Imagine if producing steel parts for agricultural equipment or even aluminum soda cans required only a fraction of the energy it does today. A University of Florida-led innovation may soon make this a reality.
In a groundbreaking collaboration backed by a nearly $11 million federal grant, UF researchers have developed a first-of-its kind superconducting magnet that could advance metal production and position the United States as a global leader in alloy production.
“This revolutionary technology has the potential to substantially reduce the cost and energy use of heat treatments in the steel industry, and we are excited to help pave the way for its adoption in industry.”
– Michael Tonks, Ph.D., UF’s interim chair of Materials Science and Engineering
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, the project uses Induction-Coupled Thermomagnetic Processing, or ITMP, an advanced manufacturing method that integrates magnetic fields with high-temperature thermal processing.
The national consortium of industry, academic and national laboratory partners is now led by Michael Tonks, Ph.D., UF’s interim chair of Materials Science and Engineering, who succeeded Michele Manuel, Ph.D., the project’s long-time leader.