CPT International 04/2014

K AUTOMATION
Author: Laura Schwarzbach, Kuka Roboter GmbH, Augsburg
First time use of a robot to cast
molten iron
The Georg Fischer plant at Mettmann in Germany produces castings for chassis, power trains
and bodies of trucks and cars. For the first time, Georg Fischer is using the strength of a robot
for casting the molten iron at 1,400 °C. In this globally unique solution, two Kuka heavy-duty
robots of the KR 1000 titan type ensure optimum use is made of the mold area through maximum
flexibility when casting
Georg Fischer AG was established in
1802 and its Mettmann plant has a
history stretching back more than 100
years. Georg Fischer Mettmann forms
part of the GF Automotive division of
Georg Fischer AG with its headquarters
in Schaffhausen/Switzerland. In addition
to cast products, Georg Fischer AG
manufactures machine tools and piping
systems. The Mettmann location
employs about 1,000 people, and produces
190,000 metric tons of castings
for the automotive industry every year.
Maximum flexibility
Last year, a completely new foundry
came on stream at Mettmann for producing
axle and engine components
for cars and trucks. “We were looking
for a technical solution for pouring the
extremely hot and molten iron into
the molding boxes at any point, thereby
achieving the greatest possible flexibility
and exploiting the molding boxes
to the full,” explains Stephen Schott,
project manager of the AMR production
line at Georg Fischer Mettmann
(Figure 1). As a rule, this task is carried
out by systems that can only fill a sand
mold at a single point. Since pouring
is stationary at a fixed pouring position,
flexible casting is not possible
in these systems. The solution now
used at Georg Fischer is currently unparalleled:
By using two KR 1000 titan
heavy-duty robots by Kuka, Augsburg,
Germany, for casting the molten iron,
Georg Fischer has achieved flexibility
and is able to exploit the mold area to
This heavy-duty robot from Kuka at GF Mettmann casts car parts fully automatically
and with maximum flexibility (Photo: Kuka)
optimum effect. Now, the pouring system
no longer dictates where the castings
are allowed to be, and where not.
Two KR 1000 titan robots work in
parallel in the solution developed by
the integrator Robotec Engineering
GmbH. The specialist for automation
processes in foundries is based in Bad
Säckingen, Germany, and once again
demonstrated its enormous experience
in this area. A heat-resistant suit additionally
protects the robot against the
extremely hot conditions within the
foundry (Figure 2). Mounted on the robot
flange is a casting ladle that is filled
with molten iron at 1,400 °C. A load
cell is additionally installed between
the casting ladle and the robot flange,
as a means of weighing the quantity
of molten iron. This means it is possible
to add the precise amount of iron
that is required to make up the correct
quantity in the next casting cycle. The
casting ladle only ever contains the op-
30 Casting Plant & Technology 4/2014