Calvin Blignault
Encyclopedia
Dr. Calvin Blignault, NDip, BTech, MTech, DTech, PhD (4 September 1979 – 21 August 2010) was a South Africa
n mechanical engineer.
in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
At Port Elizabeth Technikon (PE Technikon) he conducted world class research as a Master’s student. In 2002, he made the first friction stir weld on South African soil from 6mm thick aluminium alloy plate at the PE Technikon together with Grant Kruger using a milling machine. He was scientifically supervised by Dr Danie Hattingh and Prof Theo van Niekerk, who were National Research Foundation grant holders. He obtained his PhD as a result of these studies.
He subsequently worked at The Welding Institute (TWI)
in the UK, the birthplace of friction stir welding, where he conducted groundbreaking R&D on this process from January 2006 to July 2008. He was a project leader in friction and forge process group at TWI in Cambridge, UK. He conducted high level research in friction welding, linear friction welding and related processes for international and national aerospace companies, such as Boeing (US), Rolls Royce (UK) and Embraer (Brazil). He has also undertaken work for German-based companies in the automotive sector. During his research and professional career he authored and co-authored a number of journal and conference publications.
Starting in March 2007 he launched a group sponsored project at TWI on the development of a new variant of friction stir welding for high temperature, low conductivity materials including titanium
alloys.
He developed procedures for stationary shoulder friction stir welding (SSFSW). Titanium alloys are particularly difficult to join by friction stir welding due to their high strength at high temperatures and their low thermal conductivity. A previous group sponsored project at TWI on conventional friction stir welding of these alloys had concluded that the approach was feasible, but there were still problems to be solved. An internal TWI project had been previously been carried out to address some of the issues and led to the invention of SSFSW.
In 2008 he designed and built an advanced process monitoring system to assist with process investigation and quality control in friction stir welding. This allowed a practical assessment of friction stir welding quality control by means of in-process monitoring of the temperature and the three dimensional forces within the rotating tool. He recommended that FSW users and researchers consider the use of dedicated friction stir welding monitoring equipment for in-process verification of weld quality. Researchers can also analyse process response data to reduce the empiricism associated with initial tool and parameter development.
In May 2008 he published an article on “Friction Stir Welding for the Fabrication of Aluminium Rolling Stock”. Friction stir welded structures are revolutionising the way in which trains, metro cars and trams are built. Friction stir welding has been widely recognised for its ability to provide high weld quality and low distortion in a wide variety of aluminium structures. The technical and economic benefits of the FSW process have led to rapid development and international use of the technology in many industrial applications. New standards are being implemented in Europe, and the Welding Fabricator Certification Scheme is designed, to allow welding fabricators to demonstrate compliance with ISO 3834 on quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. In July 2008 he moved back to Port Elizabeth, where he worked as a Senior Lecturer at NMMU.
On 6 October 2010 a police constable was arrested for allegedly stealing the credit card of the hit-and-run accident victim and buying jewelry, clothes and petrol. His internal disciplinary hearing had to be postponed, because he had been admitted to Hunterscraig Psychiatric Hospital in Port Elizabeth.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n mechanical engineer.
Life and work
Blignault attended the Kabega Park Primary and Hoërskool Framesby Secondary schools. He earned his NDip, BTech, MTech and DTech qualifications as a Mechanical Engineer. He completed both his Master and Doctorate degrees in Mechanical Engineering at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is a South African tertiary education institution with its main administration in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. The merger creating the NMMU was realized in January 2005 but its history dates back to 1882 with the foundation of Port Elizabeth Art School...
in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
At Port Elizabeth Technikon (PE Technikon) he conducted world class research as a Master’s student. In 2002, he made the first friction stir weld on South African soil from 6mm thick aluminium alloy plate at the PE Technikon together with Grant Kruger using a milling machine. He was scientifically supervised by Dr Danie Hattingh and Prof Theo van Niekerk, who were National Research Foundation grant holders. He obtained his PhD as a result of these studies.
He subsequently worked at The Welding Institute (TWI)
The Welding Institute
The Welding Institute or TWI is a research and technology organisation with a specialty in welding. The Welding Institute is based in Cambridgeshire, England, since 1946, and has several offices around the world....
in the UK, the birthplace of friction stir welding, where he conducted groundbreaking R&D on this process from January 2006 to July 2008. He was a project leader in friction and forge process group at TWI in Cambridge, UK. He conducted high level research in friction welding, linear friction welding and related processes for international and national aerospace companies, such as Boeing (US), Rolls Royce (UK) and Embraer (Brazil). He has also undertaken work for German-based companies in the automotive sector. During his research and professional career he authored and co-authored a number of journal and conference publications.
Starting in March 2007 he launched a group sponsored project at TWI on the development of a new variant of friction stir welding for high temperature, low conductivity materials including titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
alloys.
He developed procedures for stationary shoulder friction stir welding (SSFSW). Titanium alloys are particularly difficult to join by friction stir welding due to their high strength at high temperatures and their low thermal conductivity. A previous group sponsored project at TWI on conventional friction stir welding of these alloys had concluded that the approach was feasible, but there were still problems to be solved. An internal TWI project had been previously been carried out to address some of the issues and led to the invention of SSFSW.
In 2008 he designed and built an advanced process monitoring system to assist with process investigation and quality control in friction stir welding. This allowed a practical assessment of friction stir welding quality control by means of in-process monitoring of the temperature and the three dimensional forces within the rotating tool. He recommended that FSW users and researchers consider the use of dedicated friction stir welding monitoring equipment for in-process verification of weld quality. Researchers can also analyse process response data to reduce the empiricism associated with initial tool and parameter development.
In May 2008 he published an article on “Friction Stir Welding for the Fabrication of Aluminium Rolling Stock”. Friction stir welded structures are revolutionising the way in which trains, metro cars and trams are built. Friction stir welding has been widely recognised for its ability to provide high weld quality and low distortion in a wide variety of aluminium structures. The technical and economic benefits of the FSW process have led to rapid development and international use of the technology in many industrial applications. New standards are being implemented in Europe, and the Welding Fabricator Certification Scheme is designed, to allow welding fabricators to demonstrate compliance with ISO 3834 on quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. In July 2008 he moved back to Port Elizabeth, where he worked as a Senior Lecturer at NMMU.
Fatal motorcycle accident
Blignault died in a fatal hit-and-run motorcycle accident on Saturday, 21 August 2010. He was killed, when a car crashed into him from behind, while he was stationary at a red traffic light in Port Elizabeth on his return from a motorcycle event. Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said information received by the police suggested that two vehicles had been involved in the accident. She said witnesses reported that two cars were racing along Cape Road when the accident took place. “It is alleged that one of the vehicles hit the stationary motorbike at the intersection”, she said. “The other vehicle then allegedly rode over the biker when he fell to the ground.”On 6 October 2010 a police constable was arrested for allegedly stealing the credit card of the hit-and-run accident victim and buying jewelry, clothes and petrol. His internal disciplinary hearing had to be postponed, because he had been admitted to Hunterscraig Psychiatric Hospital in Port Elizabeth.