EUROGUSS 2022 – Great joy at the reunion and restart edition

EUROGUSS 2022 marked the trade fair's successful restart. It took place as a live trade show between 08.06.2022 and 10.06.2022 in Messe Nuremberg. The 21st Die Casting Conference coincided with the event. The event's atmosphere was jubilant, with high satisfaction among the exhibitors. Mega-casting, sustainable production, transformation towards e-mobility, and digitalisation were the leading topics. The event featured novel additions. There were 10.707 visitors from 61 countries at the fair. It also received 641 exhibitors from 36 nations.

Messe Nuremberg did not feature Covid-19 safeguards because Germany removed its national restrictions. The country opted for such a decision due to the improved epidemiological situation. As a result, the venue removed many safety measures, such as the 3G admission guideline. It also converted regulations into voluntary steps. Messe Nuremberg continued to uphold high hygiene standards.

EUROGUSS 2022 featured several topics as central themes. These were sustainability, digitalisation, transformation towards e-mobility, and mega-casting. Organisers selected each topic because of its importance to the industry. EUROGUSS 2022 featured them as part of the event programme through various means. Such included having them act as the key topics of the diverse highlights:

• 21st Die Casting Conference
• EUROGUSS Talent Award
• Startups@EUROGUSS
• Speakers' Corner
• Buyers Day

The EUROGUSS Talent Award was one of EUROGUSS 2022's highlights. It was the second edition of the sub-event to take place after its debut in 2020. The Talent Award lauds young talents such as university students. Attendees can enrol by presenting their Bachelor's or Master's theses. In particular, they can enter the ones related to die casting innovations. The sub-event took place on 08.06.2022. It featured two keynote speeches, one before and one after the finalist pitches. The greeting speech discussed the continuity of the CAD/CAE process chain. The second keynote discussed the new future abilities of large structural castings. A specialist jury examined each pitch. It comprised five industry experts. The experts were:

• Franz-Josef Wöstmann
• Martin Fehlbier
• Dr.-lng Dirk Lehmhus
• Dr TVL Narasimha Rao
• Dr.-lng Sebastian Tewes

Julia Dölling won the Talent Award and the Audience Award. Their award package will include publishing a technical article about the thesis. Additionally, they will receive 1,500 EUR and an iPad.

Many novel additions to the event schedule served as highlights of EUROGUSS 2022. One such distinguishing feature was Buyers’ Day, which debuted on 09.06.2022. BME e.V. organised it. The novel sub-event aided die-casting experts in learning vital information before purchasing decisions. This included over-viewing the general trends related to investment and legal challenges. Eight sessions took place during the Buyers’ Day:

Another novel addition serving as a highlight was the Guided Tours. These were sightseeing circuits during which attendees could learn about the exhibitors. They took place for 60 minutes. The Guided Tours took place on 08.06.2022 and 09.06.2022. Each session enabled attendees to learn about a relevant topic. The topics were:

• Electromobility parts

Presented the solutions die casting processes can provide in creating electromobility parts.

• Digitalisation–Foundry 4.0

Presented how digitalisation can improve die-casting processes and procedures. It also detailed how the megatrend can inspire new business models.

• Innovative and sustainable die casting production solutions

Presented how innovations in the die casting process chain can promote sustainability.

• Giga Casting components

It presented the newest developments and challenges related to giga-casting.

The startups@EUROGUSS sub-event was also a distinguishing feature of the fair. It featured young companies presenting themselves and their latest innovations during live pitches. Each pitch comprised a brief speech accompanied by a Q&A with the audience. Completing the programme was a panel discussion moderated by Christoph Rommel. The presented companies at the sub-event were:

The Speaker’s Corner was also a notable event schedule feature. It was the event stage for various presentations. During the expositions, leading experts discussed the topics:

• Additive manufacturing & digitalisation talks
• Digitalisation in manufacturing
• Statement on the Die Casting Market in 2022
• Reduce, compensate, invest
• Advanced automotive casting: powertrain & structures

Additive manufacturing & digitalisation featured the subjects:

• Complementing die casting and investment casting processes with metal 3D printing
• The potential of metal 3D printing
• Using multi-head systems for the cost-effective printing of large parts
• Integrated metal 3D printing
• Using internal cooling tunnels to manufacture and repair multi-material die-cast cores
• How automated engineering will incorporate component DNA into product development

Digitalisation in manufacturing featured the subjects:

• Intelligent acoustic emission sensor systems in die-casting process monitoring
• How Tvarit AI will aid in reducing emissions and scrap waste
• Enabling smart manufacturing by using the Global Production Language
• Acquiring industrial fleet data using OPC UA

The Statement discussed the current situation within the sector. This included the various challenges, industry developments, global trends and ongoing processes.
Reduce, compensate, invest featured the subjects:

• Why is sustainability becoming a success essential?
• The new normal
• The die-casting industry sustainability status quo

Advanced automotive casting included the topics:

• Improving HPDC component performance and costs through holistic approaches
• Tool making of the future.
• Volvo Cars and Mega Casting

The exhibitor presentations resembled the Speaker's Corner. They featured leading exhibitors discussing diverse topics such as:

• Status Quo, magnesium and future challenges
• Foundry environmental opportunities and challenges
• The Future of Lightweight Metal Parts
• What are the driving forces behind the toolmaking industry?
• Managing innovation
• Big castings – open innovation fields and challenges

The Common Stands were also among the highlights of EUROGUSS 2022. They comprised three pavilions, each presenting the solutions of several exhibitors. The three pavilions were:

• Surface Technology
• Additive Manufacturing
• Research for knowledge

Surface Technology presented solutions for the post-processing of non-ferrous metal cast parts. The presented exhibitors were:

• Berger Gruppe
• VCM GmbH
• C. Hilzinger-Thum GmbH & Co.KG
• Plasmatreat GmbH

Additive Manufacturing presented wares related to the possibilities this type of manufacturing provides. The exhibitors were:

• DMG MORI Ultrasonic Lasertec GmbH
• FEHRMANN Materials Fehrmann Alloys
• Koordinierungsstelle Additive Fertigung, Bayern Innovativ GmbH
• PARARE GmbH
• SLM Solutions Group AG
• TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH

Research for knowledge featured leading research institutes, universities, and technical colleges. It was the area where exhibitors could show their training and education programmes. The presented institutions of higher education included:

• Nuremberg Chair of Materials Science and Technology of Metals
• Foundry-Skills.com
• Center of Casting Lightweight Materials and Engineering (GTK), University of Kassel
• Aalen University of Applied Sciences
• Ansbach University of Applied Sciences
• Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH
• Austrian Foundry Institute
• Dingolfing Technology Centre

The 21st Die Casting Conference coincided with EUROGUSS 2022. The Conference featured 26 expert lectures that discussed a variety of topics. This included new product developments, innovative processes and others. The following sessions were the Conference's highlights:

• Die fatigue control and casting quality in the future
• The novel Handtmann rear subframe
• How the plant in Kechnec sets new green foundry standards
• The Henkel experience as a model of sustainability
• Die casting digital material flow and energy model
• The latest aluminium and magnesium market developments
• A lightweight on-hand solution - rheocasting

EUROGUSS 2022 featured around 10,707 trade visitors from 61 counties. It also received 641 exhibitors from 36 countries. Participants lauded being able to form new business contacts in person. This resulted in high satisfaction among new and previous exhibitors. The visitor group's high quality received excellent recognition among new and old exhibitors.