ARC Centre of Excellence of Design in Light Metals

The ARC Centre of Excellence of Design in Light Metals was announced in 2005 under the Australian Research Council’s Centres of Excellence Program funded by the Commonwealth government.

Comprising six Australian universities (Monash University, University of Queensland, Deakin University, University of New South Wales, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne), the Centre of Excellence coordinates internationally-competitive research strengths to establish a strategic fundamental research platform for expansion of the light metals industry. It embraces a novel ‘design-directed’ approach to the systematic identification of strategic research initiatives that will maximise the competitiveness of light alloys and light metal hybrid materials based on aluminium, magnesium and titanium.

Under the funding arrangements of the program, the Centre will receive Commonwealth funding of $2.9m per year for five years. Combined with participant contributions from the university partners and the Victorian State government, the Centre will operate on a budget of over $21m for the period 2006-2010.

The Centre’s research interests include: nucleation and solidification, materials processing and characterisation, corrosion, mechanical properties, sintering, thermomechanical processing, rapid manufacturing, alloy design, modelling, composites, coatings and surfaces.

Further information on the Centre of Excellence of Design in Light Metals can be obtained from the Centre’s Research Director, Professor Barry Muddle. barry.muddle@eng.monash.edu.au