An apparatus and method is disclosed for forming an item in a mould using a casting process, typically a counter gravity casting system. Heating assembly, transfer assembly and mould filling assembly can be used in combination. The transfer assembly includes apparatus and method for removing sedimentation from the liquid metal and/or metal alloy received from the heating assembly and extracting the same prior to the metal and/or metal alloy reaching the mould filling assembly at which the same is supplied to fill a cavity of a mould and which, once filled, can be slid to a location to cool and thereby make available the mould filling assembly for the next mould to be filled. This apparatus and method provide an efficient, high throughput system, along with high quality cast items.

The invention relates to a modification body for the production of spheroidal graphite cast iron and to the method for producing a cast part using the modification body according to the invention, and to the cast part itself. The modification body serves for the production of spheroidal graphite cast iron, in particular with a predominantly ferritic structure, containing a carrier material, preferably an iron-silicon alloy, wherein the modification body contains 7-16 weight percent of boron.

A degassing and grain refinement system for a cast aluminum-based component and a method of achieving both hydrogen gas presence reduction and grain size reduction in a cast aluminum-based component. Ultrasonic vibrations are imparted to both the liquid metal travel path from its source to the mold to achieve the reduction in hydrogen gas in the molten metal, as well as to one or more locations within the mold to achieve relatively small and equiaxed grains in the component upon solidification.

A method of manufacturing a dissolvable article comprises forming a liquid-solid mixture comprising secondary particles homogeneously dispersed in a molten metallic matrix material; disposing the liquid-solid mixture in a mold; agitating the liquid-solid mixture in the mold; and molding the liquid-solid mixture under agitation to form a dissolvable article, wherein the secondary particles and the metallic matrix material form a plurality of micro- or nano-sized galvanic cells in the dissolvable article.

A molten metal processing device including a molten metal containment structure for reception and transport of molten metal along a longitudinal length thereof. The device further includes a cooling unit for the containment structure including a cooling channel for passage of a liquid medium therein, and an ultrasonic probe disposed in relation to the cooling channel such that ultrasonic waves are coupled through the liquid medium in the cooling channel and through the molten metal containment structure into the molten metal.

An apparatus for countergravity casting a metallic material, has: a crucible for holding melted metallic material; a casting chamber for containing a mold; a fill tube capable of extending into the crucible to communicate melted metallic material to the casting chamber; and a gas source coupled to a headspace of the melting vessel to allow the gas source to pressurize the headspace to establish a pressure differential to force the melted metallic material upwardly through said fill tube into the mold. Extraneous sulfur is prevented from entering the molten metal from the mold by solidifying metal in the fill tube.