In 1987, Dr Madhu Nilmani of the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Melbourne organised a workshop on Injection in Metallurgy. The workshop was held at The University of Melbourne and discussed aluminium alloying by injection, flux injection and injection practices in steel & other non-ferrous industries. International experts such a Thorvald Engh, and Rod Guthrie also presented.

In 1989, Dr Nilmani organised a second workshop, this time on Aluminium Melt Refining and Alloying, and secured industry sponsorship from Comalco, Pechiney, Alcoa, Alcan, Aluvic and Abel-Lemon. These companies appointed representatives to a course committee to assist Dr Nilmani. Participants felt that the workshop served a valuable function and that it would be enhanced by emphasising the current state of the practical art via presentations from operators.

This feedback was incorporated into the proceedings of the third meeting, which became the Aluminium Cast House Technology Conference. Dr Nilmani organised the first conference in 1991, with a small trade exhibition also set up to complement the conference. Gabor Horvath of Furnace Engineering has been instrumental in building the trade exhibition into a significant part of the success of the conference. Dr Nilmani nurtured the conference as a "one man band" in this early period, making considerable personal sacrifices to keep it going. He maintains a close association with the conference and is a member of the current organising committee.

By 1993, the conference moved under the umbrella of the G K Williams Cooperative Research Centre for Extractive Metallurgy. The conference was still held at Melbourne University. The proceedings were published by the TMS in the now familiar silver-grey cover.

Still chaired by Dr Nilmani, the fifth event (called the fourth cast house technology conference) moved away from the university environment and was very successfully held in Sydney in 1995. Peter Whiteley, ex-chief engineer for Alcan International and a previous industry consultant, joined the organising committee as co-chair. In 1999, Peter Whiteley took over as conference chair for the sixth conference when Dr Nilmani left The University of Melbourne. Peter's excellent international industry contacts ensured the conference retained and built upon an expansive industry program of speakers and topics.

In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, which also coincided with the collapse of the Australian airline, Ansett, the seventh conference in Hobart in 2001 was almost cancelled. However, due to the efforts of Caryn Morgan (the conference's professional organiser) many delegates were flown in on a chartered DC3. Caryn Morgan and Associates has been the professional conference organiser for the conference since 1995.

An unusual but popular element of the conference is the inclusion of a smelting plant tour. All Australian smelters have generously opened their doors over the years.

After chairing three conferences, Peter Whitley stood down as conference chair after the 8th conference in Brisbane and the organisation of the conference has passed from The University of Melbourne to the CAST Cooperative Research Centre (CAST-CRC). CAST-CRC had been instrumental in organising short courses and workshops around the conference on solidification and safety. The new conference chair, Dr. John Grandfield (CAST's Cast House Technology Program Leader), has been involved in the organisation and presented at all of the cast house conferences and uses his industry experience and network to further enhance the now international reputation of the conference.

The conference stands as a tribute to the efforts of the past chairs Dr. Nilmani and Peter Whiteley and the support of the aluminium industry participants.

Conference History 

• Injection in Metallurgy Workshop 1987, Melbourne, Melbourne University
• Aluminium Refining & Alloying 1989, Melbourne, Melbourne University
• Aluminium Cast house Technology 1991, Melbourne, Melbourne University
• Aluminium Cast House Technology Theory & Practice, 3rd Australian Asian Pacific Course & Conference 1993, Melbourne TMS
• 4th Australasian Asian Pacific Conference on Aluminium Cast House Technology: Theory and Practice 1995, Sydney TMS
• 5th Australian Asian Pacific Conference on Aluminium Cast House Technology: Theory and Practice 1997, Surfers Paradise TMS
• 6th Australian Asian Pacific Conference on Aluminium Cast House Technology 1999, Sydney TMS
• 7th Australian Asian Pacific Conference on Aluminium Cast House Technology 2001, Hobart TMS (copies available)
• 8th Australasian Conference on Aluminium Cast House Technology 2003 Brisbane, TMS (copies available)
• Aluminium Cast House Technology: 9th Australasian conference & exhibition 2005, Melbourne Copies available from CAST CRC and TMS
• Aluminium Cast House Technology: 10th Australasian conference & exhibition 2007, Sydney Copies available from CAST CRC
• Aluminium Cast House Technology: 11th Australasian conference & exhibition 2009, Gold Coast. Copies available from CAST CRC

In 1999 the Madhu Nilmani Best Paper and Presentation Award was initiated and following are details of the recipients of the award. An independent committee judges the papers and presentations on professional standard and usefulness to the industry. 

The Madhu Nilmani Best Paper and Presentation Award