A
Alloy cost represents typically 30-40% of the casting price. Raw materials represent a large portion of our alloy price. So, the best we can do is to work with our customers about the timing of when we lock prices for one or several years depending on how the customer prefers to lock.
Q A
When dealing with premium class alloys and super alloys
what are the key factors that the investment casting industry should focus on?
Quality is the master word. As in any business, the cost of quality
should be the focus. By investing upfront in higher quality materials, the cost of producing castings will be minimized. The alloy producers have a variety
of raw material elements to purchase at varying grades. CM has developed its own raw material specification to insure the most appropriate materials are used to meet the requirements of the end customers’ castings. According to the parts to be cast and the end use applications, CM chooses the appropriate quality of raw material to reduce the cost within the casting production process. Optimizing the capability of cast
superalloys includes minimizing: • Dross • Al2O3 inclusion • Hot cracking • Excessive porosity • Alloy / refractory reaction (wetting) • Grain defect
We need to control very carefully
elements such as: • Nitrogen • Oxygen • Sulfur • Phosphorus • Silicon To have a better control of trace
elements and have elements which positively impact weldability and mold repair. The objective is to maximize casting yield and overall quality to minimize cost.
Q
How important is the revert management for an investment
casting foundry? 16 ❘ May 2019 ®
A
The management of revert has an incredibly significant impact to
the investment casting customer. The following items need to be
properly managed so that the alloy producer has a strong possibility of meeting end chemistries. • Don’t mix revert alloys • Cleaning of the revert to an agreed upon requirement
• Storage so as to not alloy or introduce moisture to the revert
• The type of packaging to ensure no moisture and mixing occurs during transit
• Removal of filters, ceramics and contaminated poor cups (exothermic powders)
Q A
Q A
From your experience, do the European investment casting
foundries have sufficient culture and expertise to deal with all requirements associated to alloy management?
Some foundries understand this importance, but some don’t
really appreciate the importance. Some foundries only focus on the studies of their own process rather than to take care about the quality necessary to produce high quality alloy. Most of them do not realize the
impact the alloy has on their casting process and the impact it can have on their rejection rates.
Nowadays there is certain concentration, within major
groups, in the supply capabilities for certain type of alloys (premium class alloys and super alloys), which at the same time are groups within investment casting foundries divisions. How do you see this vertical integration? Is this affecting the competition? How does affect this to medium or small foundries not linked to these groups?
This is true, the majority of alloy suppliers are a part of
larger investment casting companies. However, this does not impact necessarily the competition. Each superalloy supplier still supplies to the external market and is free to establish their market strategy. The primary benefit of vertical integration is the access to capacity. In the current business situation, access to melt
capacity is critical. Q A
Although the industry worldwide might be facing similar technical
problems, from your experience what are the differences among the markets in Asia, Europe or America? What about Western Europe and Eastern Europe?
Experience is the master word. Certainly, US and Western
European investment casting companies have more experience compared to Asia. The Asian market is much more recent but Asian investment companies are learning fast and growing rapidly, particularly in the production of single crystal and DS parts. This development is primarily driven through Western investment and involvement. From a technical standpoint, the West is leading the market activities. While the Asian markets, as well as Eastern European markets are improving; but they have not yet reached the level of technology equal to the US or Western European companies.
Q A
What is your understanding of additive manufacturing vs
investment casting and what is the impact that this technology could bring into the overall investment casting supply chain?
Additive manufacturing activity is still at its beginning stages. They
use powder which is produced using ingot from alloy manufacturers who are supplying the investment casting market. Powder is subject/prone to
oxidation, considering it has more surface area represented by billions of particles. The big advantage is to produce parts without any tooling or the need for wax and ceramic cores. Mechanical properties are ok, but they don’t have not enough results regarding fatigue (LCF) and creep properties. The cost of powder is very high today, but I am sure with continued activity and development these costs will decrease and improve the capability to produce additive parts.
Q
Can you comment on the state of the art in the powder metal
production today? Is there any progress differentiation according to the type of alloy (i.e. aluminium alloys vs nickel
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