Students can get to grips with the technical side of cast iron metallurgy on a dedicated Institute of Cast Metal Engineering (ICME) course.
Registration for the 2023 course is open now.
ICME’s Certificate Course in Cast Iron Production, Metallurgy and Quality Control saw a successful launch in spring this year, as the learners (who are all from ferrous foundries) started to get the low-down on all things technical with cast iron. The first session saw the learners complete a foundry tour, as well as get a close look at the casting process, safely melting metal and a deeper dive into the chemistry of metal alloys.
The feedback from students was really positive, with lots of praise for the content of the first few days; one student stated that the course had ‘opened my mind to new aspects of thought on foundry work’. Another student said that they now had a better understanding of furnaces, as well as health and safety.
Amy Worrallo, Quality Manager for ICME, breaks down the course details, “This course has been developed in response to a clear need from industry for a practical programme, focused on the metallurgy and production of the suite of cast irons,” she explains. “It includes modules on melting and shop floor quality controls, raw material selection, metal treatments as well as testing and quality assurance. With a mix of classroom delivery, practical aspects and project work completed in company, this is a great new offering from ICME and clearly fits with our aims, as the professional body for the UK industry, to support the professional development of our members.”
Michael Cramphorn, Foundry Director for Thomas Dudley Foundry explains why this course is vital to the success and support of the industry. “Finding talent is getting increasingly difficult particularly in the field of metallurgy, where technological changes have transformed process control in recent years. The introduction of the Foundry Metallurgy programme will enable some of our existing melt plant team to extend their current knowledge base and to network with similar people from different backgrounds. Once the building blocks are in place in terms of base knowledge, we can then enhance our in-house training, knowing the fundamentals are understood.”
This course is a joint venture from ICME and the Cast Metals Federation, with the aim of increasing, knowledge, growth and progression within the industry. Dr Pam Murrell FICME, CEO of the Cast Metals Federation, highlights the importance of this course to the industry, saying, “We have supported the development of this new course, in conjunction with ICME and many of our industry Members, as we recognised the need for a programme that is specific to cast iron metallurgy. It is vital that we have courses that support the future development of our industry. We are also particularly grateful to the Foundry Training Trust who have offered substantial funding to anyone from the UK enrolling for the course, helping to make it more affordable for the industry.”
The new Cast Iron Metallurgy course is designed with progression in mind as ICME is not just about educating those new to the industry, but also about strengthening the talent within the industry.
Registrations for the next cohort, to start in Jan 23, are now being taken, so to find out more about the course please contact [email protected]