Sometimes the difference between a crucible that consistently performs well and one that fails to meet even minimal standards may have nothing to do with the crucible itself. Rather, the performance difference may have everything to do with how the crucible is handled, operated and maintained at the foundry.

From understanding the fundamental materials that make crucibles perform under extreme conditions to troubleshooting common performance issues, foundries need reliable answers to navigate the complexities of crucible selection and care. We address the most frequently asked questions from foundries worldwide, covering everything from material composition and manufacturing processes to specific product recommendations and performance optimisation strategies.

The metal casting industry is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing sectors, with the melting process accounting for over half (55%) of its energy consumption. Although high energy expenses have been a significant concern of metal casters, the industry continues to use melting technologies offering poor energy efficiency, often sacrificing energy efficiency for product longevity.

This article explores how two South African aluminium casters serving the automotive industry are reducing their costs and enhancing metal quality by using advanced degassing rotors from Morgan Molten Metal Systems.

Glenn Connor, a blacksmith in Charleston, West Virginia, observed, “Tools don’t make the blacksmith, the blacksmith makes the tools.” While forging or fabricating metalworking tools by hand is an essential job at a smithy, it can be a wasteful and time consuming chore at foundries and die casting shops. Nevertheless, many metal casters regularly require their maintenance staff to fabricate a variety of hand tools for use in melting operations.

Crucibles that provide a consistently long service life are highly valued by melting facility managers. Such crucibles allow managers to plan longer production campaigns, to schedule crucible replacement times that minimise downtime and to reduce replacement frequency, cutting crucible purchase costs. While the product quality built into a crucible by its manufacturer is one key to long service life, another key is held by metal casters themselves.

If you melt metal or hold a molten bath, chances are your operation is unique. Your particular combination of furnaces, alloys, working practices, metallurgical treatments, pouring arrangements and end products are not likely to be duplicated at any other facility. So choosing a crucible that will provide maximum performance for your operation is an individualised and complex task.