Casting of metals

Technical Field & Process Matrix covering all 7 metal manufacturing sectors, with clear differentiation of processes, materials, and applications:

Metal Manufacturing Process Matrix

Technical Field	Key Processes	Materials Used	Output Products	Industry Standards
1. First Processing of Steel	- Hot/cold rolling - Pickling - Annealing - Galvanizing	Carbon steel Alloy steel	Coils, sheets, strips	ASTM A568, EN 10130
2. Basic Precious & Non-Ferrous Metals	- Smelting (Cu, Al) - Electrorefining (Au, Ag) - Alloying (Brass/Bronze)	Copper, aluminum Gold, silver, zinc	Ingots, anodes, powders	ISO 197, LBMA
3. Casting of Metals	- Sand casting - Die casting - Investment casting - Continuous casting	Iron, aluminum Bronze, steel	Engine blocks, valves Machine parts	ISO 8062, ASTM A536
4. Structural Metal Products	- CNC cutting - Welding (MIG/TIG) - Bending - Assembly	Structural steel Stainless steel	Beams, frames Bridges, towers	AISC 360, EN 1090
5. Tanks & Containers	- Roll forming - Spiral welding - Hydroforming - Leak testing	Carbon steel Stainless steel	Storage tanks Pressure vessels	ASME BPVC, API 650
6. Basic Iron/Steel & Ferro-Alloys	- Blast furnace (pig iron) - BOF/EAF steelmaking - Ferro-alloy SAF smelting	Iron ore, scrap FeCr, FeMn, FeSi	Pig iron, crude steel Ferro-alloy ingots	JIS G 3101, ASTM A36
7. Steel Tubes/Pipes/Fittings	- Seamless (Mannesmann) - ERW/LSAW welding - Cold drawing - Fitting machining	Carbon steel Alloy steel	Oil/gas pipes Structural tubes	API 5L, ASME B16.9

Key Differentiators

1. Material Focus:

   • Fields 1,6,7: Primarily steel-based

   • Field 2: Non-ferrous & precious metals

   • Field 3: All castable metals

2. Signature Processes:

   • Field 6: High-temperature smelting (1,500°C+)

   • Field 7: Precision tube forming/welding

   • Field 4: Structural fabrication (cut-weld-assemble)

3. Quality Priorities:

   • Fields 5&7: Pressure integrity (hydro tests)

   • Field 2: Purity (99.99% for precious metals)

   • Field 3: Dimensional accuracy in molds

Process Flow Comparison

Diagram

Code

Emerging Technologies

• Field 6: Hydrogen-based DRI (direct reduced iron)

• Field 7: Laser-welded microtubes for medical devices

• Field 4: Robotic welding for modular construction

• Field 2: Urban mining (e-waste recycling)

Regulatory Hotspots

• Field 5: ASME BPVC for pressure vessels

• Field 7: API 5L for oil/gas pipelines

• Field 2: Conflict minerals compliance (Tin, Ta, W)

This matrix reveals:

• Upstream dependency: Fields 1&6 supply materials to 4,5,7

• Process overlap: Welding critical in 4,5,7

• Divergent testing: NDT for pipes vs. chemical assays for non-ferrous

process energy requirements or regional compliance variations for these fields

Quality Control Tests

Test	Purpose
Hydrostatic Test	Checks leaks under high pressure
Ultrasonic Testing (UT)	Detects internal weld defects
Eddy Current Test	Surface crack detection
Hardness Test	Ensures material strength
Dimensional Check	Verifies OD, thickness, straightness

all abbreviations used in the Technical Field & Process Matrix, along with their full forms and context:

1. Steel & Iron Production

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
BOF	Basic Oxygen Furnace	Primary steelmaking (Field 6)
EAF	Electric Arc Furnace	Scrap-based steelmaking (Field 6)
DRI	Direct Reduced Iron	Alternative to blast furnace (Field 6)
SAF	Submerged Arc Furnace	Ferro-alloy production (Field 6)
FeCr	Ferrochrome	Stainless steel additive (Field 6)
FeMn	Ferromanganese	Steel strengthening (Field 6)
FeSi	Ferrosilicon	Deoxidizer in steel (Field 6)

2. Pipe/Tube Manufacturing

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
ERW	Electric Resistance Welding	Welded pipes (Field 7)
LSAW	Longitudinal Submerged Arc Welding	Large-diameter pipes (Field 7)
SAW	Submerged Arc Welding	Spiral-welded pipes (Field 7)
HFW	High-Frequency Welding	Hollow sections (Field 7)
OD	Outer Diameter	Pipe dimensional check (Field 7)

3. Non-Ferrous Metals

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
Cu	Copper	Electrical/thermal applications (Field 2)
Al	Aluminum	Aerospace/construction (Field 2)
Zn	Zinc	Galvanizing (Field 1, 2)
Pb	Lead	Batteries/radiation shielding (Field 2)
Au	Gold (from Latin Aurum)	Jewelry/electronics (Field 2)
Ag	Silver (from Latin Argentum)	Solar panels/jewelry (Field 2)

4. Testing & Standards

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
NDT	Non-Destructive Testing	Quality checks (Fields 5,7)
UT	Ultrasonic Testing	Weld defect detection (Field 7)
API	American Petroleum Institute	Oil/gas standards (Fields 5,7)
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers	Pressure vessels (Field 5)
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Materials	Material standards (Fields 1,6)
JIS	Japanese Industrial Standards	Steel/non-ferrous (Fields 6,7)
EN	Euro Norm	EU standards (Fields 1,4)
AISC	American Institute of Steel Construction	Structural steel (Field 4)
LBMA	London Bullion Market Association	Precious metals (Field 2)

5. Manufacturing Processes

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
CNC	Computer Numerical Control	Precision machining (Fields 4,7)
MIG	Metal Inert Gas Welding	Structural welding (Field 4)
TIG	Tungsten Inert Gas Welding	High-quality welds (Fields 4,5)
CCUS	Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage	Emissions reduction (Field 6)

6. Other Key Terms

Abbreviation	Full Form	Field/Application
JIT	Just-In-Time	Logistics (Field 5)
VCI	Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor	Storage anti-rust (Field 1)
HSS	Hollow Structural Sections	Construction (Field 7)
DIN	Deutsches Institut für Normung	German standards (Field 6)

Note

• Industry-Specific:

  • BOF/EAF (Steelmaking) vs ERW/LSAW (Pipe welding).

  • API/ASME dominate pressure equipment, while AISC governs structures.

• Material Codes:

  • FeCr/FeMn (Alloys) vs Cu/Al (Non-ferrous).

• Testing:

  • UT for pipes vs NDT for structural integrity.

Need clarification on any abbreviation’s technical application or regional variations (e.g., JIS vs ASTM)