Casting Metallurgy

Open Melting
Indirect resistance heating involves passing an electric current through a resistance heating element that transfers heat to the material. Heraeus uses resistance-heated crucible furnaces to melt and cast a wide range of alloys, especially nonferrous alloys, under regular atmospheric (open air) conditions.
 

Vacuum Induction Melting
Used for melting exotic, highly reactive and high purity metals. An alternating current produces a magnetic field, inducing currents in the charge, eventually heating and melting the metal. The induced current generates a second magnetic field and the two opposed fields result in a mechanical force, stirring the molten metal. Elimination/removal of gases and harmful volatile elements, close control of chemical analysis, low losses of alloying elements are the advantages.
 

Electron Beam Melting
EBM uses an electron beam gun as heat source, capable of achieving temperatures far exceeding the melting/evaporation temperature of all materials. The combination of super-heated metal and high vacuum result in the evaporation of harmful metallic and non-metallic constituents, creating high purity target material.
 

Direct Casting
Used to either cast target material directly into a backing plate cavity or onto a backing plate/tube surface, followed by machining and cleaning operations. Another method is direct casting onto a chiller plate and machining the created blank prior to bonding. In either case the Heraeus proprietary melt delivery and chilling system produces high purity, fine grain sputtering targets.