Workshop on Lightweight Castings Innovation – Green Processes in Foundry 4.0 Practice – was successfully completed!

On July 03-04, 2025, in collaboration with industrial partners, a workshop entitled “Workshop on Lightweight Castings Innovation: Green Processes in Foundry 4.0 Practice” was held. This two-day event was organized by AGH, CNR & AALTO within the framework of the Networking Pillar of the NetCastPL4.0 project. The event gathered more than 40 participants from universities, research institutes and foundries or companies.

The workshop was focused on innovative technological solutions in the field of lightweight casting production, with particular emphasis on their role in the automotive and e-mobility sectors. Its primary objective was to present both theoretical and practical aspects of implementing green technologies that enable the production of thin-walled components combining high mechanical performance with low weight, cost-efficiency, and a reduced carbon footprint – in line with the European strategy for CO₂ emissions reduction.

The first day of the event took place at the facilities of two members of the NetCastPL4.0 Network of Excellence: Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) and Zakład Metalurgiczny WSK Rzeszów Sp. z o.o. The site visits provided participants with the opportunity to gain insight into state-of-the-art foundry processes and to observe examples of technology implementations aligned with the Foundry 4.0 paradigm.

• CPP Poland, located in Rzeszów, is part of the global Consolidated Precision Products Group – a world leader in precision castings for the aerospace and power generation industries. The company specializes in high-performance superalloy-based technologies.
• WSK Rzeszów Sp. z o.o. is a recognised manufacturer of castings from ferrous and non-ferrous alloys. The enterprise boasts extensive experience in developing technologies for thin-walled and high-strength components for modern industry.

The event programme included presentations by industry experts: Jerzy Rozmund, Władysław Jasiczek, Marcin Łagowski, Robert Jarosz, and Rafał Cygan. Participants also had the opportunity to tour the facilities and engage in discussions on current challenges in the production of thin-walled castings using the investment casting method.

The second day of the workshop took place at the Faculty of Foundry Engineering at AGH University of Krakow and was devoted to the scientific, social, and economic aspects of implementing innovative solutions in lightweight foundry engineering. Guest speakers from the Italian research institute CNR-ICMATE and the company Zanardi Fonderie S.p.A. presented the latest research findings and strategies for adapting to the requirements of the Green Deal policy within the industrial sector – both in the European and local contexts.

The speakers were:

• Riccardo Donnini (CNR-ICMATE, Italy)
• Giuliano Angella (CNR-ICMATE, Italy)
• Monica Favaro (CNR-ICMATE, Italy)
• Franco Zanardi (Zanardi Fonderie S.p.A., Italy)

The day concluded with a discussion panel featuring PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, early-career scientists, and experts from the partner institutions involved in the NetCastPL4.0 project.