Cast Irons ― Essential Alloys for the Future

摘要

The international cast metals industry, and in particular the cast iron part of that business, has experienced a significant down turn in casting shipments in recent years, resulting in the closing of a number of foundries. This situation was not due to the impact of governmental regulations affecting the environment, per se, or the foundry work place, but was related to a combination of events associated with world wide economic concerns and trade policies as well as a shift in the demand for iron castings compared to aluminum castings. The entire cast metals industry has been affected by these changes, raising questions regarding the viability of the future of cast metals, specifically iron castings. For the most part these concerns have been voiced by those outside of the cast metals industry, while those within the industry recognize that the cast metals industry is involved in global competition for the production of metal castings and that continuous improvement in process, productivity, reliability and quality are the driving forces for our technological needs.