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Metalcasting Congress to ‘Debate’ Additive vs. Casting vs. Forging

It’s the ultimate question in manufacturing: Which process is best when it comes to making metal components? Now, the American Foundry Society is bringing together experts from the casting, forging, and additive realms to try to settle this argument once and for all.

Coming to Metalcasting Congress 2023 in Cleveland on April 27, “The Great Debate: Additive Manufacturing vs. Castings vs. Forgings” will explore the advantages and disadvantages of these three manufacturing processes. Part informative presentation, part debate, part lighthearted roast, each process will be represented by two experts who will speak on behalf of their respective industries, highlighting their merits (and their opponents’ demerits) to determine the best of the best.

Representing additive manufacturing will be Brandon Ribic, America Makes - National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institution, Youngstown, OH; and Richard Huff, ASTM International, Lebanon, OH.

Casting will be represented by Randy Oehrlein, Carley Foundry Inc., Blaine, MN; and Charles Monroe, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.

Forging will be represented by Bud Kinney, IMT Corporation (retired), Cleveland, OH; and Pat Burke, Whitcraft Group, Rocky River, OH.

The moderator will be Vasko Popovski, Ransom & Randolph, Maumee, OH.

This event should prove entertaining and illuminating, while perhaps establishing the definitive argument for the metallic part assembly community! It follows 2022’s debate at CastExpo in Columbus, where aluminum and iron went head-to-head in a hugely popular contest. In response to last year’s standing-room-only debate, this year’s event has been moved to the main stage, where it will be presented as a keynote presentation open to all attendees.

Metalcasting Congress 2023 is April 25-27 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio. “The Great Debate: Additive Manufacturing v. Castings v. Forgings” will be at 10:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 27. Registration and more information are available here.