Strategic position of casting aluminum alloys and leading technologies of their manufacturing

Due to instrumentation and time constraints, it is infeasible to perform thorough research, especially experiments, for all the possible solutions, encompassing a full combination of materials with the expected mechanical and functional properties and the manufacturing technologies ensuring such properties. An objectivised selection of a material for research and its surface treatment technology is, therefore, essential in the planning phase of a materials science experiment. A methodology of computer-integrated prediction of development is dedicated to such task, enabling to perform an expert assessment and to present results thereof graphically using contextual matrices being a tool of a quantitative analysis that is very desirable in engineering circles. Considering the three groups of materials, i.e.: steels, casting magnesium alloys and casting aluminum alloys subjected to an expert assessment using a dendrological matrix being an inherent part of materials surface engineering development prediction methods, aluminum casting alloys has achieved the best position. It was further demonstrated that laser treatment is a technology of the highest potential and attractiveness in the context of applying aluminum casting alloys for surface treatment.