Cellular metal

The increasing demand for light weight materials and the successful use of plastics, especially foamed plastic, as a material of construction has led to the development of similar foamed material out of conventional metals and alloys. Realizing the important role that cellular metal could play in national development, the National Metallurgical Laboratory undertook research and development work for the production of cellular metal by foundry process. The different parameters involved in the production of cellular metal was extensively studied by foundry trials. The result has been the development of a simple process for the production of soluble granules essential for the production of cellular material by the foundry process. Further a pressure vessel specially designed for the application of pressure has also been developed and with its use, cellular metal blocks of different sizes and shapes with different densities have been successfully produced. Manufacturing technique for the production of some composite materials has also been experimented with. S.K. Sinha, Junior Scientific Assistant and G.N. Rao, Scientist, National Metallurgical Laboratory)