By
Michael Ashby, Royal Society Research Professor Emeritus at Cambridge University and Former Visiting Professor of Design at the Royal College of Art, London, UK
Tony Evans, Princeton University
NA Fleck, Cambridge Centre for Micromechanics, University of Cambridge
J.W. Hutchinson, Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
H.N.G. Wadley, University of Virginia
L. J. Gibson, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Description
Metal foams are at the forefront of technological development for the automotive, aerospace, and other weight-dependent industries. They
are formed by various methods, but the key facet of their manufacture is the inclusion of air or other gaseous pockets in the metal structure.
The fact that gas pockets are present in their structure provides an obvious weight advantage over traditionally cast or machined
solid metal components. The unique structure of metal foams also opens up more opportunities to improve on more complex methods of producing
parts with space inclusions such as sand-casting. This guide provides information on the advantages metal foams possess, and the applications
for which they may prove suitable.
Audience:
Materials and metallurgy scientists and students
Design Engineers in automobile, air, and mechanical engineering
Foundry technicians and development staff
