The paper presents selected granular ceramic materials available on the Polish market. Their characteristics have been determined in the aspect on application in the production of iron alloy-ceramic composite. The possibility of obtaining a composite layer by means of bulk grains in molds of plates were considered, which was the foundation for experimental molds to be used in service tests. On the basis of obtaining results was stated that the knowledge of the characteristics of bulk grains enables the calculation of their quantity necessary for the composite production. When using the bulk grains the thickness of the composite layer is restricted by the thermal relations (cooler) and the physical phenomena (buoyancy, metal static pressure). Increasing amount of grains above definite condition causes surface defects in the castings. Each casting, due to its weight, shape and place of composite layer production requires an individual approach, both at the stage of formation and that of calculation of the required quantity of ceramic grains.

This work is dealing with the impact of molybdenum on the structure properties of commercial cast AlSi10Mg(Cu) alloy. The solidification path of AlSi10Mg(Cu) alloy with various content of molybdenum has been investigated using cooling curve techniques. The samples for testing have been poured into permanent steel mold. The content of molybdenum has been varied from 0 to 0.20 wt. %.The desired chemical composition was achieved by adding of master alloy AlMo10 into commercial AlSi10Mg(Cu) alloy. The micro hardness of as cast alloys with different content of molybdenum has been measured. The microstructure and EDX analysis from the casted samples has been carried out. The results show that molybdenum in commercial AlSi10Cu(Mg) alloy precipitate in the interdendritic region isolated in the form of Al(FeMnMoMg)Si rich intermetallic. The increased content of molybdenum increase slightly liquidus temperature, prolonging precipitation of the last eutectic and surprisingly decrease the micro hardness of commercial alloy for approximately 16 %.

Silicon bronzes are characterised by good mechanical properties and by high corrosion and mechanical wear resistance. The process of sleeve casting by means of the centrifugal casting with the horizontal axis of the mould rotation was analysed. The assessment of the influence of modification and centrifugal casting parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of alloys was carried out in the hereby work. Zirconium was applied as a modifier. Speed of rotation of the mould was the variable parameter of the centrifugal casting. The investigation results were summarised on the basis of the microstructure analysis and mechanical properties determination: UTS, proof stress, A10 and BHN. The experiment aimed at finding the information in which way the modification together with changing the pouring parameters influence the mechanical properties of the CuSi3Zn3FeMn alloy.

The paper concerns experimental work studying chemical composition, structures and selected mechanical properties of castings produced by rheocasting method SEED. After previous experiments, which showed inclusions in the primary phase α(Al) when observing structures, hypothesis of external nuclei was taken. The main goal of the work was to determine the influence of inoculation by various additions of titanium/boron based inoculant on the structure and properties of AlSi7Mg0,3 alloy. The master alloy AlTi5B1 was added in amounts of 0,05, 0,1, 0,15, 0,2 wt %. Metallographic observation by light and SEM microscopy was used for analysing the structures. Measurements of grain size were realised and evaluated. Brinell hardness measurements were performed. Chemical composition was measured by GDS analysis. Undertaken experiments did not prove the effect of inoculation of combined AlTi5B1 master alloy on castings made of AlSi7Mg0,3 alloy made by rheocasting SEED at given amounts and conditions.

It was found that the addition of carbon fibers (CFs) does not affect the crosslinking process in the microwave radiation (800 W, 2.45

GHz) of the BioCo2 binder, which is a water solution of poly(acrylic acid) and dextrin (PAA/D). It has influence on BioCo2 thermal

properties. The CFs addition improves the thermostability of a binder and leads to the reduction of gas products quantity generated in the

temperature range of 300-1100°C (TG-DTG, Py-GC/MS). Moreover, it causes the emission of harmful decomposition products such as

benzene, toluene, xylene and styrene to be registered in a higher temperatures (above 700°C). BioCo2 binder without CFs addition is

characterized by the emission of these substances in the lower temperature range. This indicates the positive effect of carbon fibers

presence on the amount of released harmful products.

The selected technological tests (permeability, friability, bending strength, tensile strength) have shown that the moulding sand with the

0.3 parts by weight carbon fibers addition displays the worst properties. The addition of 0.1 parts by weight of CFs is sufficient to obtain a

beneficial effect on the analyzed moulding sands properties. The reduction of harmful substances at the higher temperatures can also be

observed.

Constantly developing production process and high requirements concerning the quality of glass determine the need for continuous improvement of tools and equipment needed for its production. Such tools like forms, most often made of cast-iron, are characterized by thick wall thickness compared to their overall dimensions and work in difficult conditions such as heating of the surface layer, increase of thermal stresses resulting from the temperature gradient on the wall thickness, occurrence of thermal shock effect, resulting from cyclically changing temperatures during filling and emptying of the mould. There is no best and universal method for assessing how samples subjected to cyclic temperature changes behave. Research on thermal fatigue is a difficult issue, mainly due to the instability of this parameter, which depends on many factors, such as the temperature gradient in which the element works, the type of treatment and the chemical composition of the material. Important parameters for these materials are at high temperature resistance to thermal shock and thermal fatigue what will be presented in this paper.

Foundry technologists use their own style of gating system designing. Most of their patterns are caused by experience. The designs differ from plant to plant and give better or worse results. This shows that the theory of gating systems is not brought into general use sufficiently and therefore not applied in practise very often. Hence, this paper describes the theory and practical development of one part of gating systems - sprue base for automated horizontal moulding lines used for iron castings. Different geometries of sprue bases with gating system and casting were drawn in Solid Edge ST9. The metal flow through the gating systems was then simulated with use of MAGMA Express 5.3.1.0, and the results were achieved. The quality of flow was considered in a few categories: splashes, air entrapment, vortex generation and air contact. The economical aspect (weight of runner) was also taken under consideration. After quantitative evaluation, the best shape was chosen and optimised in other simulations with special attention on its impact on filling velocity and mould erosion. This design (a sprue base with notch placed in drag and cope) is recommended to be used in mass production iron foundries to reduce oxide creation in liquid metal and especially to still metal stream to improve filtration.

Cast axes are one of the most numerous categories of bronze products from earlier phases of the Bronze Age found in Poland. They had multiple applications since they were not only used objects such as tools or weapons but also played the prestigious and cult roles.

Investigations of the selected axes from the bronze products treasure of the Bronze Age, found in the territory of Poland, are presented

in the hereby paper. The holder of these findings is the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw. Metallurgical investigations of axes with bushing were performed in respect of the casting technology and quality of obtained castings. Macroscopic observations allowed to document the remains of the gating system and to assess the range and kind of casting defects. Light microscopy revealed the microstructure character of these relicts. The chemical composition was determined by means of the X-ray fluorescence method with energy dispersion (ED-XRF) and by the scanning electron microscopy with X-ray energy dispersion analysis in micro-areas (SEM-EDS). The shape and dimensions of cores, reproducing inner parts of axes were identified on the basis of the X-ray tomography images. Studies reconstructed production technology of the mould with gating system, determined chemical composition of the applied alloys and casting structures as well as revealed the casting defects being the result of construction and usage of moulds and cores.

The paper presents the results of the computer simulations of solidification with consideration of the liquid phase movement. Simulations were conducted in a real, complex cast. There is a multi-stage resolution to the problem of convection in solidification simulations. The most important resolution concerns the development of the numerical model with the momentum and continuity equations, as well as conditions which are determined by the convection. Simulations were carried out with the use of our authorial software based on stabilized finite elements method (Petroy-Galerkin). In order to solve Navier-Stokes equation (with the convection element), Boussinesq’s approximation were used. Finite Elements Method (FEM) was responsible for the solidification. FEM is close to the heat conduction equation solution (with the internal heat source responsible for the heat released during phase transformation). Convection causes movement in the liquid phase in the solidifying cast and can significantly influence the process of heat transfer from the cast. It may change the distribution of the defects. Results of this article make it possible to assess the conditions in which the influence of the convection on solidification is significant.

The paper describes the studies of ternary SnZn9Al1.5 lead-free alloy from the viewpoint of its mechanical behavior as well as microstructure examined by the light and scanning electron microscopy. The authors focused their attention specifically on the fatigue parameters determined by the original modified low-cycle fatigue method (MLCF), which in a quick and economically justified way allows determination of a number of mechanical parameters based on the measurement data coming from one test sample only. The effect of the addition of 1.5% Al to the binary eutectic SnZn9 alloy on its microstructure and the obtained level of mechanical parameters was analyzed. The phases and intermetallic compounds occurring in the alloy were identified based on the chemical analysis carried out in micro-areas by the SEM/EDS technique. It was shown that the addition of 1.5% Al to the binary eutectic SnZn9 alloy resulted in a more favorable microstructure and consequently had a positive effect on the mechanical parameters of the alloy. Based on the conducted research, it was recommended to use a combinatorial method based on the phase quanta theory to quickly evaluate the microstructure and the original MLCF method to determine a number of mechanical parameters.

The paper deals with influence of multiple remelting on AlSi9Cu3 alloy with higher iron content on chosen mechanical properties. Multiple remelting may in various ways influence mechanical, foundry properties, gas saturation, shrinkage cavity, fluidity etc. of alloy. Higher presence of iron in Al-Si cast alloys is common problem mainly in secondary (recycled) aluminium alloys. In Al-Si alloy the iron is the most common impurity and with presence of other elements in alloy creates the intermetallic compounds, which decreases mechanical properties. Iron in the used alloy was increased to about 1.4 wt. %, so that the influence of increased iron content can be investigated. In the paper, the effect of multiple remelting is evaluated with respect to the resulting mechanical properties in cast state, after the heat treatment (T5) and after natural aging. From the obtained results it can be concluded that the multiple remelting leads to change of chemical composition and affect the mechanical properties.