles, motorcycles, power products and aviation products, Honda achieves global annual sales of 30 million products. To realize a sustainable future, Honda has a global goal to achieve zero environmental impact and zero fatalities from traffic collisions involving Honda products by 2050.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has also joined ACRC.
For more than 70 years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has applied science and technology to make the world a safer place. While keeping its crucial mission-driven commitments in mind, it applies cutting-edge science and technology to achieve breakthroughs in nuclear deterrence, counterterrorism and nonproliferation, defense and intelligence, as well as energy and environmental security.
Ohio State University Receives $1 Million
The Ohio State University Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME) recently received $1 million for a metal casting workforce development and upskilling program from the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), through funding support from the Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program.
The one-year award will establish a Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship and Learning (METAL) Hub to address a shortage of skilled labor in the manufacturing sector through hands-on training for students and professionals in CDME’s metal foundry.