CPT International 04/2014
The leading technical journal for the global foundry industry – Das führende Fachmagazin für die weltweite Gießerei-Industrie
The leading technical journal for the
global foundry industry – Das führende Fachmagazin für die
weltweite Gießerei-Industrie
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K AUTOMATION<br />
Authors: Manfred Michenfelder, Managing Partner; Alfred Liedtke, Manager Technology & Development; and Christoph<br />
Huck, Managing Director, Michenfelder Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Mainz<br />
Process-integrated molding<br />
material management<br />
With its new Online-Sandlab, Michenfelder Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG (based in Mainz,<br />
Germany) has optimized the monitoring and control of important molding material parameters,<br />
supplementing its modular molding sand management system FoMaSys. For the first time, the<br />
measurement of gas permeability has been shifted to the preparation stage<br />
Numerous supplementary values of<br />
rele vance to the quality of sand preparation<br />
can be determined with a testing<br />
machine suitable for belt-mounting<br />
(Figure 1). For the first time, gas permeability<br />
testing has been moved from<br />
the laboratory to the preparation process<br />
– permitting real-time action and<br />
reaction to a very wide data basis generated<br />
directly at the molding machine<br />
( F igure 2). In addition, a targeted and<br />
almost delay-free optimization of sand<br />
quality at the molding machine can<br />
be achieved by integrating the results<br />
in the MiPro molding sand matrix and<br />
networking with the fully automatic<br />
control system integrated in the plant.<br />
The Online-Sandlab - an initial prototype was presented at the Molding Material<br />
Days <strong>2014</strong> in Duisburg, Germany (Photos: Michenfelder)<br />
Deficits in the control of molding<br />
material quality<br />
The control of molding material quality<br />
is oriented upon a pool of determined<br />
measurement values. This pool<br />
is not the same in every foundry; not every<br />
value is determined in every foundry.<br />
The level of importance assigned<br />
to the measurement values also varies<br />
from foundry to foundry. This is due<br />
to the differing experiences and preferences<br />
of those responsible, though<br />
often also simply because of the measurement<br />
technology available. Sometimes<br />
analysis is entirely outsourced to<br />
external service providers, sometimes<br />
the values come from the works laboratory.<br />
Samples are taken from a variety<br />
of locations. Different personnel carry<br />
out different tests on different samples<br />
on different laboratory equipment.<br />
Time lags and the ‘personnel’ factor<br />
24 Casting Plant & Technology 4/<strong>2014</strong>
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