| Abstract | The history of non-ferrous metals casting is reviewed, tracing the art of founding since the fifth millennium BC and illustrating the excellent achievements of early civilizations in moulding and
casting. Ancient metallurgy was born in the Middle East and spread very early throughout Europe, the Far East and Africa. Independently, the art of casting was discovered by the pre-Columbian Indians in Middle and South America. ln Europe, the peak
of artistic casting development was reached in Classical Greece. After the Middle Ages, when founding was confined mainly to the production of bells, guns and ornamental castings, came the Renaissance and the splendid castings of Cellini and other
artist-founders. The coming of the Industrial Age and the discovery of new metals, especially aluminum, magnesium, nickel and zinc, considerably increased the output of castings. The concept 'of internal casting quality was introduced and with it the
need for adequate mechanical properties for proper performance. A brief account of present trends in "premium-quality" castings and some recent improvements in casting techniques is included. Considerations of the future of non-ferrous metals are
based on statistical surveys of growth figures of world outputs analyzed by geographical distribution, volume versus weight, price and per capita consumption. United States casting production figures illustrate the trend of shifting from sand casting
to die casting. The future of the non-ferrous castings industry depends on the consistent production of highest-quality castings, which can compete with wrought products and other competitive materials, as well as on further automation and
mechanization of all foundry equipment and procedures, using mechanical robots and modern computers. |