Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Castings

This article describes typical foundry practices used to commercially produce zirconium castings. The foundry practices are divided into two sections, namely, melting and casting. The article discusses various melting processes, such as vacuum arc skull melting, induction skull melting, and vacuum induction melting. Various casting processes, such as rammed graphite casting, static and centrifugal casting, and investment casting are reviewed. The article also provides information on the mechanical and chemical properties of zirconium castings.