Optimizing Techniques and Understanding in Casting Processes

Dear Colleagues,

The use of metallic tools, weapons and other gadgets is well known since ancient times due to a good combination of properties of metals like hardness and ductility. Hence experimental techniques to produce metallic alloys have been developed around the world which have led to mixtures of pure metals with other non-metallic elements to originate the so-called metallic alloys. Among them, iron alloys represent one of the most important group and the use of carbon, silicon and other alloying elements have become common in the present techniques used in Metallurgy. The existence of liquid iron is reported in China about 600 B.C. and later development of cast iron in this country promoted the evolution of casting technology developed on bronzes and other alloys to manufacture jewels, sculptures, etc.

Once metallic materials were produced, their transformation to produce pieces with required shapes and sizes became essential to gradually improve the performance of components. Forging and foundry techniques appeared the most important methods in this way though the later showed an additional challenge based on reaching high enough temperatures in the melting devices. However, foundry plants have been largely developed all around the world as cast alloys show relevant advantages like simple manufacture and excellent reproducibility. Among these improvements, casting technologies become quite important due to the increasing requirements of the manufactured cast parts, their complexity and the existing competitiveness.

The present issue has been intended to show the most recent advances and developments in casting technologies which can be apply in foundry plants to manufacture cast alloys parts. Such improved methods must be oriented to solve problems in the casting processes, make them simpler and better controlled than the usual ones and/or to develop new processes which improve the properties of the resulting alloys and reduce the costs.

Dr. Ramón Suarez
Dr. Jon Sertucha
Dr. Gorka Zarrabeitia
Guest Editors

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