Juan Manuel Bello

About me

I am a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Division of Production and Materials Engineering. I am from Spain, where I studied the bachelor’s in Industrial Technologies Engineering in Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (2020). After that, I decided to expand my knowledge in production technologies and I moved to Sweden to study the Master of Science in Production and Materials Engineering, which I finished in June 2022.

About my research project

Today, a vast amount of recycled material is used in castings. However, number and proportion of impurities and trace elements (ITE) have increased since the 1950s and is expected to increase even more in the future. This is due to the fact that material specifications and recycling are not sufficiently accurate, plus that today dilution of new raw material is used to achieve the purity requirements needed for desired performance in different applications. Previous studies have shown that lack of knowledge and accuracy have major consequences for productivity, but also jeopardizes a viable circular economy.

The aim of the project is to reduce the number (and amount) of impurities and trace elements in materials used for components in the automotive industry. By reducing occurrence and dispersion, production will become more predictable. The possibility of creating circular flows of material will increase, which in turn will contribute to reduced material degeneration and ensure future product characteristics.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that this project will contribute to are the SDG 9, industry, innovation and infrastructure (sustainable industrialization); and SDG 12, responsible consumption and production.