Late at night in the foundry, the metal solution flows under the moonlight, like lava in the sand carving out the bones and veins. At this moment, the auto casting machine seems to have life, breathing and growing in the mould, and eventually solidifying into the sinews of the car. This is not a sci-fi scene, but a real moment in the birth of each automobile casting component.
During the casting of the steering knuckle, the engineers were inspired by the texture of the turtle shell. The natural structural strength of the turtle shell, which appears to be fragile but can withstand several times its weight, inspired the design of the steering knuckle's internal reinforcements. Through bionics, we build a honeycomb-like mesh inside the casting to maximise the performance of every gram of metal. Cast iron has a memory. During the casting process, the metal solution flows and solidifies in the mould, as if writing its own history. Every pore and every texture is a witness of this history. We often say that 'cast iron breathes' because these tiny pores are like the pores of the metal, allowing the casting to remain viable through thermal expansion and contraction.
In the days before 3D printing, craftsmen used their hands to bring metal to life. Today, although technology has been revolutionised, this craftsmanship continues. In modern foundries, master craftsmen still maintain a keen sense of materials. They can judge the temperature by the colour of the metal solution and the quality of the casting by its sound. This combination of experience and technology allows each casting to carry the temperature of humanity.
Looking to the future, casting technology is developing towards intelligence. As an automotive castings manufacturer, we will endeavour to update our automotive castings so that they can monitor their condition during use and provide early warning of potential risks. These 'thinking' castings will make cars safer and more reliable.