Ingot metal

Metals and alloys that are available in the form of ingots or pigs and thus in a suitable shape for use in melting furnaces (e.g. shaft furnaces) (Fig. 1). Ingot metals or alloyed metals in the form of pigs are standardized to some extent with regard to their classification to make sure that the cast parts made of those metals comply with the standardized analysis regulation for castings, taking into account the metal loss (s. Weight loss by oxidation, Smelting loss percentage, Metal loss by oxidation) that usually occurrs during melting due to impurities.

The ingot metal for aluminum alloys is specified in EN 1676:1996 (Aluminum and aluminum alloyes, alloyed aluminum in pigs, specifications). An excerpt of the standard is shwon in Table 1. In contrast to that, cast parts that are made of ingot metal, are standardized in EN 1706:1998 (Aluminum and aluminum alloys, castings, chemical composition and mechanical properties).


  • Fig. 1: Stack of ingot metal using aluminum casting alloy, photo source: SAG Aluminium Lend GmbH
  • Table 1: Excerpt from EN 1676, Alloyed aluminum in pits, chemical composition, proportions by mass in %