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The paper presents the issue of synthetic cast iron production in the electric induction furnace exclusively on the steel scrap base. Silicon carbide and synthetic graphite were used as carburizers. The carburizers were introduced with solid charge or added on the liquid metal surface. The chemical analysis of the produced cast iron, the carburization efficiency and microstructure features were presented in the paper. It was stated that ferrosilicon can be replaced by silicon carbide during the synthetic cast iron melting process. However, due to its chemical composition (30% C and 70% Si) which causes significant silicon content in iron increase, the carbon deficit can be partly compensated by the carburizer introduction. Moreover it was shown that the best carbon and silicon assimilation rate is obtained where the silicon carbide is being introduced together with solid charge. When it is thrown onto liquid alloy surface the efficiency of the process is almost two times less and the melting process lasts dozen minutes long. The microstructure of the cast iron produced with the silicon carbide shows more bulky graphite flakes than inside the microstructure of cast iron produced on the pig iron base.

Technologia wdmuchiwania proszków do ciekłego metalu jest znana od kilkudziesięciu lat i z powodzeniem stosowana w różnorodnych procesach metalurgicznych i odlewniczych. Zdecydowanie najczęściej stosowane jest rozwiązanie z użyciem lancy zanurzonej pod lustro obrabianego stopu, jako łatwiejsze choć nie pozbawione wielu istotnych wad. W pracy zaprezentowano zakończone kompleksowe badania autorów nad procesem wdmuchiwania proszków bez zanurzania lancy w kąpieli. Przedstawiono nowe spojrzenie na tzw. „kąt stożka rozejścia strumienia” i jego wpływ na skuteczność procesu, przeanalizowano zagadnienie tzw. „skutecznego promienia strumienia” proponowanego przez wcześniejszych badaczy oraz opisano wyniki badań symulacyjnych oraz eksperymentów wdmuchiwania, zarejestrowanych z użyciem kamery do szybkich zdjęć. Podjęto się także ostatecznego porównania rozwiązań lancy zwykłej i opracowanej przez autorów tzw. „lancy kołnierzowej” wskazując na zalety tej drugiej, jako narzędzia do obróbki niewielkich objętości ciekłych stopów np. w procesach wprowadzania żelazostopów czy też modyfikacji.

This paper describes the technology for the production of precursors (space holder material) used to form the complex internal structure of cast metal foam. The precursor material must exhibit sufficient refractoriness, resist contact with liquid metal and at the same time should exhibit good collapsibility after casting. With regard to the greening of foundry production, the focus of this paper was on materials that could exhibit the above properties and at the same time do not have a negative impact on the environment. In this paper, the technology for the production of spherical precursors from a self-hardening mixture with a geopolymer-based binder system is described and verified. The motivation for the choice of material and all the sub-steps of the process - molding into the core box, tumbling, including the necessary accompanying tests of the mechanical properties of the core mixture being verified - are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses benefits associated with the use of silicon carbide in the process of melting gray cast iron and ductile cast iron in induction electric furnaces. It presents the analysis of the impact of various charge materials and the addition of a variable amount of SiC and FeSi to the fixed charge when melting cast iron of grades GJS 400-15 and GJS 500-7 on mechanical properties and microstructure. Moreover, the article includes an analysis of the efficiency of carburization and the increase in the content of silicon during the application of SiC. The article also presents the results of the study of primary modification using silicon carbide at the minimum temperature of Temin eutectic and Tsol solidus. Based on analysis of the literature, conducted research, and calculations, it was found that the addition of silicon carbide has a beneficial impact on the properties of melted cast iron. The addition of SiC in the charge increases the content of C and Si without increasing the amount of contaminations. The addition of SiC at reduced pig iron presence in the charge decreases production costs, while the use of SiC as an inoculant increases both Temin and Tsol, which is beneficial from the point of view of cast iron nucleation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the best castings' manufacturers have to meet very demanding requirements and specifications applicable to mechanical properties and other characteristics. To fulfill those requirements, more and more sophisticated methods are being used to analyze the internal quality of castings. In many cases, the commonly used Non-Destructive Methods, like X-ray or ultrasonic testing, are not enough to ensure precise and unequivocal evaluation. Especially, when the properties of the casting only slightly fail the specification and the reasons for such failures are very subtle, thus difficult to find without the modern techniques. The paper presents some aspects of such an approach with the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to analyze internal defects that can critically decrease the performance of castings. The paper presents the so-called bifilm defects in ductile and chromium cast iron, near-surface corrosion caused by sulfur, micro-shrinkage located under the risers, lustrous carbon precipitates, and other microstructure features. The method used to find them, the results of their analysis, and the possible causes of the defects are presented. The conclusions prove the SEM is now a powerful tool not only for scientists but it is more and more often present in the R&D departments of the foundries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the new technology of the refractory materials used for the ladles and pouring devices. The aim for solving the majority of the problems that originated from the refractory lining was to develop the group of cement-free TRIAD products by Vesuvius company. The cement-free setting system in the TRIAD products eliminates calcium oxide (CaO) that occurs in low and extra low cement concretes resulting in its higher strength at higher temperatures. The features of the new cement-free castables were described. One of the most unique features of this technology is the porous material structure. Small venting microchannels are formed during the concrete setting process. These micro-channels allow for removing water vapor from the lining without affecting its refractory properties. On the other hand, the diameter of pores is so low that it disallows the penetration of slag and metal into the lining, extends its operating life at the same time facilitates cleaning and removing build-ups. The procedure of the preparation of these materials, as well as the method of building of the lining, were presented. An example of the practical use of these materials in the ductile cast iron foundry was presented, showing the advantages of the new refractory materials over the traditional ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon - molybdenum cast iron commonly called SiMo due to its unique properties has becoming more and more interesting engineering material. The history and development of this alloy is relatively long but, due to the significant difficulties during the manufacturing process resulting in the lower final quality than expected, it has not been applied to often in practice. The biggest challenge is its brittleness as a result of the carbides precipitations. During last few years, thanks to the many important researches made and the general foundry technology development, the interest in SiMo iron has been rapidly growing, especially for the castings for heavy duty applications like corrosion, high temperature and wear abrasion resistant parts. In the article the heat treatment attempts to improve the microstructure of SiMo castings has been presented. The goal was to destroy or at least to refine and uniformly distribute the carbides precipitations to improve mechanical properties of the exhaust manifold castings for the cars. The experiments were carried out for the alloy contains approx. 4% Si, 1% Mo and 3.2%C. The range of the research included: hardness measuring, standard mechanical properties and microstructure for as-cast state and after that the subsequent heat treatment process with another properties check. The result of the heat treatment was the elimination of pearlite from the metal matrix. Moreover, the changes of the carbide molybdenum - rich phase morphology were observed. The dispersion of the carbides precipitations in the carbides area was observed. The experiments proved the possibility to control the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the SiMo castings by means of heat treatment but only to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cast iron production (melting) process is commonly based on pig iron. However, economic and ecological factors necessitate that the melting process is more often based on steel scrap (with no pig iron at all). This kind of cast iron is called synthetic cast iron. This approach may, however, cause a decrease in the quality of the alloys obtained, particularly when ductile iron (Dl) is produced. The following article presents an analysis of the product and some aspects of ductile iron produced exclusively on a base of steel scrap. The experiments and the charging materials are described. The results of the chemical analysis of the produced Dl, the carburisation efficiency and microstructure of the obtained material are presented as well. The results of cast iron melted on a pig iron base are presented for comparison. A quantitative microstructure analysis is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pullback of CYK tensors to a submanifold is used to construct all solutions of a CYK equation in anti-de Sitter spacetime [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents powder injection into liquid alloys with a non-submerged lance. The parameters of the diphase gas-solids jet were found as the most important factor to achieve good efficiency of the process. If the parameters are improper, the jet will not penetrate the liquid and the solid particles will not be uniformly distributed. The jet cone profile is often crucial for diphase jet penetration, so this parameter was analyzed along with particle velocity on the lance outlet and the experiments proven this assumption. The use of a high-speed camera allowed to capture and analyze jet motion, which verified the data of previous authors and that in the literature. Experiments of both the model and real injection into molten cast iron proved both the mathematical model and numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of research conducted in the field of the technology of surface hardening of castings from unalloyed and low-alloy nodular cast iron using the laser remelting method. The range of studies included macro- and microhardness measurements using Rockwell and Vickers methods as well as metallographic microscopic examinations using a scanning electron microscope. Moreover, abrasive wear resistance tests were performed using the pin-on-disk method in the friction pair of nodular cast iron-SiC abrasive paper and the reciprocating method in the friction pair of nodular cast iron-unalloyed steel. Analysis of the test results shows that the casting surface layer remelting by laser for unalloyed nodular cast iron results in a greater improvement in its resistance to abrasive wear in the metal-mineral system, as compared to low-alloy cast iron. Additionally, carrying out the laser hardening treatment of the surface layer made of the tested grades of nodular cast iron is justified only if the tribological system of the cooperating working parts and allowable dimensional changes during their operation are known., Competing Interests: The authors Tomasz Wróbel, Andrzej Studnicki, Marcin Stawarz, Czesław Baron, Jan Jezierski, Dariusz Bartocha, and Aleksander Lisiecki from the Silesian University of Technology, and Rafał Dojka and Jacek Opiela from the Odlewnia RAFAMET declare that there is no conflict of interest. Their participation in the publication is the result of work on a research project, which was indicated in the article. The project was carried out within the framework of scientific research cooperation with Odlewnia RAFAMET, but the part of the work on the side of the Silesian University of Technology was entirely funded by the project funds. The authors from the Silesian University of Technology were not and are not formally associated with the foundry in any other way. Within the framework of the project, two patent applications were filed jointly by Odlewnia RAFAMET and Silesian University of Technology based on a bilateral agreement signed. There are no real reasons for a conflict of interest between the authors from the Silesian University of Technology and between them and Odlewnia RAFAMET. The authors Rafał Dojka and Jacek Opiela were employees of Odlewnia RAFAMET during the project, the writing of the publication, and still are, which as part of the cooperation in the mentioned research project signed an agreement with Silesian University of Technology that regulates all aspects of the cooperation in detail.

The article presents the results of research on the properties of molding sands in Alphaset technology (alkaline-phenolic). These sands are often used in steel foundries, producing large castings. However, knowledge about them, and especially about the changeability of their properties with the change of environmental conditions (seasons), is still insufficient. Various compositions of molding sand were analyzed based on fresh chromite sand and reclaimed sand. A binder and hardener in various mass ratios were used to prepare the mass. The research methodology included, among others, tests of tensile and bending strength, permeability, abrasion, gas emissivity, and ignition losses. These tests were carried out for summer and winter conditions. The results showed the optimal proportions of resin and hardener, showed the influence of ambient temperature on the properties of the molding sand, and the possible ratio of reclaimed sand in relation to fresh sand. However, you should always remember to verify them under the conditions of a specific foundry.

Obtaining a good surface finish on casting is challenging and depends on the dimension of the sand particles and the processing method of the mold. Evolving modern trends in mould and core production as a binder jetting technology is an option and it is more than desirable to evaluate and remove any possible negative effects. The aim of this study is to compare the influence of furan no-bake technology and 3D printing method on the surface quality of cores and cavities formed in aluminium alloy castings. In addition to the sieve analysis and mechanical properties of the moulding mixtures, the roughness (Ra, Rz) of the cores and resulting casting surfaces of individual samples were compared in this study., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The authors researched the physical, metallurgical, and mechanical characteristics of A354 alloy (Al-Si-Mg-Cu) reinforced with 5, 10, and 15 wt% of fly ash metal matrix composites. A baseline alloy and three composites were fabricated by a liquid metallurgy route and poured into a permanent mold to obtain cast rods of dimension Φ32 mm × 156 mm. The metallurgical characterization of the developed alloy and metal matrix composites was conducted using energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction. All the developed composites showed a pore-free nature, but only A354 alloy reinforced with 5 wt% of fly ash (AF 5 ) possessed a homogeneous distribution and perfect bonding of the fly ash with the A354 matrix. Therefore, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed on the sample AF 5 . All developed alloys and metal matrix composites were subjected to hardness and mechanical property tests. It was observed that the AF 5 sample had 170 ± 5.6 HV and tensile strength of 216 ± 2.3 MPa, 18.8% and 24.8% higher than the A354 matrix, but the ductility (6.5 ± 0.43%) was reduced by 23% from the baseline alloy. Finally, the fractography analysis was conducted on all the samples using FESEM to analyze the fracture mode. The fabricated 5 wt% fly ash-based metal matrix composite showed better mechanical performance than other samples. Hence, sample AF 5 is suggested for manufacturing components in automotive and structural parts.

This article presents the results of experiments on the optimization of down sprue geometry in the process of pouring sand molds. Theoretical assumptions and computer simulation tests are presented. The starting point was the theory and experience of gas entrapment caused mainly by a poorly designed gating system and the down sprue. Simulations were performed using Magmasoft software. First, initial studies were carried out to determine how the geometry (mainly the channel cross-section) of the sprue affects the problem, and then a detailed experiment was carried out on the so-called 'short sprue' version. The air entrapment process was analyzed, as were the parameters of the liquid alloy flow that passes through the analyzed channels. Nine geometric versions of the sprue were proposed and analyzed, and the results allowed us to conclude which sprue geometry is the best from the point of view of minimization of the gas entrapment problem.

The article reviews the progress made on bronze alloys processed through various casting techniques, and focuses on enhancements in the microstructural characteristics, hardness, tensile properties, and tribological behaviour of Cu-Sn and Cu-Sn-Ti alloys. Copper and its alloys have found several applications in the fields of automobiles, marine and machine tools specifically for propellers in submarines, bearings, and bushings. It has also been reported that bronze alloys are especially used as an anti-wear and friction-reducing material to make high performance bearings for roller cone cock bits and warships for defence purposes. In these applications, properties like tensile strength, yield strength, fatigue strength, elongation, hardness, impact strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance are very important; however, these bronze alloys possess only moderate hardness, which results in low wear resistance, thereby limiting the application of these alloys in the automobile industry. The major factor that influences the properties of bronze alloys is the microstructure. Morphological changes in these bronze alloys are achieved through different manufacturing techniques, such as casting, heat treatment, and alloy addition, which enhance the mechanical, tribological, and corrosion characteristics. Alloying of Ti to cast Cu-Sn is very effective in changing the microstructure of bronze alloys. Reinforcing the bronze matrix with several ceramic particles and surface modifications also improves the properties of bronze alloys. The present article reviews the techniques involved in changing the microstructure and enhancing the mechanical and tribological behaviours of cast Cu-Sn and Cu-Sn-Ti alloys. Moreover, this article also reviews the industrial applications and future scope of these cast alloys in the automobile and marine industries.

Objective: Impaired cardiac adrenergic activity has been demonstrated in heart failure (HF) and in diabetes mellitus (DM). [ 123 I]I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) enables assessment of the cardiac adrenergic nervous system. Tomographic imaging of the heart is expected to be superior to planar imaging. This study aimed to determine the quality and utility of MIBG SPECT in the assessment of cardiac innervation in postinfarction HF patients without DM, qualified for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in primary prevention of sudden cardiac death., Methods: Consecutive patients receiving an ICD on the basis of contemporary guidelines were prospectively included. Planar MIBG studies were followed by SPECT. The essential analysis was based on visual assessment of the quality of SPECT images ("high", "low" or "unacceptable"). The variables used in the further analysis were late summed defect score for SPECT images and heart-to-mediastinum rate for planar images. MIBG images were assessed independently by two experienced readers., Results: Fifty postinfarction nondiabetic HF subjects were enrolled. In 13 patients (26%), the assessment of SPECT studies was impossible. In addition, in 13 of 37 patients who underwent semiquantitative SPECT evaluation, the assessment was equivocal. Altogether, in 26/50 patients (52%, 95% confidence interval 38-65%), the quality of SPECT images was unacceptable or low and was limited by low MIBG cardiac uptake and by comparatively high, interfering MIBG uptake in the neighboring structures (primarily, in the lungs)., Conclusions: The utility of MIBG SPECT imaging, at least with conventional imaging protocols, in the qualification of postinfarction HF patients for ICD, is limited. In approximately half of the postinfarction HF patients, SPECT assessment of cardiac innervation can be impossible or equivocal, even without additional damage from diabetic cardiac neuropathy. The criteria predisposing the patient to good-quality MIBG SPECT are: high values of LVEF from the range characterizing the patients qualified to ICD (i.e., close to 35%) and left lung uptake intensity in planar images comparable to or lower than heart uptake., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The introduction of new design solutions of cast components to the powertrain systems of passenger cars has resulted in an increased demand for optimization of mechanical properties obtained during heat treatment, assuring-at the same time-a suitable level of production capacity and limitation of manufacturing costs. In this paper, research results concerning non-standard T6 heat treatment of a combustion engine cylinder head made of AlSi7Cu3Mg alloy are presented. It has been confirmed that the optimal process of heat treatment of this component, taking into consideration the criterion of material hardness, involves solutioning at a temperature of 500 °C for 1 h, and then aging for 2 h at 175 °C. As a result, HBS10/1000/30 hardness in the range of 105-130 was obtained, which means an increase from 35% to 60% in comparison to the as-cast, depending on the position of the measurement and spheroidization of precipitations of eutectic silicon.

The article presents issues related to melting ductile iron grade EN-GJS-400-15, with different proportions of feedstock (steel scrap and pig iron). The main attention was paid to determining the impact of silicon carbide on the structure and properties of melted cast iron. In the conducted melts, carbon and silicon deficiencies were supplemented with a suitably chosen carburizer, ferrosilicon, and SiC metallurgical silicon carbide. The percentage of silicon carbide in the charge ranged from 0 to 0.91%. The basic condition for the planning of melts was to maintain the repeatability of the chemical composition of the output cast iron and cast iron after the secondary treatment of liquid metal with various charge compositions. Based on the tests, calculations, and analyses of the results obtained, it was concluded that the addition of SiC may increase the number and size of graphite precipitates. Increasing the SiC content in the charge also caused a change in the solidification nature of the alloy and the mechanism of growth of spheroidal graphite precipitates, causing their surface to form a scaly shell. The influence of the addition of silicon carbide on the reduction of the temperature of liquidus in the alloys was also observed. Silicon carbide had a positive effect on the structure and properties of melted alloys. The introduction of SiC into the melting in the studied range caused an increase in the content of carbon and silicon without causing an increase in the amount of impurities in the alloy.

This article presents the results of experiments related to the process of replacement of the currently used furfuryl resin molding sand technology with a new alkali-phenolic technology. The new binder is characterized by a set of technological advantages and is considered more ecological compared to the furfuryl resin. However, the molding sand produced on the basis of the alkali-phenolic resin features lower strength compared to the sands containing furfuryl resin. This article presents a comparative study of sands made using various alkali-phenolic binders, aimed at the selection of a resin with strength parameters and other features that are both desirable and useful for new technology applied in a foundry.

The article presents the issue of electrical resistivity measurement of carbon materials. The device that was developed by the authors is described and is the subject of a Polish patent. The innovative approach of the setup is based on the possibility of measuring the resistivity of grainy (powdered, dusty) materials without having to conduct their preliminary pressing. The material that is to be analyzed is placed inside the chamber made of electrically non-conducting material. The sample is then compacted with pneumatically driven pistons and the compaction force can be controlled by the air pressure. The device as proposed by the authors works at a pressure of 900 kPa, which is equal to the compaction force of 1.2 kN. Resistivity is calculated on the basis of the voltage drop recorded on the sample length. The research covers the analysis of the influence of carbon material grade and compaction force on the resistivity value. It was stated that the resistivity of the graphite materials that were analyzed here changed within the range of 43⁻172 µm: petroleum coke-360⁻780 µm; the anthracite-1900⁻3900 µm. The experimental method presented here can be used whenever carbon materials are present in the form of grains.

Purpose: Surgical treatment of an acute Achilles tendon rupture can effectively reduce the risk of re-rupture, but it increases the probability of surgical complications. We postulated that a minimally invasive surgical treatment might reduce the number of complications related to open surgery and improve the functional results., Method: We enrolled 47 patients with acute Achilles tendon ruptures in a prospective, randomised trial to compare clinical results and complications between a minimally invasive procedure with the Achillon(®) device and traditional open surgery with Krackow-type sutures. The average patient age was 46 years. The follow up time was 24 months., Results: No Achilles tendon re-rupture or nerve injury occurred in treated patients. There were two cases of wound infections in the open surgery group, and one superficial wound infection occurred in the minimally invasive group. The groups were not significantly different in the amount of pain, range of ankle movements, the single heel-rise test, calf circumference, or time to return to work and sports., Conclusion: After a two year follow-up period, we found no significant differences in clinical outcomes between groups treated with traditional open surgery or minimally invasive surgery.

Pain stimulates some behaviors (e.g., withdrawal responses) and depresses other behaviors (e.g., feeding and locomotion). We are developing methods for testing candidate analgesics using measurements of pain-depressed behaviors. Such assays may model important aspects of clinical pain and complement traditional procedures that measure pain-stimulated behaviors. The present study characterized the effects of a chronic pain manipulation (monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis) on wheel running in rats. Rats had 24 h voluntary access to running wheels. Duration of running wheel acquisition was manipulated such that rats had either 21 or 7 days of running wheel access prior to MIA administration. Wheel running was monitored for an additional 21 days following MIA administration. MIA produced concentration- and acquisition length-dependent decreases in wheel running. Parallel experiments demonstrated that MIA produced concentration-dependent tactile allodynia and shifts in hind limb weight bearing. MIA was differentially potent across assays with a potency rank: weight-bearing≥von Frey>running wheel. MIA produced greater depression of wheel running in rats with relatively high baseline running rates compared to rats with relatively low baseline running rates. The differential potency of MIA across assays and apparent rate-dependent effects in running wheels may impact our traditional interpretations of preclinical nociceptive and antinociceptive testing., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We describe a case of persistent atrial tachycardia/flutter in a 19-year old female with corrected transposition of great arteries (ccTGA) and dual inlet left ventricle (DILV), treated with surgical palliative operations. The arrhythmia became persistent and symptomatic with dyspnea and severe cyanosis. During the EP study, the right atrial isthmus-dependent reentry was identified. In electroanatomical maps large areas of low voltage and electrical silence were localised. Due to these areas of slow conduction the isthmus dependent arrhythmia had long CL. Linear RF applications closed the isthmus, resulting in flutter termination. During 3 months of follow-up the patient remained free of arrhythmia.

Lyme carditis is a well known disorder; however, its diagnosis still remains a challenge because of varied clinical picture, low incidence rate and difficulties in detection of the aetiological agent (Borrelia burgdorferi). We report a case of a 60-year-old man with a 2.5-year history of dilated cardiomyopathy, recurring episodes of acute heart failure and arrhythmias which finally were diagnosed as Lyme carditis. The diagnosis was confirmed by endomyocardial biopsy that revealed spirochetes as well as by serological tests which showed complexed Borrelia antibodies. The patient responded to treatment with ceftriaxone and doxycycline.