Although special metallurgy processes involve higher production costs and consequently prices, the economic advantage for users is confirmed by the increasing demand of products expressed by special metallurgy.
Therefore VMR (Vacuum Melting and Remelting) route is becoming today more and more common option by many alloy/steel makers for high quality products.
VMR route consists of VIM (Vacuum Induction Melting) process followed by a secondary special metallurgy process for the remelting of the VIM (but also EAF) ingot like VAR (Vacuum Arc Remelting) and ESR (Electro Slag Remelting), the latter available with different options as PESR (Pressurised ESR) and IESR (Inert ESR).
On one side the role of such secondary special metallurgy processes is destined to become more important to increase soundness and solidification structure homogeneity of ingots, on the other side to refine (VAR, IESR, VESR and ESR) or to modify (PESR) then chemical composition of ingots.
As a synthesis of this depicted scenario, it is quite safe to say that the development of new markets and applications will not only demand process innovation, but remarkable efforts on the material side, too: metallurgy, ceramurgy and materials technologies will be of primary importance in pursuing the castability of new alloys, metal matrix composite and so on.
In the next future this scientific, technological and industrial community will have to face remarkable challenges as the consequence of the on-going globalisation. They will not be only confined to the technological sphere, but it is unavoidable that technology will be the most critical factor in facing them.
In that respect, the Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A., which has already gained a unique capability in this field, as consequence of the long R&D cooperation both with industry and academy, is open to reinforce the partnership with the community in order to support its business by a knowledge alway walking in advance to the market.