Subject and Scientific Goal

Electromagnetic Processing of Materials (EPM) is an exciting and promising R&D direction in which electromagnetic fields are applied to metallurgy and material processing in order to influence and improve such processes or the related products. EPM is a powerful tool in promoting the process efficiency, to improve quality and properties of various materials, and to enable the fabrication of new materials. EPM is highly interdisciplinary as it combines the disciplines of electromagnetism and fluid mechanics with processes of materials science, metallurgy or crystal growth. In the case of industrial growth of silicon single crystals, for example, the application of magnetic fields for a well-defined influence on the flow and the related heat- and mass transfer in the silicon melt has recently essentially contributed to the transition from the 200 mm to the 300 mm wafer production. This step has led to industrial investments in the far billion Euro range. The application of magnetic fields in steel casting, as another example, has received great attention mainly in Japan, but has by far not yet reached its optimization. The recent application of high magnetic fields in metallurgy and materials processing opens a new area for research and shows great significance, because the field influences significantly the properties of materials and the basic mechanism of transformation. For many applications there is an attractive optimization potential leading to tailor-made magnetic systems which are very attractive for industrial use.

In Germany the research on EPM has been continuously increased during the last decade resulting in a leading position today. There is a powerful funding of that topic by DFG, e.g., SFB 609 at Dresden University (“Electromagnetic flow control for Metallurgy, Crystal Growth and Electrochemistry”) and the Research Group “Magnetofluidynamics” at University of Ilmenau. SFB 609, established in 2002, passed its intermediate evaluation in 2004 with the result of a further increase of its activities. Many important academic results and successful applications in engineering have been achieved. On the other hand, for the past 10 years, Chinese scientists and engineers have done a lot of work and gained significant progress in this field. Both sides have the common opinion that collaboration and closer relationship between the two sides are necessary and will lead to mutual benefits.
Substantially funded by the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion under grant No. GZ 282, the first Sino-German workshop on EPM took place in Shanghai on Oct. 11-13, 2004. The program and the presentations are available under http://www.fz-rossendorf.de/pls/rois/Cms?pOid=14341&pNid=226(1). The discussions during that workshop clearly figured out that a significant number of direct mutual interests exists in the various sub-disciplines and applications of EPM. There was a clear expression of interest to further develop the mutual relations and cooperation in the field of EPM. As a result of the workshop, one vision is to prepare a joint package of common projects which shall be submitted in parallel to NSFC and DFG. One of the goals of the follow-up workshop to be held in Dresden in October 2005 is to present, discuss and select those mutual projects. By holding this follow-up workshop, the scientists and engineers from the two sides will continue to discuss together on the fundamental and technical aspects of EPM, share knowledge and exchange ideas, and explore the possibilities of collaboration. This will certainly promote the research and application of EPM in each country.

Main scientific topics of the workshop in Dresden will be:

- induction heating,
- electromagnetic stirring,
- electromagnetic control of continuous casting,
- refining of molten metal with electromagnetic fields,
- physical and chemical effects of high magnetic field: fundamentals and applications,
- industrial examples of magnetic field applications,
- mathematical and physical modeling and simulation of EPM,
- novel EPM technologies,
- measuring techniques for liquid metal flow,
- solidification under magnetic field influence.


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