World market of metal castings 2014–2018: production, countries, alloys

Abstract

The analysis of the world market of metal castings in 2014–2018 is presented, as well as trends for the short term. The world market of castings from ferrous and non-ferrous metal alloys completed 2018 with a record output of 112.7 million tons, which is 2.6 % more than in the previous 2017. The state of the foundry industry in the countries leading in the world foundry rating is considered. The leaders order of manufacturing countries in 2018 compared to 2014 has changed slightly. China remains the global leader in the world casting market with a share of 43.8 %. The second place with a share of 11.9 % belongs to India, and the third – to the USA (9.5 %). Together, these three countries produced 65.2 % of the world's metal castings. All the "Top-10" countries produced 98.7 million tons of castings, or 87.5 % of global production. In the industry of China, the largest contributors to the production of castings in 2018 were automotive (30 %), cast pipe production (17 %), and the engineering and agricultural machinery industry (11 %). Given the global trends of Industry 4.0 and environmental problems, Chinese foundry workers focused on such areas as casting ecology, automation, digitalization of casting processes and its innovativeness. To protect the environment, the Chinese government has set limits on particulate emissions from gas furnaces. The trends in the context of cast alloys are reviewed and analyzed. There have been tendencies for the displacement of ferrous alloys by light and non-ferrous alloys, as well as the creation of high-strength multiphase alloys for lightweight cast structures, including those with heat treatment. The review outlines the main sections of innovative projects and scientific and technological topics in the foundry and metallurgical industry. A massive transition to the production of electric vehicles will lead to a rather significant decrease in the use of cast iron in the production of engines and at the same time will increase the use of aluminum alloys in the automotive industry.

Keywords

• market
• castings
• trends
• production
• alloys
• investments
• countries
• innovations