New steel casting technology for new markets

摘要

Development of new technology is often the direct result of the need to find alternative materials and processes to satisfy changes within an industry. Such is the case for the internal combustion engine industry. Increasingly stringent environmental and fuel efficiency requirements of the future require substitution of cast iron, ductile and other alloyed iron, based exhaust manifolds. These castings are subject to replacement with thin-wall stainless or alloyed steel castings. Foundries and designers often dream about being able to convert fabrications to castings or expand sales and marketing by developing new product, based on designs that employ castings. In some cases they are successful. In other cases, existing casting technology will not provide an easy or economical vehicle to allow articles to be produced using the existing casting methods. Those new products that can be designed from scratch or converted from fabrications improve the metalcaster's ability to fill his facility to capacity and, ultimately, result in increased sales, profits and return on investment. From a casting producer's perspective, an entirely new, large market is developing for thin-wall stainless or other steel alloys. The obligation of producers of engines, for automobiles and trucks to comply with Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards and the EPA's pollution reduction targets, provides a new market for cast steel exhaust manifolds. This large, developing market provides steel foundries the opportunity to provide alternative castings to the industry since gray and ductile iron castings currently being produced are scheduled to be replaced by lightweight, corrosion-resistant, highly alloyed steel castings during the next few years.