What are foundry alloys?

Iron foundry alloys for defect-free, cost-effective cast iron production.

Foundry alloys are a vital aspect of all iron foundry processes for the production of cast iron, and quality and consistency are key to the performance of all of them. With precision-formulated products ranging from preconditioners through to inoculants, along with a global presence, Elkem is the only foundry alloy supplier you’ll ever need.

The role of foundry alloys

‘Foundry alloys’ is a wide-ranging term that encompasses a variety of products used to treat the molten metal during the production of various types of cast iron.

Foundry alloys are needed for a variety of reasons, including maintaining or increasing nucleation potential, and initiating and controlling the formation of graphite flakes, nodules and compacts.

Foundry alloys from Elkem

A challenge for any iron foundry in sourcing foundry alloys is in selecting a product that meets the metallurgical and quality requirements of the cast iron, at the same time as providing consistently high performance.

That’s where you’ll find Elkem to be different from other suppliers and distributors: because we maintain tight control over our production processes, our foundry alloys lead the field when it comes to quality and consistency. And we’re constantly improving too, talking to our customers to understand their needs and refine our product offering so it stays ahead of the field.

Our product range includes:

Recarburizers:

When producing cast iron, recarburizers are used at the early and late stages of the melting process to accurately adjust carbon content in the molten iron.

Preconditioners:

Preconditioners are a valuable way of enhancing and stabilizing the nucleation potential of the base iron during cast iron manufacture.

Conditioners:

Conditioners (or cover alloys) are used in ductile iron manufacture, with benefits including better magnesium recovery and simplified slag removal.

Nodularizers:

Nodularizers are magnesium ferrosilicon alloys that are essential in the production of ductile iron, to promote the formation of graphite nodules.

Inoculants:

Ferrosilicon-based inoculants promote the formation of evenly-distributed graphite particles with the desired structure, in various types of cast irons.

Inserts:

Because they are used directly in the mold, inserts are a highly efficient way of achieving effective inoculation for cast irons.

With you at every step

We’re more than just a manufacturer – buying foundry alloys from us is a collaboration. We’ll listen carefully to your product requirements, work out the specification that will deliver maximum product quality and cost-effectiveness for you, and offer expert guidance and insight at every stage of the production process.

Unlike other suppliers, we have a network of metallurgists, process engineers and research staff that are fully accessible to all our customers. With their expertise and laboratory facilities, they’re ready to help you solve your complex casting issues and to develop bespoke products.

Most importantly, no other foundry alloy manufacturer has Elkem’s global reach, meaning there’s always someone near at hand to support you. And with our production sites close to principal iron foundry clusters, we’re the best choice for timely delivery, too.

Sustainability at Elkem

To learn more about our sustainability initiatives, check our webpage.