Did you know NovaCast was founded in 1981 — by an early AI pioneer?

NovaCast was founded in 1981 by Rudolf Sillén, driven by curiosity, technical expertise, and a strong belief that the foundry industry could be improved through smarter methods and better tools.

What makes Rudolf’s journey remarkable is not only that he started NovaCast on his own, but that he did so with a mindset far ahead of its time. He combined deep foundry knowledge with calculations, data, and digital decision-support systems long before these approaches became standard.

From industry challenges to smarter solutions

Before founding NovaCast, Rudolf built his experience in Swedish industry, including roles at Volvo as a development engineer and at Kockums as a foundry manager. These years gave him deep insight into the everyday reality of foundries, where quality, efficiency, and process control are always closely connected.

Foundry processes are complex, with many variables affecting the final result. Rudolf understood early on that foundries needed better decision support, and that structured calculations and smarter tools could make a real difference.

When NovaCast was founded, he began developing practical calculation programs and decision-support software for foundries. These tools helped move the industry from manual methods to more structured, data-driven ways of working.

Products still used today

Over time, NovaCast grew from a one-man company into a team and a portfolio of solutions supporting foundries worldwide.

What started with thermal analysis has grown into a global offering of simulation and metallurgical control solutions, used in over 50 countries and still evolving.

Several of the products Rudolf helped build are still part of NovaCast Systems today, including ATAS, Gating&Feeding, NovaFlow&Solid, and MetalMaster.

Today, NovaCast is still headquartered in Ronneby, Sweden, just as it was when the company was founded.

A legacy we continue to build on

Rudolf retired in 2008, leaving behind a legacy of innovation that still shapes what we do today. We are proud to continue building on the foundation he created, guided by our vision: Driving casting innovation, shaping a smarter and more sustainable industry.

Thank you, Rudolf, for the foundation you built.