The melting and casting of metal is an established technique which has been used in and across the World for thousands of years. In the UK, the most relevant growth in the ferrous metal casting industry came with the birth of the industrial revolution. Cast iron and steels were able to be developed on extensive scales as metal components were in great demand from the multiple technologies that were evolving from the manufacture of steam engines and the machinery used in textile production, mining, machinery, shipbuilding, railways and armaments. Iron castings were also used in the agriculture and architectural processes.
Sadly, both World Wars stimulated a huge demand in military castings. New and specialised foundries sprang up across Europe to serve the needs of the military.
Foundries, even today can be sectioned into different categories, for instance, ‘integrated works' are types of foundries which, as the name implies, has every function in place on one site, from pattern making to casting to fettling.
Another foundry type may be sometimes be known as ‘captive foundries' - these tend to be owned by a manufacturing company. Whilst these types of foundries vary, they may be present on the same site as the other manufacturing processes that the parent company is engaged in, or else they may well be located separately and distant from the parent company. On occasion this might well be in another country.
The final category of foundry type is the ‘Jobbing Foundry' - these foundries take on both batch and special order work, and are generally smaller than the other two types. They offer great flexibility to their customers in terms of types of alloys cast and the number of castings required.
Recently, the UK, along with other industrialised nations, found that it was faced with an over capacity in the industry and at various stages there followed periods of rationalization in the steel foundry sector. Those companies remaining today typically have solid foundations, mainly in niche sectors with specialist applications and healthy worldwide demand for their products.
At William Rowland we supply the world's leading foundries with a wide range of ferro-alloys and metals from Aluminium to Zinc. If you would like to find out how we can meet your requirements, please contact us using the Quick Enquiry Form on the right-hand side of this website.
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All images courtesy of Darwins Castings, Sheffield, UK.
Darwins is one of the UK's leading manufacturers of castings in stainless, high alloy steels and nickel-based alloys from 1kg to 3000kg. Their high-performance products are designed to withstand even the most demanding applications and offer high levels of durability in contact with corrosive fluids.
www.darwinscastings.com
Copyright: Darwins Holdings Limited
William Rowland Ltd are ferro alloys suppliers, high purity metals suppliers, metal powders suppliers, nickel powder suppliers, nickel alloy suppliers and tin suppliers. If you would like to find out how we can meet your requirements, please contact us using the Quick Enquiry Form on the right-hand side of this website.
