The Technology · High-Shear Melt Conditioning, Sensing & Digital Twin | DIGI-HSMC

THE TECHNOLOGY

One system, three integrated parts

DIGI-HSMC combines a ceramic rotor–stator, real-time sensing and a physics-informed digital twin to make melt conditioning more measurable and process-informed.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING PROCESS INFORMATION DIGITAL INTERPRETATION

01 · ARCHITECTURE

Three technical layers.
One integrated system.

Each layer depends on the others. The physical process generates the signals, the information layer captures them, and the digital layer interprets them.

01PHYSICAL

HIGH-SHEAR MELT CONDITIONING

The physical process layer. A rotor operating inside a stator generates a high-shear environment within the melt, supporting intensive mixing and melt conditioning.

02INFORMATION

SENSING & MONITORING

The information layer. Process sensors capture data such as temperature, torque and acoustic signals while the melt is being treated.

03DIGITAL

PHYSICS-INFORMED DIGITAL TWIN

The digital layer. A physics-informed model uses process information to represent aspects of melt behaviour, including turbulence, shear fields, heat flow and stability.

02 · SYSTEM INTEGRATION

The integrated process loop

Information flows from the physical process to the operator and back. The system supports operator understanding and adjustment; the operator makes the decision.

DIGI-HSMC SYSTEM LOOPCONCEPTUAL ARCHITECTURE
  1. 01

    Sensor capture

    Temperature, torque and acoustic data are captured from the process.

  2. 02

    Unified monitoring

    Incoming data streams are brought together into a single picture of the melt.

  3. 03

    Digital twin computation

    The model computes turbulence, shear fields, heat flow and stability from the available process information.

  4. 04

    Operator dashboard

    Melt stability, overheating risk and time-to-completion are presented to the operator.

  5. 05

    Operator adjustment

    Speed, duration and temperature are adjusted in response, and the loop begins again.

BACK TO THE PHYSICAL PROCESS

03 · PHYSICAL CORE

The physical core: High-Shear Melt Conditioning

At the centre of DIGI-HSMC is the rotor–stator system that generates the shear environment used to condition the melt.

The rotor turns inside a stationary stator. Melt is drawn into the head, forced through the narrow shear gap between rotor and stator, and expelled back into the bulk melt, setting up a recirculating flow through the local high-shear region. This shear action supports both dispersive mixing, helping break down and disperse inclusions and gas bubbles, and distributive mixing, promoting more even composition and temperature throughout the melt.

ROTOR–STATOR CROSS-SECTIONSCHEMATIC · NOT TO SCALE
Schematic cross-section of the rotor–stator head in the melt A drive shaft carries a rotor inside a slotted stator immersed in the melt. Melt enters the open base of the stator, passes through the narrow shear gap between rotor and stator where a local high-shear region forms, and exits through the stator slots to recirculate through the melt region. No dimensions are shown. DRIVE SHAFT STATOR ROTOR SHEAR GAP LOCAL HIGH-SHEAR REGION MELT DRAWN IN MELT FLOW MELT REGION

CERAMIC ENGINEERING

Silicon nitride ceramic as the material platform

The DIGI-HSMC rotor–stator is being developed using silicon nitride ceramic as the material platform for the enhanced component.

DOCUMENTED ENGINEERING RATIONALE

  • High-temperature stability
  • Thermal-shock resistance
  • Wear resistance
  • Suitability for molten-metal environments

04 · DIGITAL LAYER

From sensing to process insight

Process signals are combined, interpreted against the physics of melt conditioning, and presented to the operator as process information.

  1. PROCESS SIGNALS Temperature Torque Acoustic data
  2. MEASURE Unified monitoring
  3. UNDERSTAND Physics-informed digital twin Represents aspects of process behaviour: TURBULENCESHEAR FIELDSHEAT FLOWSTABILITY
  4. UNDERSTAND Process interpretation
  5. OPERATOR DASHBOARD CONCEPTUAL Melt stability Overheating risk Time-to-completion NO VALUES SHOWN

Making the process measurable

Conventional melt treatment can depend heavily on operator experience, with physical conditioning, monitoring and process control often operating as separate, unconnected steps. DIGI-HSMC is developing an integrated sensing and digital layer intended to provide greater visibility into the melt-conditioning process as it runs.

The industrial challenge →

  1. 01Physical process
  2. 02Measured process information
  3. 03Digital interpretation
  4. 04Operator insight
  5. 05Process adjustment

05 · TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Designed as an integrated system

The project is developing and integrating these components as a single system. Testing and validation form part of the project development pathway.

Ceramic engineering
High-shear melt conditioning
Real-time sensing
Digital modelling
Integrated DIGI-HSMC system UNDER DEVELOPMENT · JUL 2026 – MAR 2027

DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY

  1. PRIOR RESEARCHResearch
  2. IN PROGRESSTechnology development
  3. PLANNEDIntegration
  4. PLANNEDTesting
  5. PLANNEDValidation
  6. FUTURE · NOT YET AVAILABLEFuture industrial application

Explore the technology in greater depth

Discover how the physical and digital elements of DIGI-HSMC are being developed as one integrated approach to aluminium melt processing.