Have you ever reflected upon the degree to which most people take important aspects of our modern lifestyle for granted? 

We expect clean water to come from the faucet while giving little thought to the processes, technologies, and products (including castings) that make it possible. We expect electricity to be available at the flick of a switch, often giving little thought to the energy source that provides the power or the infrastructure (again including castings) that make it possible. Castings are also critical to our mobility, national defense and so many other aspects of life.

Modern Casting often shares insightful stories about the highly engineered castings used in these everyday-life applications and this issue is no exception. 

On page 40, this issue presents case studies demonstrating ingenuity and problem-solving in mold and core department challenges. 

Beginning on page 16, there is a deep-dive look at the journey AFS Corporate Member Amsted Rail traveled to produce a GSI Transit Truck Set––a pair of nickel steel castings weighing 3,150 and 2,200 pounds. The massive castings are being used in commuter trains for a major metropolitan rail system.  

And on page 32, Modern Casting talks to environmental experts for must-know information to help foundries stay abreast of best practices related to zero landfill goals. Again, environmental stewardship is an important priority for North American foundries as they produce advanced castings.

What these articles share in common is that they fit into a theme that the late Paul Harvey, broadcaster extraordinaire, used to call “The Rest of the Story.” In many cases, it is not an over-reach to call them metalcasting marvels in that they illustrate just how far our industry has come in improving casting quality, reducing weight, and designing castings that perform functions previously accomplished through weldments or forgings. Our surveys show that readers from across the metalcasting supply chain––whether reading the print edition, digital version, or both––relish this type of content.

Speaking of metalcasting marvels, the countdown has begun for CastExpo 2025. Once every three years, metalcasters, suppliers, casting purchasers, students, and academic leaders gather for North America’s largest metalcasting convention and trade show, which will be held April 12–15 in Atlanta. 

It’s a chance to discover the newest technologies that are benefiting the industry and changing the way we make and use castings. There will be advanced equipment operating live on the show floor. Exhibitors for essential consumables will be on hand to respond to questions, from the most basic inquiries to highly advanced technical questions. Technical and management sessions will be a tremendous source of good information. Concurrently, the Cast in North America (CINA) area will feature foundry exhibits, as casting buyers and designers (some with blueprints in hand) will explore how to address their metalcasting challenges. The buyers and designers in attendance will also benefit from informative sessions on the show floor designed with them in mind. Registration for CastExpo is now open at www.castexpo.com. 

If you have other examples of metalcasting marvels, please contact Editor Kim Phelan at kphelan@afsinc.org and Modern Casting just may include your example in a future issue.