The article presents the optimization of high-pressure die casting process technology for equestrian stirrups with the application of computer simulation. In the initial stage, the output technology was analyzed, and on the basis of a series of virtual experiments the cause of defects in the casting was highlighted. The optimization process includes different designs of a gating system. Additionally, the casting application properties were evaluated in an exploitation simulation, taking into account predicted defects resulting from the casting and solidification process. Based on the conducted analyses, technological changes were made to the casting technology design allowing the defects occurring in the original technological concept to be removed.

The article presents the analysis of properties of the high-strength AlZnMgCu (abbr AlZn) aluminium alloy and estimates possibilities of its application for responsible structures with reduced weight as an alternative to iron alloy castings. The aim of the conducted studies was to develop and select the best heat treatment regime for a 7xx casting alloy based on high-strength materials for plastic working from the 7xxx series. For analysis, wrought AlZnMgCu alloy (7075) was selected. Its potential of the estimated as-cast mechanical properties indicates a broad spectrum of possible applications for automotive parts and in the armaments industry. The resulting tensile and fatigue properties support the thesis adopted, while the design works further confirm these assumptions.

The new research trends are moving away from research works that are not directly connected with industrial applications. The Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) is an excellent example of the relationship between scientific research and the industrial sector.As an example of the design development of construction of a suspension component, an overview of the changes of a welded part replaced with cast component is presented. The identification of boundary conditions and forces operating on the nodes of the suspension element allowed determining the critical areas in the existing welded construction. Then the new design of casting for high performance applications was developed. Analysis of the kinematics of the suspension components also revealed the need for changes in the design of the mounting points of the suspension components to reduce the maximum values ​​of forces and enforced moments. As a result of successive stages of the topology optimization of analysed cast, control arms with significantly lower values ​​of maximum stresses were obtained. The material conversion of welded part with high strength AlZnMgCu aluminium alloy allowed the reduction of the weight by 25% for the lower control arm and 30% for upper control arm.

Increased wear of drive wheel teeth in a longwall shearer requires frequent replacement of this expensive component, due to use of high power drives and geometrical limitations to the advance systems. A concept of the innovative Flextrack advance system, which enables limiting the high pressing stresses between cooperating surfaces of drive wheel and tooth gear (according to Hertz), was developed. The tooth gear, which consists of single segments, each with only one tooth, is the main component of Flextrack advance system. The sidewalls of the tooth gear have tacks of spherical shape located on the surfaces of the segments cooperating with each other. This design causes that the segments can be “seated” against each other, with no need to change the pitch between the teeth. The surfaces of tracks of tooth gear segments can incline transversely and longitudinally, and it is limited only by a special guide. The advance tooth gear system made in such way enables one to overcome horizontal and vertical inclinations of the conveyor route on which the shearer moves. The material model accepted for numerical analyses assumed the use of high strength spheroidal cast iron EN-GJS-1200-2 and L20HGSNM cast steel. The manufacture of casts of tooth gear segments in a precise casting technology enables one to obtain high accuracy of cooperating spherical surfaces as well as surfaces of the flank of the tooth cooperating with drive wheel. Accepted casting technology ensures high repeatability and the reduction of the cost of a single tooth gear segment, assuming serial manufacture. Changes applied to the design of advance system will increase the operational life of drive wheels, significantly reducing the maintenance time in very dangerous conditions.

The article discusses the weldment to casting conversion process of rocker arm designed for operation in a special purpose vehicle to obtain a consistency of objective functions, which assume the reduced weight of component, the reduced maximum effort of material under the impact of service loads achieved through topology modification for optimum strength distribution in the sensitive areas, and the development of rocker arm manufacturing technology. As a result of conducted studies, the unit weight of the item was reduced by 25%, and the stress limit values were reduced to a level guaranteeing safe application.

An introduction to the problem of the conversion of structural components, including components manufactured by casting techniques Wstęp do problematyki konwersji elementów konstrukcyjnych, w tym elementów odlewanych Abstract Modern development of technology features not only dynamic changes aimed at improving the performance characteristics of structural components through the optimum selection of materials, adjustments in design, or upgrade of manufacturing processes, but also the increase of the economic impact resulting from these changes. All of these processes occur under one common name of conversion and have a simple or-more often complex character (due to the vast scope of changes introduced). This article examines some basic definitions related to the concept of conversion and its association with innovative and intelligent solutions currently applied in materials engineering. Due to a variety of problems, attention was focused on the core notions related to conversion.

The article describes the application of various methods of rapid prototyping for manufacturing of prototype castings. This technology assumes that the properties of such a casting are similar to properties of a casting obtained in serial production involving die-casting technologies or high pressure die casting. However, other conditions of metal preparation, pouring, and the solidification process, related to the specificity of manufacturing of a single casting with the application of rapid prototyping, as compared to serial production generate different final properties. Numerical simulations of exploitation conditions, with the use of Ansys and Abaqus software, were conducted for selected constructions taking into account the final properties of a casting. MAGMASoft software was used for the analysis of the technological process for manufacturing of prototype castings, as well as in serial production. The article describes the consecutive stages for manufacturing of selected prototype castings - from the moment of designing to manufacturing of a ready-made element. The selected elements were produced with the use of rapid prototyping with a 3D Z-Corp printer and a FDM Titan machine, and then model sets were prepared for casting with the application of the lost wax casting technique.The conducted analysis was aimed at defining methodology for manufacturing prototype castings with the use of numerical simulation tools, especially the implementation of boundary conditions achieved as a result of solidification analysis and techniques of rapid prototyping. It was stated that final properties of a prototype casting and a serial casting may be different, which may impact the assessment of the construction under development. The use of numerical calculations for the assessment of a prototype and serial construction with exploitation parameters broadens the expertise with final properties of the analysed construction.

During the processes of copper production, post-reaction slags are formed and must be transported to storage sites as waste. The working conditions of the slag ladles are extreme, incl. due to the high reactivity of copper slag and the cyclicality of the operation of the slag ladles. The material of the vat walls is exposed to intense factors: chemical in the form of a liquid phase and temperature in the form of high gradients (thermal shocks). Which leads to a reduction in the campaign length of a single vat. The paper discusses the issues related to the operation of smelting slag pots depending on the insulating material. The aim of the work is to analyze the thermal interactions during the filling of the pots. The conclusions from the presented research are a proposal of actions aimed at extending the working time of the slag pots between repairs related to operation, as well as in terms of the total working time. The analyzes of thermal decomposition on the external and internal surfaces of slag pots with "artificially compressed" calcium milk Ca(OH)2 on the entire surface of the slag pots, which were carried out in the presented work, gave very similar results as during the modeling of steel slag pot. The use of a heat-resistant concrete layer at the bottom of the pots significantly reduces the damage zone and extends the working time.