Inorganic materials applied in the manufacture of castings

Castings manufacturing techniques have been an art passed down from generation to generation until relatively few years ago. However, the growing demands and requirements regarding the technological properties of the manufactured materials have meant the widespread application of scientific methods in order to optimize production processes and guarantee control of the characteristics of the pieces obtained.

The use of inorganic materials plays a crucial role in the current development of foundry technologies. Both the possibility of modifying the physical and chemical characteristics of these mineral substances and the growing rise of synthetic products make it possible to reduce the incidence of defects in manufactured parts, ensure their guarantee of operation and minimize process costs without harming the quality of the material.  Although traditionally the defects in the pieces are related to metallurgical aspects, and specifically to the solidification patterns of metallic crystals, the truth is that the characteristics of the molds used play an equally or more important role than those. Knowledge of the crystalline structures of all the materials that make up the molds and their interactions during industrial processes contribute to the improvement of manufacturing conditions. On the other hand, new alternative products and recovery methods for substances already used are proposed, reducing the environmental impact in a particularly critical sector.