Creation of the Joint Laboratory CLAS
It was in 2014 that the ECAM’s Material & Structures Division and Safe Metal (World leader in cast steel components) began their collaboration, during the first Research & Development Project (RDP). A partnership that has just reached a new stage with the creation of the Joint Laboratory CLAS.
Since 2014, the partnership between the entities has been materialized by a dozen DRP, but also the launch of research Masters and two theses within the School, one of which is still in progress. The work carried out focuses on the foundry of steels, the core business of the company Safe Metal, with objectives in particular of improving the surface of the parts, of developing new grades or analysis of thermal treatments.
To perpetuate this 8-year relationship, ECAM LaSalle, Arts et Métiers Sciences et Technologies, Cluny campus and Safe Metal turned to the National Research Agency (NRA), via the LabCOM device.
Its purpose is to link companies from the industrial world to universities or schools, through support for the creation of a research laboratory. The outcome of this project was formalized on December 15, when the NRA validated the project of creation of the CLAS Laboratory (for Casting Laboratory Arts & Métiers Safe).
This is the culmination of several years of work, and will allow the maintenance of foundry know-how in France and the development of innovation and research through the launch of several projects. It is also the continuation of a relationship of trust between the different actors of the laboratory.
The aim of this partnership is to work towards lasting improvements in the foundry sector, through three main lines of work.
- The first concerns the development of a new foundry process
- The second, on the creation of a pilot tool that will be used to identify and improve the global foundry process, via the collection of key data.
- Finally, the last concerns the optimization of heat treatment on steel castings.
Thanks to this project, ECAM LaSalle will very soon benefit from the hiring of a post-doctoral student for a year, then, over the duration of the project of 3 Research Masters and 7 R&D Projects and a thesis.
This new laboratory will be co-directed by Philippe Jacquet, professor-researcher at the Materials & Structures Division (MAS) of ECAM LaSalle, and Jean-François Carton, R&D manager at Safe Metall. The operational scientific management will be carried out by Cécile Nicoli, engineer ECAM LaSalle promotion 2015 now based in the company, Alexis Vaucheret, teacher-researcher at the MAS pole of the school, and a person from ENSAM Cluny.
The official launch of the laboratory is scheduled for 1 March, with the LabCOM device taking place for 4 and a half years. At the end of this period, the stakeholders will leave the system and continue to sustain this collaboration over the long term.
