An evaluation model for determining the business process benefits of thixoforming

This paper describes the development of a financial model for evaluating th e benefits of introducing a new technology. Thixoforming is a semi-solid me tal processing technique that can offer potential users a number of technic al and economic advantages. This process has been commercialized for a numb er of products, particularly in the United States and Italy, but there is s ignificant scope for its further exploitation, especially within UK manufac turing. One of the major obstacles to the further adoption of this techniqu e is the ability of potential users to evaluate and quantify the benefits o ffered. The model developed adopts a business process perspective to this a nd demonstrates how 'intangible' benefits can be quantified.