Youngstown State Students Cast Aluminum Parts

Engineering students utilized advanced manufacturing processes to create components for metal testing tools.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Manufacturing

Youngstown State Students Cast Aluminum Parts

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The Youngstown State University American Foundry Society chapter successfully cast 16 aluminum parts for student projects. The project utilized 3D-printed sand molds to produce components designed for measuring metal bending strain.

Why it matters

This initiative provides students with essential hands-on experience in the metal casting process. By integrating classroom design with industrial foundry operations, the project bridges the gap between academic theory and manufacturing practice.

Students poured 16 parts using A356 aluminum heated to 1,350 degrees. Four distinct sand molds were utilized to complete the production run.

The players

Youngstown State University

This public research university serves as the primary institution for the students participating in the American Foundry Society chapter.

Trumbull Foundry and Alloy

This industrial facility serves as the site where the student casting project was physically executed.

Humtown Products

Based in Boardman, this company provides the 3D-printing services used to create the sand molds for the student project.

Brian Vuksanovich

He serves as the faculty mentor for the Youngstown State University chapter of the American Foundry Society.

John Carballo

He is an instructor responsible for the mechanical engineering technology class involved in the project.

The details

Mechanical engineering technology students designed the parts, which function as tools to measure the bending strain of various metals. The team utilized 3D-printed sand molds produced at Humtown Products in Boardman to execute the pour at Trumbull Foundry and Alloy.

October 20, 2026: The project activities were reported as of this date.

Market Landscape

This project follows the pattern set by 3D sand printing for industrial mold creation by adopting additive manufacturing techniques for legacy casting processes. It demonstrates how universities are increasingly leveraging external industrial partnerships to compete in modern manufacturing sectors.

For local businesses, this collaboration signals a growing pipeline of engineering talent skilled in modern additive manufacturing workflows. Residents may see increased university-industry partnerships as the region continues to emphasize advanced manufacturing and metalwork education.

The takeaway

Real-world casting experience prepares engineering students to operate in modern industrial environments that rely on advanced materials. Implementation of 3D printing in educational mold-making reflects the shift toward faster prototyping cycles across the broader manufacturing industry.