This paper discusses technical problems related with casting of titanium alloys in centrifugal vacuum furnaces. The potentials of an analysis of the centrifugal casting process carried out in the Flow3D software CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) were presented. Simulations were carried out on a model set, which enables casting of two connecting rods for an I.C. engine. Changes in the mould filling process were examined for the three selected spinning velocities of the casting arm. The ranges of the metal flow velocity in mould were calculated as well as metal pressure in mould after reaching a predetermined spinning velocity. The results and the adopted mould geometry enabled determination of the magnitude of stress occurring in mould at the time of filling it with liquid titanium alloy. The paper presents a methodology for testing of the ceramic material strength using a four-point loading arrangement. The strength of the ceramic material was determined on samples heated at different temperatures. The obtained results enabled a thesis to be formulated that for pouring of moulds in a centrifugal vacuum furnace, the layered foundry ceramic moulds can be safely used, and the use of moulds that will provide the directional solidification of metal should be possible as well.Keywords: Centrifugal casting, innovative casting materials, titanium alloys, liquid ceramic slurries, ceramic mould W artykule przedstawiono problemy techniczne związane z odlewaniem stopów tytanu w próżniowych piecach odśrod-kowych. Zaprezentowano możliwości analizy procesu zalewania wirującej formy przeprowadzonej w programie Flow3D CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Obliczenia symulacyjne prowadzono dla zestawu modelowego umożliwiającego odlanie dwóch korbowodów silnika spalinowego. Analizowano zmiany sposobu wypełniania formy dla trzech wybranych prędkości wirowania ramienia odlewniczego. Obliczono zakresy prędkości przepływu metalu w formie oraz ciśnienia metalu występują-cego w formie po osiągnięciu założonej prędkości obrotowej. Uzyskane wyniki oraz przyjęta geometria formy pozwoliły na wyznaczenie wielkości naprężeń występujących w formie w momencie wypełnienia jej ciekłym stopem tytanu. Przedstawiono metodykę badania wytrzymałości materiału ceramicznego wykorzystującego czteropunktowy układ obciążający. Wyznaczono wytrzymałość materiału ceramicznego dla próbek wygrzewanych w różnych temperaturach. Otrzymane wyniki pozwalają na przedstawienie tezy, że w podczas zalewania form w próżniowym piecu odśrodkowym będzie można bezpiecznie wykorzystywać warstwowe ceramiczne formy odlewnicze, oraz będzie możliwe zastosowanie form zapewniających założone kierunkowe krzepnięcie metalu.

Biocompatible porous materials may find use in the manufacture of bone implant components to facilitate bonding of prostheses with bone tissues. The paper presentsa relatively simple method of producing a porous material from the Ti6Al4V alloy by high pressure hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The process was carried out in capsules made of superplastic alloy. The capsules were filled with a mixture of powdered titanium and a carefully selected salt crystals. The mixing ratios had been calculated from the crystal geometry of the components. The experimental verification of the calculation results defined the mixture component ratios, and the processing program was defined, including the temperature and pressure values for the processing stages. Following the HIP process the capsules were opened and the produced material was cleared of salt and examined to determine porosity, size and geometry of voids, and compressive strength.

Extremely intense development of civilization requires from foundry casting technologies very high quality and not expensive castings. In the foundries, there are many treatments that allow increasing of the final properties of produced castings such as refining, modification, heat treatment, etc. One of the methods of increasing the quality of the casting by removing inclusions from the liquid alloy is filtration. The use of ceramic-carbon foam filters in filtration process is still analysed phenomenon that allows improving the final properties of castings. A modern method of research, testing and synthesis of innovative chemical compositions allows improving the properties of such filters. In the paper the evaluation of application properties of developed ceramic-carbon bonded foam filters is presented. The quality of the foam filters is evaluated by Computer Tomography and foundry trials in pouring of liquid metal in test molds. Additionally computer simulations were made to visualize the flow characteristics in the foam filter. The analysed filters are the result of the research work of Foundry Research Institute and the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials, Refractory Materials Department in Gliwice.