Implementation of Metal Casting Best Practices - EERE - U.S. ...

face-to-face meeting wherein site management provided an overview of the plant operations and
an evaluation of the extent to which Metal Casting R&D technologies and BestPractices
programs have been implemented at the plant. The plant personnel described their current
energy-saving measures and some of their obvious waste problems. Finally, the assessment team
provided an overview of the suite of BestPractices tools and the IAC services that are available at
no charge. The plant personnel were unaware of these tools and services, and they expressed
interest not only in pursuing an IAC assessment but also in learning how to use and implement
the PHAST, AirMaster+ and MotorMaster+ tools.
After this initial meeting, the assessment team took a tour through the entire plant and received a
briefing from the head of each operational division. During this assessment, the assessment team
noted some of the areas that already have benefited from DOE-funded R&D and as well as
others where opportunities for further improvement still existed.
1. Implemented Best Practices
Modeling
Steel Foundry-1 is responsible for developing the appropriate feeding requirements for the
castings they produce. The foundry uses the latest modeling and simulation software to analyze
the coupled fluid flow and heat transfer during mold filling. They also use it to monitor
solidification as castings cool. This modeling capability helps the foundry determine the
optimum configuration of gates, risers, and chills.
The modeling tools used at the foundry incorporate the results of ITP-funded research conducted
at the University of Iowa. That research developed new feeding rules for steel castings and
unconventional yield improvement and defect reduction techniques. It developed a model to
predict the formation of re-oxidation inclusions and shrinkage when pouring steel castings. By
using this modeling capability, Steel Foundry-1 is able to predict where inclusions or shrinkage
will occur and accordingly redesign the gating configuration to avoid the problem. Further, the
foundry’s use of modeling has played a critical part in improving the fatigue life of its castings
by avoiding microshrinkage in the critically stressed regions.
By investing in their modeling capability, the foundry has been able to reduce scrap and improve
their casting yield. This capability has also saved the foundry significant amounts of money by
improving its success rate on the first-test castings poured. This has proven to shorten the
foundry’s lead-time to produce a casting and lower its production costs. Initially the foundry
only modeled patterns of new jobs it received; however, due to the success that it has had, the
foundry has gone back and modeled castings already were in production but that have a high
scrap rate or have evidenced other problems. This effort has lowered the costs associated with
producing steel castings and has improved the foundry’s overall quality.
Tracking of Casting Operation
Tracking casting operations can play a key role in helping a foundry identify the exact location
of trouble spots in its operation, improving its productivity and, hence, its bottom line. Tracking
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