The production of solid‑cast basic machine parts is very time‑consuming and economically unprofitable. It is proposed to decompose the case‑shaped parts into simple flat elements, unify them with the possibility of using them in the manufacture of related machines that perform various functions. The problems of integrating machine tool construction into the digital economy in the conditions of the developing “Industry 4.0” are considered. The possibilities of production automation and robotization of unified cast blanks for modular assembly of basic machine parts are shown.

Gibbs molar volumetric energy and iron boundary molar energy are determined depending on temperature. It has been shown that phase transformations in iron occur under thermodynamically equilibrium conditions. The iron phase microcrystals are dendrites. Crystallization of the iron melt is a nanostructural process. Iron recrystallization has been shown to be a largely diffuse process.

Information about the volumes of castings production in various countries of the world is given. The situation with the castings production in the Republic of Belarus is considered in more detail. An outlook on the ways of further foundry production development is presented. Recommendations have been developed on the main areas of application of cast products in mechanical engineering.

Based on the calculations of the model of the elementary crystal cell γ‑iron, it is shown that carbon ions cannot be present in its open pores. Carbon in Fe‑C alloys dissolves and distributes mainly as elementary graphite nanocrystals. In steel austenite, carbon is found in elementary graphite nanocrystals and in iron‑carbon complexes. In cast iron austenite, carbon is found in elementary graphite nanocrystals.

Steel crystallization has been shown to be a nanostructured process. Austenite microcrystals in liquid steel with a carbon concentration of 2.5 to 9 atomic percent, δ‑ferrite microcrystals in melt with a carbon concentration of up to 2.5 atomic percent, austenite microcrystals in peritectic reaction are formed from elementary nanocrystals of iron and graphite, free iron atoms and iron‑carbon complexes.

Dispersed iron‑containing waste makes up the lion’s share of solid technological waste of machine‑building enterprises. Most of this waste is still exported and buried in industrial landfills, while not only losing a signifi ant amount of metal, but also causing serious damage to the environment. At the same time, the modern state of technology and technologies, in particular, technologies developed by Belarusian scientists for recycling dispersed metal waste, make it possible to efficiently and cost‑effectively extract metals from most of the generated waste. This article presents the results of a study of the dust of shot‑blasting cleaning of castings formed in steel and iron foundries, and proposals for its processing and recycling of the metal contained in it.

The rationing of material resources is understood as the process of determining the amount of their consumption necessary for the normal production process. The regulatory framework includes a set of norms and standards applied at the enterprise for planning and analytical purposes. The consumption rate is the maximum permitted planned amount of raw materials, materials for the production of a unit of production (work) of established quality in the planned production conditions. The consumption standard is the specific consumption of raw materials or materials attributed to a unit of mass, area, length, volume, which is a component of the consumption standards. The multidimensional nature of technological processes, as well as the multidirectional application of consumption standards determine their classification by the degree of enlargement of the object of rationing (individual; group); by the degree of enlargement of the nomenclature of materials (specific in the nomenclature for production; consolidated for homogeneous types of raw materials, materials for the production of a product or a nomenclature group of products); period of validity. This article presents methods for calculating individual specific metal consumption rates in the production of rolled products at the rolling mill 370/150 of OJSC «BSW – Management Company of Holding «BMC».

While repeated drawing of low carbon wire, a decrease in the grain size of ferrite reduces the parameters of deformation hardening in the initial field of deformations with parabolic hardening and increases in the field of substructural hardening with large and extra‑large total compressions. The transition from large to super‑large total deformations goes along with the development of dynamic return processes that reduce the rate of deformation hardening. Preliminary thermal softening of cold‑formed wire increases the strength gain during subsequent drawing and can be used to increase the total compression of the wire rod before intermediate heat treatment.

The results of the development of the production technology of metal cord with a modified brass coating are presented. The principal possibility of introducing cobalt into the brass coating has been determined: cobalt is recommended to be applied from a separate bath with a sulfate cobalt electrolyte, which will allow obtaining a coating of satisfactory quality over the entire surface. The use of this electrolyte required the use of inert anodes to avoid the formation of plaque on the surface, due to contamination of the solution and, as a consequence, deterioration of the quality of the resulting coating. Zn ratio/The Si in the thickness of the brass coating varies slightly (in comparison with cobalt), which indicates a low diffusion ability of cobalt in brass. Within the framework of joint development programs, prototypes of metal cord with different cobalt content in brass coating were manufactured and sent to consumer firms. The introduction of industrial technology will require a significant modernization of the coating line of thermo‑galvanic units with the installation of separate cobalt baths, with the separation of the electrolyte preparation and circulation system, the installation of separate washing baths, the separation of the current supply system, since an independent current supply system from a separate converter will be required.

The article provides a brief factors’ analysis affecting the quality of the welded joint of thin‑sheet austenitic steels and methods for reducing deformations and residual stresses. It is noted that the most expedient is the welding method using a heat sink, which consists in the fact that a cooling source moves behind the welding arc. Proposed and described the design and operation of the installation of low‑deformation welding of stainless steels using dry ice as a cooler, which allows very quickly reducing the metal temperature in the welding area, as well as regulating the welding speed and the amount of dry ice supplied to a given area of the welded joint. The procedure for working on the installation and evaluating the quality of the welded joint is proposed.

The description of the device and principle of operation of the continuous muffle furnace for hot briquetting of chip‑powder dispersions of ferrous metals is given. A distinctive feature of this device is the presence of two systems of gas‑flame and induction heating, as a result of which the achievement of the specified charge heating temperature is guaranteed with the complete removal of the liquid phase. The oil component of the coolant is used to create a protective hydrocarbon atmosphere that provides non‑oxidizing heating of the metal, as well as to obtain a carbon coating, which, in addition to protective functions, acts as a lubricant in the hot briquetting process. Subsequent combustion of oil vapors in the furnace leads to significant savings in natural gas. A furnace built according to this principle has the smallest dimensions and the highest technical and economic characteristics.

The simulation of the chip heating process in the zone of loading into the furnace is carried out. The dependences of the temperature of the chips at the outlet of the screw feeder on the temperature of the flue gases at the inlet for the mass fraction of coolant in the chips of 10 % and various fractions of oil are obtained. It has been established that during the heating of the chips in the loading zone, phase transformations of the coolant do not occur, the charge heating temperature does not exceed 100 °C.

The paper presents the results of studies on the production of composites during the processing of aluminum melt based on high‑strength alloy B95 activated dispersed particles of nitrides (AlN, Si3N4, TiN), carbides (SiC, TiC), nanostructured carbon (fullerene carbon black), nitrogen‑containing components (glycine C2H5NO2, carbamide CH4N2O). The evaluation of the strength properties of the obtained composites from the activation modes of the charge with dispersed particles and the modes of heat treatment of the material is given. The possibility of increasing the strength characteristics of the casting composite by 15–20 % due to additional mechanical activation of the charge and achieving, after heat treatment, the compressive strength of 900–1050 MPa, hardness of 150–160 NV, elastic modulus of 20–25 GPa is shown.

The effect of the temperature of the ion‑plasma nitriding process on the enduring quality of the resulting hardened layers on titanium VT1‑0 and titanium alloys VT6 and OT4‑1 and the effect of ion‑plasma nitriding on the change in the R_a parameter of the surface roughness of titanium samples is investigated. It is defined that ion‑plasma nitriding leads to a significant increase in the enduring quality of the titanium alloys under study. The depth of the enduring quality groove in untreated samples of titanium VT1‑0, alloys VT6, OT4‑1 was 11, 7 and 10 microns, respectively, whereas in samples after ion‑plasma nitriding, the wear groove had a depth of 1.9, 0.9, 2.1 microns. It was revealed that when the initial roughness of the processed samples is more than R_a 0.1 microns after ion nitriding, the roughness index R_a, one of the key components of surface quality, decreases.

The paper considers the possibility of assessing the plasticity of aluminum alloys and aluminum matrix composites by the method of quasi‑static and micro‑impact indentation at pre‑impact velocities in the range of 1–3 m/s. It is proposed to use a pyramidal Vickers indenter for testing, which allows creating a constant amount of deformation. The characteristic plasticity values for industrial aluminum alloys and aluminum matrix composites of the Al‑Fe‑Cr system δ=0.83–0.98 are established. The influence of the deformation rate on the dynamicity coefficient Kd, which is the ratio of dynamic and static hardness, is shown. It was found that the increase in Kd for aluminum matrix composites is more significant than for other materials. At the same time, the well‑known expression linking plasticity with other mechanical characteristics: hardness HV and modulus of elasticity E, is not fulfilled for the studied aluminum matrix composites. The difference in the values of δ, calculated based on the parameters of the print and as a function of E/HV, can serve as an additional sign of the atypical behavior of materials during deformation.

Threads and fibers of different origin are considered as artifacts of sample preparation of metallographic sections, as well as samples of some materials. The role of various methods of optical contrasting – dark‑field illumination, polarized light – in the analysis of paper, natural and artificial fibers is illustrated. The presented materials can be used by materials scientists to identify errors in sample preparation, as well as to describe non‑traditional metallographic objects.

Thermal furnaces and auxiliary equipment for the main thermal treatments (normalization, annealing, isothermal annealing, improvement) are considered, to which products must be subjected after ring rolling to create mechanical properties and structures in annular workpieces that improve the machinability by cutting. The basic requirements for thermal furnaces optimal for an automated section of heat treatment of annular blanks after ring rolling have been developed. It is shown that to perform all the specified types of heat treatment, it is advisable to use the same type of thermal equipment that has the same overhaul life and service life. This makes it possible to stop the automated line at the same time and simultaneously provide service for all components of the line. The use of shaft furnaces for heat treatment in an automated heat treatment line is not appropriate, since there is practically no experience of embedding them in such lines.

The possibility of chemical elements fusion within the framework of the ultra‑deep penetration technique is shown. When microparticle clots move in a closed welding zone system, additional energy is generated during thermonuclear fusion. Fibers (channels) doped with synthesized materials are formed. The energy of the electric field in this case is many times higher than the energy of the clot used to disperse it.

The paper analyzes the mineral acid vapors formation and their interaction with protective coatings based on bentonite clays, periclasite and shungite. A theoretical assessment of the acid vapor in the exhaust gases amount was carried out taking into account the performance of furnaces. Thermodynamic probability of acid vapor formation was calculated depending on the melting conditions for different types of melting units, the interaction of acid vapor with the components of protective coatings based on bentonite clays, periclasite and shungite was estimated.

The characteristic of infrared radiation, their effect on the human body is provided. The outcomes of the study and calculations of the intensity of infrared (thermal) radiation on workers in foundries are presented. The necessity of compliance with the necessary rules of labor protection, the development of a complex of sanitary, hygienic, therapeutic, and preventive measures to optimize working conditions, the prevention of occupational illnesses is proved. Measures to prevent the unfavorable effects of infrared radiation on workers in foundries have been determined.

The research results of the noise effect on workers in the foundry are presented. The main sources of noise are shown. An assessment on the noise factor of various professions of the foundry was made. Recommendations on the assessment and measuring of noise in the design of new and reconstruction of existing foundries are given.