Resources
Glossary
Ingot
An ingot is a large, solid cast block of metal produced by pouring molten metal into a mold and allowing it to solidify into a convenient shape for handling, storage, transport, and downstream processing. Ingot shapes are designed to be reheated and converted into other mill forms—typically broken down into slabs, blooms, or billets, and then rolled, forged, or extruded into bar, rod, wire, or coil stock that ultimately becomes fasteners and other industrial products.
Ingots are typically made from ferrous metals such as carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, and cast iron, and from nonferrous metals such as aluminum and aluminum alloys, copper and copper alloys (brass/bronze), nickel alloys, titanium alloys, magnesium, and zinc. Producers cast ingots not only for convenience, but also to control and verify chemistry, cleanliness, and internal quality before the metal is worked into the more refined shapes used in manufacturing.