Metal forming and foundry

The latest publications in this offer are:

• June 10, 2026

  N4853

  Degradation of refractories by slags in steelmaking - Examples and improvement of refractory performance

  Dissolution, slag infiltration into the porosity of refractories, and erosion of the transformed surface are all mechanisms involved in the degradation of refractories by slag in steelmaking. The examples presented—based on industrial practices—illustrate the corrosion of different families of refractories during the stages of steel production.

• June 10, 2026

  N4852

  Degradation of refractories by slags in steelmaking - Corrosion mechanisms and evolution with slag composition

  A wide variety of refractory materials are used in a steel mill, with approximately 500 commercial grades for consumable refractories alone. This is due to an ongoing effort to optimize their performance and costs. From the upstream to the downstream sections of the plant, several major families of refractories are used, all of which are absolutely essential and whose development has at times been a key factor in the emergence of steelmaking processes—for example, magnesia-carbon bricks for the oxygen-blown converter process in the 1970s. During steel production, slags and temperatures vary significantly across different furnaces and equipment; this is the primary reason why different types of refractories must be used.

• February 13, 2026

  M3070 Reviewed

  Railways rails - Metallurgical aspects

  Railway transport is a worldwide basic means of transport: daily transport of people, long-distance transport and freight transport of all types and notably of ores in mining countries. Rails, whose aim is to carry the axles of trains and guide them in lines or curves are major safety elements for people and transported goods. This article describes the manufacturing processes and the main constraints rails are subjected to as well as the required monitoring in order to prevent derailment.

• February 5, 2026

  M3659 Reviewed

  Foundry castings finishing - Defining and final finishing 

  Parts that have been separated from their feed system will be reworked either before or after shot-blasting, to remove any appendages or protrusions of material. Depending on the cross-section or thickness of material to be removed, and the type of alloy considered, different technologies will be used. The finished part then undergoes a certain number of checks (articles and "Foundry inspection") to check its conformity with customer specifications. Finally, parts that have been declared good will be packaged before shipment. Note :The complete study of the subject includes the articles : — - Foundry completion. Pickling. Shot blasting; — - Foundry completion. Deburring. Finishing.

• February 5, 2026

  M3658 Reviewed

  Foundry castings finishing - Decoring and shot blasting

  Finishing is the last operation in the casting manufacturing cycle. An analysis of production costs showed that finishing represented on average 15% of the part price for large production runs, and up to 30% for small and medium-sized steel parts. Constantly improving working and environmental conditions, the growing difficulty of recruiting qualified personnel for these positions, and quality requirements have led companies to upgrade workstations in order to guarantee their customers the best value for money. The range and means of finishing are adapted to the foundry processes used and the geometry of the part. However, with a few exceptions, there are three main types of operation: uncapping ; shot blasting ; deburring/finishing.

• January 10, 2025

  M3665

  Foundry engineering - Installation and production start-up

  This paper proposes a methodological approach proposal for the study and realization of a foundry plant. The chronological phases of the project are discussed here, from the choice of the foundry site to the first parts production. It reviews global plant studies, buildings, equipment, material flows, without forgetting personnel, energy, quality and environmental aspects. A methodology for calculating production needs is proposed: liquid metal, molds, cores and others, taking into account different losses or yields.

• November 10, 2024

  M3664

  Foundry Engineering. Feasibility and pre-engineering

  Foundry engineering is a wide subject due to the high diffusion of casting parts in all sectors of industry. The foundry business groups together a set of tasks from base metals melting through to finishing pieces and including molding and core-making operations. This article proposes a methodological approach for the study and realization of a new foundry plant from a defined commercial need until the establishment of the chosen production means; the approach can also be applied to an evolution of part of a foundry’s workshops. It also gives some technical descriptions of equipment needed all along the foundry process.

• September 10, 2023

  M3011

  Metric and mesh: Definition and theoretical basics

  This article gives the basics for finite element problems related to meshes. We are interested in the definition of a mesh. Thanks to the notion of metric, the geometric point of view is replaced by an algebraic and analytical point of view allowing to unify the notions of mesh, mesh adaptation and remeshing. In this new concept, a mesh is only a Riemannian space in which the metrics characterize the elements.

• February 10, 2023

  M3660

  Methodology and implementation of controls in foundry

  This article deals with the general principles, methods and application of all the controls involved throughout the foundry process. These controls are a necessary step for the production of parts that comply with customer requirements and must be part of the quality approach of any foundry. The purpose here is to present the various defects visible in foundry, the methods of controls, batching and traceability of parts and their transposition into the customer specifications. Finally, the most common controls implemented on the material, foundry parts, as well as those concerning the foundry process, from receipt of raw materials to the finishing, will be described.

• January 11, 2023

  M3015 Reviewed

  Forming lubrication

  The aim of this dossier is to present the specific lubrication requirements for metal forming processes. In practice, these aspects are extremely important: indeed, the choice of lubricant and its application directly affect the success of the forming operation.

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