Glossary

Cast Iron

Ferrous alloy with a carbon content above 2%, typically between 2.5% and 4%. The carbon present in excess of its solubility in austenite gives cast iron specific properties of castability, vibration damping and thermal conductivity, making it suitable for producing complex components through casting.

High-Silicon Ductile Iron

Ductile iron with a high silicon content (>3.2%) that improves machinability, impact resistance and fatigue behaviour without the need for heat treatment. The main grades are EN-GJS-450-18, EN-GJS-500-14 and EN-GJS-600-10.

Standard: EN 1563

ADI (Austempered Ductile Iron)

Ductile iron subjected to an austempering heat treatment (austenitising followed by rapid cooling in an isothermal bath). The process creates an austenitic-bainitic microstructure giving very high mechanical strength (up to 1400 MPa), high toughness and wear resistance. Used in gearboxes, gears and automotive components.

Standard: EN 1564, ASTM A897, ISO 17804

Chromium Wear-Resistant Iron (Nihard)

Highly alloyed white iron containing chromium (9–27%) and, in some variants, nickel (4–5%). The predominantly carbide-martensitic structure gives exceptional hardness (>600 HB) and abrasion resistance. Brittle and difficult to machine, it is used in augers, mill liners, cement pumps and earth-moving equipment.

Standard: EN 12513, ASTM A532, ISO 21988

Nickel Austenitic Iron (Niresist)

Alloyed iron with high nickel content (18–36%) that produces a stable austenitic structure at room temperature. It has excellent corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance (up to 850°C) and low thermal stresses. Used for compressor stators, manifolds and pumps for corrosive liquids. Produced to EN 13835 and ASTM A436/A439.

Standard: EN 13835, ASTM A436, ASTM A439

Lamellar Grey Iron — GJL

Cast iron in which the excess carbon is present as graphite flakes distributed throughout the metal matrix. The flakes give the material excellent vibration damping capacity, good machinability and good thermal conductivity. Mechanical strength is limited by the discontinuous shape of the graphite. Produced to EN 1561 in grades EN-GJL-200, GJL-250, GJL-300, GJL-350.

Standard: EN 1561

SiMo Iron

Ductile iron with a high silicon (4–5%) and molybdenum (0.5–1%) content, designed to resist oxidation and retain good mechanical properties at high temperature (up to 700–730°C). Used in the production of exhaust manifolds for automotive and marine engines. Produced to EN 16124.

Standard: EN 16124, ASTM A1095

Ductile Iron — GJS

Cast iron in which the graphite appears in the form of nodules (spheres) thanks to the addition of magnesium (or cerium) during casting. The nodular graphite morphology eliminates the notch effects typical of flakes, giving higher tensile strength, ductility and toughness than grey iron. It is the most versatile material produced by Fonderie Palmieri, available in a wide range of grades from EN-GJS-350 to EN-GJS-800.

Standard: EN 1563, ASTM A536, ISO 1083

Compacted Graphite Iron — GJV

Cast iron in which the graphite takes on a form intermediate between flake and nodular: compacted (worm-shaped). It combines the mechanical strength and ductility of ductile iron with the thermal conductivity and damping of grey iron. Used mainly for cylinder heads, engine blocks and components subject to high thermal cycling.

Standard: EN 16079, ISO 16112, ASTM A842

Core

Element made of agglomerated sand positioned inside the mould to create cavities, holes or internal geometries in the casting that could not be achieved with the external shape alone. Cores are produced using Cold Box technology, which uses polyurethane resins cured with amine gas.

Pouring

Process stage in which the molten alloy is poured into the mould through the gating system (runners, risers, vents). Control of pouring temperature, fill rate and flow is critical to avoid defects such as porosity, shrinkage and inclusions.

Radiometric Screening

Check performed on incoming raw materials using radioactivity detectors to identify any contaminated metal. It is a mandatory safety requirement for foundries when accepting metal scrap.

Stress Relieving / Stabilisation

Heat treatment that heats the casting to a sub-critical temperature (450–600°C) to reduce internal residual stresses generated during solidification and cooling. It does not change the microstructure but improves dimensional stability over time, essential for precision components.

Engineering / Simulation

Technical activity preceding production that includes: casting feasibility analysis, gating system design, computer simulation of filling and solidification (software such as MAGMASOFT or FLOW-3D) to predict and prevent defects before the physical casting is made.

Moulding

Process of preparing the sand moulds into which the molten metal is poured. Automatic moulding with Savelli-Formimpress plants ensures dimensional precision, repeatability and reliability in series production. The mould is made up of two half-boxes (cope and drag) and, where required, cores for internal cavities.

Medium-Frequency Induction Furnace

Electric furnace that melts metal using currents induced by a variable magnetic field. It operates at frequencies of 150–500 Hz and ensures high energy efficiency, precise control of chemical composition and flexibility in batch management. Fonderie Palmieri uses Otto Junker furnaces with the INDUGA JUNKER PUMA PRO 1500 system, with a capacity of 5 tonnes per batch in 48 minutes.

Casting

Production process by which molten metal is poured into a mould to obtain a component with the desired geometry. In a foundry, iron casting involves: raw material preparation, melting in the furnace, alloy treatment, pouring into the mould, solidification, shakeout and finishing.

Analysis and Testing Laboratory

In-house facility that performs destructive and non-destructive testing on castings to verify compliance with requirements. Tests typically carried out in a foundry include: chemical analysis (spectrometry), metallographic analysis (microscope structure), tensile, hardness and impact tests, dimensional checks, penetrant testing, radiography (X-rays) and ultrasonic testing.

Machining

Metal-cutting operations (turning, milling, drilling, grinding) performed on the rough casting to bring it to the final dimensions and required surface finishes. Fonderie Palmieri offers this service through partnerships with qualified Italian machine shops.

Riser

Reservoir of liquid metal connected to the casting that compensates for volumetric shrinkage during solidification, feeding the part with molten metal. Correct riser system design is essential to obtain castings free of shrinkage porosity.

Metallography

Microscopic analysis of the internal structure of a metallic material, performed on polished samples etched with chemical reagents. In cast iron, it allows verification of the shape, distribution and percentage of graphite, the structure of the matrix (ferritic, pearlitic, austenitic) and the absence of microstructural defects.

Pattern Shop

The set of patterns (physical replicas of the component) and core boxes used to produce moulds. Correct tooling design, including study of the gating system and draft angles, is crucial for dimensional quality and productivity. Fonderie Palmieri manages an archive of over 2,000 tooling sets.

Annealing

Heat treatment that softens the material’s microstructure to improve machinability and reduce hardness. In cast iron, sub-critical annealing transforms pearlite into ferrite without crossing the critical zone; full annealing involves austenitising and controlled slow cooling.

Shot Blasting / Sand Blasting

Surface cleaning process for castings using high-speed projection of metal shot (shot blasting) or abrasive sand. Removes sand residues, oxides and scale from the surface of the casting. Fonderie Palmieri uses a DISA CT3 blasting machine for mass production and a BANFI monorail shot blasting machine for complex or delicate parts.

Deburring

Finishing operation that removes flash, risers and residual gating material from the casting after solidification and shot blasting. Fonderie Palmieri has 4 automatic KOYAMA centres (up to 30 kg), a Maus 1200 system for heavy castings, and manual deburring booths for parts from 10 to 300 kg.

Moulding Box (Flask)

Rigid metal frame that holds the compacted sand during moulding. The cope (upper) and drag (lower) boxes are paired to form the cavity into which the molten metal is poured. A large stock of flasks allows the moulding cycle to be decoupled from solidification, increasing productivity.

3D Printing for Cores (Binder Jetting)

Rapid prototyping technology that produces sand cores directly from CAD files without the need for physical tooling (core boxes). The ExOne system adopted by Fonderie Palmieri selectively deposits a binder layer by layer onto the sand, enabling complex geometries impossible with traditional moulding. It drastically reduces sampling times.

Cold Box Technology

Core production process in which sand is mixed with two-component resins (polyol + isocyanate) and cured by blowing amine gas at room temperature. Ensures high mechanical strength, good surface finish and low gas emissions during pouring compared with hot processes.

Heat Treatment

Set of controlled heating, holding and cooling cycles applied to castings to modify their microstructure and mechanical properties. Fonderie Palmieri has 3 furnaces with capacities of 3, 6 and 12 m³. Treatments available include: stress relieving/stabilisation, sub-critical annealing, full annealing, destabilisation of chromium irons, air hardening, normalising, graphitisation.

AIA — Integrated Environmental Authorisation — IPPC — Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control

Authorisation required under Italian law (Legislative Decree 152/2006, transposing the IPPC Directive) for industrial plants with potentially significant environmental impact. For foundries with production capacity above certain thresholds, the AIA sets emission limits, monitoring requirements and the best available techniques (BAT) to be adopted.

ASTM — American Society for Testing and Materials

American standards body that publishes technical standards for materials, products and systems. Many international customers require compliance with ASTM standards as an alternative or in addition to EN standards. For ductile iron, the main reference is ASTM A536; for grey iron, ASTM A48; for ADI, ASTM A897.

BAT — Best Available Techniques

Production and pollution control techniques that represent the state of the art in preventing and reducing industrial emissions. BAT for foundries are set out in the European BREF documents and form the technical reference for AIA authorisations.

Bureau Veritas Certification for Marine Cast Irons — Bureau Veritas Naval Approval

Certification issued by Bureau Veritas (BV), an international classification society, for the production of cast irons intended for the marine industry. It attests to the compliance of materials, processes and the quality system with the technical requirements of shipbuilding, enabling supply to shipyards and international shipowners.

DNV-CP-0249 Naval Certification

Approval issued by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), an international marine classification society, certifying the foundry’s compliance with the requirements for producing components for the marine and offshore industry. It requires compliance with specific metallurgical standards, dedicated quality systems and approval of the testing laboratory. Fonderie Palmieri is DNV certified.

Circular Economy

Economic model that aims to eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair and recycling. In foundries, the circular economy applies to the recycling of ferrous scrap as the main raw material (cast iron is 100% recyclable), the recovery of spent moulding sand and the recovery of slag.

Energy Efficiency

The ratio between the useful energy produced and the total energy consumed in a process. Medium-frequency induction melting is inherently more efficient than traditional cupola furnaces. Fonderie Palmieri optimises consumption through the ISO 50001 management system and the use of heat recovery technologies.

Environmental Management

Set of activities, procedures and controls adopted to minimise the environmental impact of production processes. In a foundry this includes: dust and fume abatement systems (bag filters, scrubbers), process water management, spent sand treatment, monitoring of atmospheric emissions and compliance with environmental authorisations (AIA — Integrated Environmental Authorisation).

ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management System

International standard defining the requirements for a Quality Management System (QMS). It requires documentation of processes, performance measurement, continuous improvement and a focus on customer satisfaction. Fonderie Palmieri is ISO 9001 certified with accreditation for the production of iron castings.

ISO 14001:2015 — Environmental Management System

International standard specifying the requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS). It requires the organisation to identify the significant environmental aspects of its activities, set improvement objectives and monitor environmental performance. For a foundry, the relevant aspects include atmospheric emissions, melting waste management and water consumption.

ISO 22163:2023 (IRIS) — International Railway Industry Standard

International standard for quality management systems in the railway sector, developed by UNIFE (the Association of the European Rail Industry). Based on ISO 9001, it incorporates specific requirements for the railway supply chain such as product risk management, control of critical processes and continuity of supply. Fonderie Palmieri is IRIS certified, enabling supply to customers in the European railway sector.

ISO 45001:2018 — Occupational Health and Safety Management System

International standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It requires risk assessment, the definition of preventive measures and the promotion of a safety culture. It replaced the earlier OHSAS 18001. In a foundry it is particularly critical for managing risks from molten metal, noise, dust and chemical agents.

ISO 50001:2018 — Energy Management System

International standard for Energy Management Systems. It requires the identification of significant energy consumption, the definition of a baseline, savings targets and a continuous improvement plan. For a foundry with high power-density induction furnaces, energy management is a critical factor for sustainability and economic competitiveness.

EN Standard (European Norm)

Technical standard developed by CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and adopted as a national standard by member states. For iron castings, the main reference EN standards are: EN 1563 (ductile iron), EN 1561 (grey iron), EN 1564 (ADI), EN 13835 (austenitic iron), EN 12513 (white and wear-resistant irons), EN 16079 (compacted graphite iron), EN 16124 (SiMo iron).

Integrated Policy — Integrated Management Policy

Document formalising the organisation’s commitments to quality, the environment, occupational health and safety, and energy. It sets out the guiding principles, strategic objectives and framework for continuous improvement across all management systems. For Fonderie Palmieri it represents the reference framework for integrating the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001 systems.

Traceability

The ability to reconstruct a product’s history along the entire supply chain: from the raw material supplier, through the process parameters, to the end customer. In a foundry this is achieved by recording raw material analysis certificates, melting parameters, casting test results and any heat treatments applied.