Foundry R&D trends 2026: Steel, Aluminum, Iron

Analysis of the main R&D&I trends in iron, aluminium and steel casting from three complementary perspectives: international scientific activity, European innovation priorities, and the recent evolution of Basque foundries, with the aim of identifying the technologies and research areas that are shaping the sector’s competitiveness in the medium and long term.

The analysis shows how the foundry industry is evolving from research primarily focused on materials and manufacturing processes towards new high-impact areas, such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, advanced sensing technologies, decarbonisation, and the circular economy. It also provides insights into which countries are leading the different fields of research and which priorities are currently attracting the greatest innovation efforts worldwide.

Alongside this global perspective, the presentation examines the opportunities likely to be most relevant for Basque foundries in the coming years. Digitalisation, sustainability, hydrogen, electrification, advanced materials, and energy efficiency emerge as some of the key transformation drivers that will shape the future of the industry.