The Rheowalk is an initiative to showcase a worldwide network supporting Rheocasting, organized by Comptech. This Gold Nugget is based on this map and provides additional insights into why you should visit each company.

You will find Staffan Zetterström at the Comptech booth (5-162d) and Fabian Niklas at the Casting-Campus booth (5-153). Both hosts are proud to share each company's Rheocasting accomplishments with you.

Following the steps in this tour, you can see, learn, and discuss with these experts, who can present the interesting aspects of Rheocasting. When you enter the Euroguss trade fair, turn left and start in hall 4A, or invert the list when you want to start in hall 7A.

Companies in the Rheowalk

4A-216: Bühler

4A-322: Wieland Caro

4A-522: Faist Light Metals

4-342: Magma

4-116: DGS

5-153: Casting-Campus

5-162d: Comptech

5-162f: Spartan Light Metal Products

5-162a: Dynatool Industries

5-162b: PSW Group

5-162g: PTS Prüftechnik

5-162c: G-Plast

5-361: Millison Technologies

5-250a: Österreichisches Gießereiinstitut (ÖGI)

5-250e: Gießerei Technik Kassel (GTK)

7-132: Stena Aluminium

7A-110: Chem-Trend

See you in Nürnberg!

Follow along the Rheowalk and become a Rheocasting insider as well. Use the podcast as a conversation starter at the booths and talk to our friends, partners, and colleagues. We are all looking forward to talking to you about our favorite topic - Rheocasting!

Thank you for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode, where we’ll continue to bring you the latest insights and updates from the casting world. Don’t forget to ask questions, write comments, or make suggestions for future episodes.

We hope to meet you at the Euroguss!

Fabian and Staffan

For decades, process stability in semi-solid casting has been the single biggest barrier to scaling the technology. With automotive quality departments demanding verifiable, traceable, and reproducible solid-fraction data, the days of “trust us, we’ve done 5,000 quenches” are over.

In this sponsored episode, Fabian Niklas interviews Staffan Zetterström, not as co-host, but as Marketing & Sales Manager of Comptech Rheocasting, to reveal a quiet revolution. A new solid-fraction analysis software developed jointly with academia and powered by machine learning.

It’s a candid look at why an equipment manufacturer took the leap into software, what it actually solves for foundries, and what this signals for the future of process control, gigacastings, and data-driven casting development.

Key Insights

* You cannot scale semi-solid casting without proving your solid fractionAutomotive OEMs are increasingly asking two questions: Is your process stable? And what solid fraction do you have? Without hard data, foundries won’t pass nomination gates, no matter how good their slurry looks on paper.

* Machine learning + metallurgy = a breakthrough in usabilityThe software automatically analyzes microstructures using models trained in collaboration with leading researchers at Jönköping University. Customers simply upload a polished sample; Comptech validates the rest. The approach blends advanced algorithms with decades of metallurgical expertise to deliver numbers engineers can trust.

* Foundries need digital tools because casting leaves zero margin for errorProducing a rear floor, battery tray, or front cradle every 60 seconds means any alloy mis-specification or solid-fraction drift multiplies into catastrophic cost and unmanageable recalls.Software-based validation is quickly becoming a necessity, not a luxury, for gigacasting programs. The amount of data required for optimization simply cannot be handled manually.

* Building software as a hardware company is messy, but necessaryComptech openly shares how challenging it was for a traditional hardware-focused organization to create software. Translating academic research into a tool that can be used at 3:15 in the morning on the shop floor required a complete shift in mindset. The team had to rethink manuals, user flows, pricing, packaging, and even internal processes such as accounting and distribution.

“Would we do it again? Absolutely!”

Despite the cost, uncertainty, and growing pains, Comptech says developing this software was essential. It solves a foundational problem, enables more machine sales, unlocks validation for customers, and prepares the industry for the next era of data-driven casting development.

Software is no longer optional — it’s the next strategic layer of competitiveness.

Whether you’re an equipment supplier, foundry manager, quality engineer, or casting developer, this episode shows how digital tools are becoming essential to winning nominations, qualifying parts, and securing the next generation of high-value casting programs.

Thank you for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode, where we’ll continue to bring you the latest insights and updates from the casting world. Don’t forget to ask questions, write comments, or make suggestions for future episodes.

Until next time, keep casting strong!

Fabian and Staffan

Staffan Zetterström and Fabian Niklas break down why the future of the foundry industry cannot rely on automotive alone and why non-automotive business is rapidly becoming the most strategic and profitable path forward.

With automotive volumes flattening, EV architectures reducing part count, and new competitors squeezing margins, the classic “wait for the rebound” mindset is no longer viable. This episode explains what is changing, which industries offer real opportunities, and what foundries must rethink to reach customers who don’t traditionally work with castings.

Whether you’re a foundry owner, commercial leader, or technical manager, this discussion provides a practical roadmap for expanding into new markets, building resilience, and taking control of your long-term business development.

Key Insights

* New industries are opening up, if you know where to look

Some sectors outside the automotive industry are quietly becoming gold mines for foundries. The opportunities are bigger than most expect.

* These customers don’t think like automotive, and that’s the advantage

When the purchasing logic changes, so does the way you win business. The rules are different and far more favorable for those who adapt.

* Speed matters more than you think!

In specific industries, your response time can outweigh your price. A simple shift in pace can unlock doors that were previously closed.

* The casting is only the beginning

In many applications, the casting itself is a small part of the total value. Knowing how the rest of the product comes together makes all the difference.

* Marketing becomes your new inbound engine

To get in front of industries that don’t know you, and don’t know they need you, communication becomes a strategic capability, not a nice-to-have.

* Visibility beats perfection

You don’t need millions of views. You need the right 10–14 people to see you, recognize you, and start a conversation. Being present in the right channels makes that happen.

“You’re not selling a 1,99€ lipstick; you’re selling trust!”

This episode highlights why diversifying beyond automotive isn’t optional anymore. It’s a strategic move that can unlock long-lived programs, higher margins, closer customer relationships, and a more stable future, but only if foundries build the commercial muscles needed to reach industries that operate very differently from the automotive industry.

Rather than waiting for the market to recover, this Gold Nugget outlines how to create your own demand, position your expertise, and win business in sectors that value engineering service, reliability, and sustainability.

Thank you for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode, where we’ll continue to bring you the latest insights and updates from the casting world. Don’t forget to ask questions, write comments, or make suggestions for future episodes.

Until next time, keep casting strong!

Fabian and Staffan