Recent Developments in the Manufacture of Castings

Abstract

Developments which have taken place in the last decade in foundry practice and in the alloys used to make castings are described. The main emphasis is on the effect of these developments on the soundness, mechanical properties, dimensional accuracy, and the cost of the finished casting, and less on the way the improvements have been brought about.

The topics discussed are: (1) the development of new and established processes; (2) alloy development; (3) inspection; (4) future trends.

The paper is confined to cast iron and non-ferrous alloys; advances in the production of steel castings have not been covered. Many of the techniques referred to, though, are of general applicability.