The atmosphere of a location is built by a thousand small details. Some of this comes down to geography: the quality of light, plants in the ecosystem, and movement of air make their imprint even in the heart of a city. Cities also construct personality with the materials and design

Neither Brent nor Brad Done saw themselves becoming foundry men. Reliance Foundry had always been in their lives: the factory was a hot, smelly, dirty place that was equal parts proud family legacy and tough taskmaster. Their grandfather, Fred, had left the foundry to his children Brian and Barry. A

Stainless steel contains carbon, iron, and chromium. This chemistry, along with polishing and passivation steps in manufacturing, encourages the alloy to develop a chromium oxide layer. This layer is what gives the metal its prized rust resistance. Yet chromium oxide is itself a product of corrosion, a quick-forming “passive film”

Stainless steel is called “stainless” because of its resistance to rust. Steel contains iron and carbon in certain percentages: adding the element chromium transforms it from steel to stainless steel. Chromium oxidizes much faster than the iron in the alloy. The resulting chromium oxide seals and protects the rest of

Many metals are vulnerable to corrosion when exposed to air and water. Corrosion can cause metal stress and part failure, so metallurgists seek ways to defeat it. One such method is metal passivation, a lesser-known method of corrosion-proofing a surface that uses a thin chemical layer as a seal. Passivation

Sand casting is a process that utilizes non-reusable sand molds to form metal castings. It is a common production method for metal components of all sizes, from a few ounces to several tons. Sand casting isn’t only versatile in the size of its products – it can also create exceptionally complex

Ferrous metals, which contain iron, comprise 90% of the world’s metal manufacture. Iron is dense, strong when mixed with carbon, plentiful, and easy to refine, so is an excellent and dependable material for many industrial and structural applications. However, iron and many of its alloys—such as steel—are also highly prone

Spectrochemical analysis is a type of chemical analysis used to determine the arrangement of atoms and electrons within molecules of chemical compounds. It observes the amount of energy absorbed during changes in motion or structure. The wavelength and intensity of electromagnet radiation is measured to produce quantifiable results that are

Look around your city at all the metal casting – all the bollards, tree grates, and manhole covers you see started as nothing more than a design. Each of those designs needed expertise and physical equipment necessary to make them real. Companies have had three ways to find cast parts: