Editing Ingot (section)

==Types==
Ingots are generally made of metal, either pure or alloy, heated past its [[melting point]] and cast into a bar or block using a mold chill method.

A special case are polycrystalline or single crystal ingots made by pulling from a molten melt.

===Single crystal===
{{See also|Boule (crystal)}}
[[Single crystal]] ingots (called [[boule (crystal)|boules]]) of materials are grown (crystal growth) using methods such as the [[Czochralski process]] or [[Bridgman technique]].

The boules may be either semiconductor (e.g. electronic [[Wafer (electronics)|chip wafers]], [[Solar cell|photovoltaic cells]]) or non-conducting inorganic compounds for industrial and jewelry use (e.g., synthetic ruby, sapphire).

Single crystal ingots of metal are produced in similar fashion to that used to produce high purity semiconductor ingots,<ref>[http://www.lesscommonmetals.com/products/metals_indiun_metal_ingots.htm Indium ingots] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106200629/http://www.lesscommonmetals.com/products/metals_indiun_metal_ingots.htm |date=2009-01-06 }}, lesscommonmetals.com.</ref> i.e. by vacuum induction refining. Single crystal ingots of engineering metals are of interest due to their very high strength due to lack of [[grain boundary|grain boundaries]]. The method of production is via single crystal [[Dendrite (crystal)|dendrite]] and not via simple casting. Possible uses include [[turbine blade]]s.

===Copper alloys===
In the United States, the brass and bronze ingot making industry started in the early 19th century. The US brass industry grew to be the number one producer by the 1850s.<ref>[http://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/innovations/1998/03/naugatuck.html Innovations: The History of Brass Making in the Naugatuck Valley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605164350/http://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/innovations/1998/03/naugatuck.html |date=2009-06-05 }}. Copper.org (2010-08-25). Retrieved on 2012-02-24.</ref> During colonial times the brass and bronze industries were almost non-existent because the [[United Kingdom|British]] demanded all copper ore be sent to Britain for processing.<ref>[http://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/innovations/1998/06/recycle_overview.html Innovations: Overview of Recycled Copper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430131422/https://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/innovations/1998/06/recycle_overview.html |date=2017-04-30 }}. Copper.org (2010-08-25). Retrieved on 2012-02-24.</ref> Copper based alloy ingots weighed approximately {{convert|20|lbs|kg}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=Platers' guide: with which is combined Brass world |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ZPVAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA82 |access-date=24 February 2012 |year=1905 |publisher=Brass world publishing co., inc. |pages=82–}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Arthur Amos Noyes |author2=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |title=Review of American chemical research |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lW9LAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA44 |access-date=24 February 2012 |year=1900 |pages=44–}}</ref>