Wilmer Romero
Metallurgical Engineer, Ph.D. (Imperial College London)
Venezuela
Date of Birth: 1958
Nationality: Venezuelan
Sex: Male
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
I worked in the primary aluminum industry for 31 years, as a researcher
and as a specialist in technology and development, accumulating an extensive
Know-How of all processes and equipments installed in the area of operations of
the casthouse. I worked in the optimization of furnaces, design and
preparation of alloys, handling and treatment of liquid metal, DC casting,
manufacture of extrusion logs / billets, ingots and bar / wire rod. I had also worked
in DC casting process
improvement as well as technological updates projects . In parallel, I have dedicated more than 20 years to the
teaching of aluminum metallurgy, as an instructor in different companies and as
a lecturer in several recognized universities. This experience has allowed me
to take the academy to industry and vice versa, framed within a single theory-practice symbiosis.
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
v
Researcher in the area of
casting technology (1987-2016)
v Technology
and Development Specialist in the casthouse area (2016-2018)
v Principal
member of the board of directors of CVG Cabelum ( 2005-2006)
v Undergraduate
and postgraduate lecturer at different universities (part time, 1990-presente)
EDUCATION
v
Metallurgical Engineer (UNEXPO,1987)
v Postgraduate
courses in materials science (UCV, 1991)
v Diploma
of the Imperial College in Materials Science (Imperial College London, England,
1997)
v Ph.D in
Metallurgy (University of London, England, 1997)
v Advanced
Studies in Management for Continuous Improvement (UNEG, 2003)
WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE
ALUMINUM INDUSTRY (1987-2018)
v Participation
in the design, construction and start-up of a prototype line of five
electrolytic reduction cells of high amperage (350 kA), where my key
participation was focused on the design of the refractory lining, as well in
the thermal and energy balance.
v Process
engineering works in the production of extrusion logs/billets and homogenized
treatment, carrying out the registration of the process variables, statistical
control and analysis of the production data, laboratory investigations to
correlate the parameters of the process to the microstructure of the product.
These support works allowed the company to optimize the process in the casting
table by reducing the percentage of rejection of extrusion logs from 8.22% per
year in 1990 to an average of 1.15% per year in 2002 and production of
extrusion logs increased in 1990 from about 35,000 t / year to 85,642 t / year
in 2002.
v Research,
documentation, evaluation and dissemination of new technologies and emerging
processes for the cast-house, such as casting tables and mould technology for
vertical casting of extrusion logs, on-line degassing systems, liquid metal
filtration, continuous homogenizing furnaces, ingot casting machines with open top
molds system, horizontal continuous casting machines with closed molds system, dross
cooling systems, equipment for the treatment / processing of dross, special
vehicles to attend the different operations of the furnaces and electromagnetic
systems for stirring the furnaces (Stirring Technology).
v Study,
evaluation and selection of a vertical semi-continuous casting machine for production
of extrusion billets. In this project, the "Wagstaff" technology with
"airslip" molds with "dualjet" system was choosing.
Participation in the monitoring of its assembly, start-up and transfer of
technology.
v Microstructural
characterization of 6063 alloy billets and 3003 alloy slabs, carrying out
research on the solidification of alloys, porosities, pre-solidified grains
(macrosegregations) and phase transformations during homogenization.
v Research
works to determine the efficiency in the process of preparation of alloys,
causes and determination of melt loss and generation of dross according to the
logistics and load of scrap in the furnaces.
v Participation
in the line V “Alcasa” project to expand its installed capacity of primary
aluminum production for this company, specifying the equipment requirements for
the cast-house, services, distribution of equipments (layout) and capacities.
v Elaboration
of technical-economic feasibility projects to boosting the national
transformation of aluminum and increase its added value. Some of the proposed
projects were: aluminum powder and paste manufacturing projects; manufacture of
parts and pieces by die-casting technology; continuous casting of sheets /
coils; garden furniture manufacturing plant; aluminum recycling plant; aluminum
extrusion plant and laboratory for the development of materials and prototypes
for the aluminum sector.
v Diagnosis
of the operating conditions of aluminum companies such as Alcasa, Alucasa,
Cabelum, Venalum.
v Technical-scientific
relations with industries, institutions and national and foreign research
centers. My technical, technological, research and teaching tasks led me to
meet 17 international companies dedicated to the research, production and
transformation of aluminum in countries such as England, USA, Germany and
Japan. At a national level, I visited and interacted with 30 aluminum
processing companies, many of them with the purpose of diagnosing their
operating conditions.
v Specialized
Courses and workshops in different topics of aluminum metallurgy for the
workers of Venalum, Alcasa, Cabelum and other companies or cooperatives. Covering
topics of metallurgy of alloy formation, solidification, grain refinement,
degassing, mold technology for extrusion billets casting, metallurgy of billets
casting, preparation and casting of alloy A356.2, phase transformations during
homogenization and others.
v Specialized
technical assistance to the Casting Management in different topics such as
cracking problems in billets casting, customer claims due to inclusions,
defects in ingots, problems with furnaces tap hole (control of metal flow), dross
fluxes, failure analysis of furnace refractory materials, inconsistency in the
chemical composition between samples taken and manufactured products, logistics
for high iron metal handling, mold technology, cooling water quality for extrusion
billets, mobile equipment to attend the furnaces and other issues.
v Preparation
of medium and long-term strategic plans for the Venalum cast-house, proposing
projects and scenarios for updating and technological modernization of the cast-house,
redistribution of equipment, optimization of the workspace (layout), designing
strategies for the processing and sale of alloyed ingots, strategies for the
remelting of the scrap generated by the Venezuela primary aluminum, for the
treatment and processing of dross, optimization of the basket of aluminum products,
strategies for the problem of processing and marketing of the high iron metal
and for the case of high vanadium content. I also worked on proposals for the
modification of the chemistry of the aluminum alloy 6063 and its homogenized
treatment to make it more tolerable at high iron contents during extrusion
thermomechanical processing.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
v National Polytechnic Experimental University
"Antonio José de Sucre" – (UNEXPO), Puerto Ordaz Vice-rectorate. I have taught undergraduate courses in: Aluminum I
and Foundry I and postgraduate courses: Solidification Processes, Phase Transformations
in the solid state and Manufacturing Processes.
Tutor of eleven undergraduate
theses and one of Master's degree.
Currently (2018), I
am a tutor of one Ph.D. thesis.
v National Experimental University of Guayana
(UNEG). I have only taught postgraduate courses in Solidification Processes,
Transformations Kinetics, Phase Transformations in the solid state, Design of
Aluminum Alloys.
Tutor of two undergraduate
theses of and one of Master's degree.
v Universidad de Oriente (UDO) - Academic
Vice-rectorate, Doctoral program in Materials Science at IIBCAUDO. I have
taught courses in Kinetics and phase transformations.
Currently (2018), I
am a tutor of two Ph.D. theses.
v “Andrés Bello” Catholic University (UCAB) - Guayana
Extension. Since 2005, I have been teaching courses in manufacturing processes
at the undergraduate level and Manufacturing Systems at the graduate level.
I am a member of the
Staff of advisers and consultants of UCAB - Guayana service.
Tutor of one undergraduate
thesis.
WORKS
PRESENTED IN CONFERENCES / CONGRESSES
v “Morphological transformation of the constituent
particles during the homogenization of an Al-Li-Mg-Si alloy”. Poster
session presented at the XVIII CONVEMI 2018, UDO, IIBCAUDO. October 2018,
Cumaná, Venezuela.
v "Study of pre-solidified grains in
extrusion billets of alloy AA6063”. Poster
session presented at the XVII CONVEMI 2016, Faculty of Sciences UCV. October 2017, Caracas, Venezuela.
v "Aluminum: 130 years of Industrial
Evolution". Keynote lecturer at the XI meeting in the materials
area, cycle of presentations on technological development. Fundacite Bolivar / UNEXPO,
November 2016, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Characterization of phases in Al-Li-Mg-Si
alloys". Poster
session presented at the XIII
Interamerican Microscopy Congress, CIASEM 2015. October 2015, Margarita, Venezuela.
v "Evolution of thermal treatments of
aluminum within the aeronautical industry". Keynote lecturer at the UNEG, integration meeting: Mathematics and
Physico-chemical Processes. July 2014, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Charles Martin Hall and the beginning of
the aluminum era - An analysis of the development of the Aluminum industry from
a historical perspective". Keynote
lecturer at the UNEG, Research and Postgraduate Coordination. June 2012, Puerto Ordaz,
Venezuela.
v "Design of Aluminum Alloys, Historical
Development and Future Perspectives". Keynote lecturer at the Chair of Aluminum, Fundacite Bolívar. May 2010, Puerto Ordaz,
Venezuela.
v "Genesis of the process of nucleation and
growth". Keynote lecturer at the UNEG, Research and
Postgraduate Coordination, June 2006, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Challenges and
Opportunities in the Aluminum Industry". Oral presentation at the IX
Conference of analysis: National Content. Opportunities in the Oil, Gas,
Petrochemical and Basic Industries Projects. Oil Chamber of
Venezuela - Carabobo Chapter. May 2005,
Valencia, Venezuela.
v "Aluminum
ultra-light alloys". Invited lecturer at the Aluminum
Symposium 2000, UNEXPO-CAVSA, October 2000, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Theory and
practice of the extrusion billets homogenization process". Moderator
of the discussion table
on homogenized at the First Symposium
of Aluminum Alloys, Series 6000 for Extrusion, CAVSA, November 1999, Puerto
Ordaz, Venezuela.
v “Microstructural
Characterization of some Al-Mg-Li-Si alloys”. Poster session presented at the 6th International Conference on Aluminium Alloys, ICAA-6, JILM. July
1998, Toyohashi, Japan.
SEMINARS
/ SYMPOSIUMS ATTENDED
v "XXII International Fair of construction,
architecture and design, Expo-Camacol 2016. August 2016, Medellín, Colombia.
v "I Technical Seminar
on Refractory Materials for the Aluminum Industry". Calderys - Venezuelan Refractories, S.A. April 2008.
Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "I Conference on
Environment, Hygiene and Accident Prevention". CVG Venalum. June 2003,
Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Alternative
Materials - Guayana 2002". Fundacite Bolivar, UNEG. October 2002. Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "The Merton C.
Flemings Symposium". Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT). June 2000, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
v “Micro ’94: International
Microscopy and Image Analysis Conference and Exhibition”. The Royal Microscopical Society. September 1994,
London, UK.
v “Ingot and
continuous casting process technology seminar for flat rolled products”, The
Aluminium Association. May 1989, New Orleans, USA.
PUBLICATIONS
v
"Aluminum in time". Venezuelan
Commodities. Edition 19. December
2016, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v
"Evolution of Aluminum Alloys". Venezuelan Commodities, Edition 18. September 2016,
Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v
"Batteries: Aluminum vs Lithium". Venezuelan
Commodities, Edition 16. December 2015, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela
v "Aluminum: An
Energy Bank". Venezuelan Commodities, V Anniversary, Edition 14. April, 2015,
Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
v "Effect of heat
treatment on the microstructural transformation of aluminum-silicon alloy cast
in metal molds and its relationship with mechanical properties". Authors:
Aguedo Arteaga and Wilmer Romero. LVIII ASOVAC Annual Convention 2008. December
2008, San Felipe, Venezuela.
v Microstructural
Characterisation of Some Al-Mg-Li-Si- alloys”, Aluminum Alloys, Vol. 2,
The Japan Institute of Light Metals, 1998, Japón.
PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING
I approved a total of 50 courses at the professional
level, such as Project Management, Strategic Planning, Negotiation Techniques,
Programming in Numerical Control (CNC), Autodesk Inventor 11 / Autocad, Finite
Elements and Applications, Failure Analytic Detection, Training in Quality Management
Systems, Total Quality Control, Key Performance indicators, training in Electronic
Microscopy, Industrial Experiment Designs and different courses in teacher
training.
TECHNICAL
VISITS TO COMPANIES
I have visited 30 aluminum processing companies
nationwide and 17 international companies, among which are:
v Showa Denko K.K, Showa Aluminum Corporation, Showa
Aluminum Can, Light Metal
Industries, Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall. Japan.
v Wagstaff
Engineering Incorporated, Selee Corporation, Reynolds Metals Company, Reynolds
McCook Sheet and Plate Plant, Alcan Aluminum Corporation, Wells Aluminium. USA.
v V.A.W -
Research and Development Facilities. Germany.
v Alcan
Plate, Kitts Green, Foseco
International LTD. England.
LANGUAGES
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