CPT International 01/2018
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www.cpt-international.com<br />
March<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
CASTING<br />
PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
1<br />
Cost reduction through innovative<br />
breaker core technology
BE READY FOR<br />
THE INDUSTRY‘S MOST<br />
IMPORTANT DATES!<br />
THE LEADING DIE CASTING SHOWS<br />
EUROGUSS<br />
Germany, Nuremberg<br />
14 - 16 January 2020<br />
euroguss.de<br />
CHINA<br />
DIECASTING<br />
China, Shanghai<br />
18-20 July 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
diecastexpo.cn/en<br />
EUROGUSS MEXICO<br />
Mexico, Guadalajara<br />
24 - 26 October 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
euroguss-mexico.com<br />
ALUCAST<br />
India, Greater Noida,<br />
Delhi, NCR<br />
6 - 8 December 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
alucastexpo.com<br />
euroguss.de/international
EDITORIAL<br />
Core and mold production<br />
<br />
The state-of-the-art of our main topics – core and mold production – is now<br />
considerably higher than it has ever been. The proven organic binder combinations<br />
for producing molds and cores are still widely in use in foundries<br />
around the world. But inorganic binding agents spread in light construction<br />
and will sooner or later also be suitable for casting processes at higher temperatures<br />
– a breakthrough that will change casting production worldwide. For one<br />
thing is evident: environmental standards are steadily rising, as can be seen in<br />
China, for example. In his article (from Page 12), our author Christian Appelt<br />
from the foundry chemicals company ASK Chemicals explains the necessary<br />
material properties and process requirements for inorganic core production.<br />
In an interview, Amine Serghini from competitor Hüttenes Albertus talks about,<br />
among other things, the inorganic market situation and comments on the direction<br />
of development of his company, which is also exploiting organic binders.<br />
Above all, however, Hüttenes Albertus is relying on its superior knowledge,<br />
as the recent opening of both a Research & Development Center and a Competence<br />
Center in northern Germany show (read more from P. 6).<br />
We have also saved no effort regarding the topic of materials for core and mold<br />
production: in our corporate report on the global player Imerys, that now owns<br />
S&B (and thus its IKO Foundry Division), we examine the supplier of special<br />
mineral-based products for the industry and its range for foundries (from P. 48)<br />
The simulation of casting and solidification processes is widespread throughout<br />
the sector. A group of scientists at the Ansbach University of Applied Sciences<br />
in southern Germany has now been able to use a material flow simulator and<br />
a thermodynamic model of the melting furnace to come up with interesting<br />
conclusions to improve energy efficiency and productivity in die-casting foundries<br />
(from P. 42). The project will continue – as will the reports on it in CP+T!<br />
And, last but not least, two articles on zinc and plastic caster Föhl in Rudersberg<br />
near Stuttgart, Germany (from P. 32) and die-casting machine producer Bühler<br />
in Uzwil, Switzerland (from P. 38), offer interesting insights into highly efficient,<br />
innovative and pioneering companies and processes.<br />
Have a good read !<br />
Robert Piterek<br />
e-mail: robert.piterek@bdguss.de<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 3
FEATURES<br />
INTERVIEW<br />
Serghini, Amine<br />
“We want to offer foundries innovative<br />
and comprehensive solutions” 6<br />
COREMAKING<br />
Appelt, Christian<br />
Material properties and process requirements for<br />
inorganic core production 12<br />
MELTING SHOP<br />
Möldner, Tobias<br />
Burner air preheating by means of a heat exchanger<br />
<br />
<br />
Cover-Photo:<br />
GTP Schäfer GmbH<br />
Benzstraße 15<br />
D-41515 Grevenbroich<br />
Tel.: +49 2181 23394-0<br />
Fax: +49 2181 23394-55<br />
www.gtpschaefer.de<br />
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
Dickinson, Brian; Midea, Tony; Adams, Andry<br />
<br />
PRESSURE DIE CASTING<br />
Piterek, Robert<br />
Globalization in Swabian 32<br />
<br />
6 32<br />
Amine Serghini is Head of Global Sales and Marketing at<br />
Hüttenes-Albertus. In an interview he speaks about inorganic<br />
binders, e-mobility and 3-D-printing (Photo: HA)<br />
The zinc and plastic caster Föhl, Rudersberg, Germany,<br />
is preparing itself with innovations and productivity for the<br />
future and also counts on China (Photos: A. Bednareck)
CASTING<br />
1 | 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
INDUSTRY 4.0<br />
Buob, Adrian<br />
Cell management for greater success 38<br />
SIMULATION<br />
Buswell, Andreas; Schlüter, Wolfgang; Henninger, Matthias; Müller, Stefan<br />
Simulation of non-ferrous melting and die-casting plants<br />
<br />
<br />
COMPANY<br />
Vehreschild, Michael<br />
Imerys - strong potential for synergies 48<br />
COLUMNS<br />
Editorial 3<br />
News in brief 52<br />
Brochures 64<br />
Fairs and congresses/Ad index 66<br />
Preview / Imprint 67<br />
38<br />
A central, optimized cell control creates the basis for productivity gains in die casting. For foundry machine manufacturer<br />
Bühler, Uzwil, Switzerland, the development of the cell management system is an important step towards die casting foundries<br />
becoming part of Industry 4.0 (Photos: Bühler)
INTERVIEW<br />
”We want to offer foundries innovative<br />
and comprehensive solutions”<br />
Interview with Amine Serghini, member of the management team, Head of Global Sales and<br />
Marketing at Hüttenes-Albertus (HA), Düsseldorf, Germany<br />
Mr Serghini, you have opened a new<br />
Research and Development (R&D)<br />
Center in Hanover and the HA Center<br />
of Competence (CoC) in Baddeckenstedt<br />
(both Germany). What do both of<br />
these investments mean for the company’s<br />
strategic positioning?<br />
Our R&D Center and CoC are two important<br />
building blocks in fully implementing<br />
our strategy. We want to get<br />
even closer to our customers. We not only<br />
want to sell products, but also offer the<br />
foundry industry an innovative and comprehensive<br />
solution, including services.<br />
HA has added a competence centre<br />
with foundry pilot plant to research<br />
and development in Hanover. What<br />
<br />
The CoC facilitates cooperation and allows<br />
us to bring solutions to market<br />
quickly and effectively. As a producer of<br />
foundry chemicals, we are the link between<br />
foundries, with their casting requirements,<br />
and machine manufacturers,<br />
with their technical possibilities. In<br />
the past, customers often started by creating<br />
a new production line design for their<br />
new product in close collaboration with<br />
the machine manufacturer. Only once<br />
the new plant was ready did the foundry<br />
approach HA to find the right chemical<br />
products to produce the casting. This<br />
was often too late to provide customers<br />
with solutions tailored to their processes<br />
or castings, which then still had to be<br />
put into commission. As a result, valuable<br />
time was lost. By working together with<br />
the foundry, machine manufacturer and<br />
other partners at an early stage in product<br />
and process development, we aim to<br />
reduce the time required for this phase.<br />
different partners who are working on<br />
the topic at the same time and not sequentially<br />
as before. If necessary, institutes<br />
and universities also team up<br />
with the CoC. In our CoC (see box), we<br />
can cast, shoot cores and build molds.<br />
We can also fully test and optimize<br />
new processes and products before<br />
they are used. This helps us to develop<br />
products for our customers faster and<br />
in a more targeted manner until they<br />
are ready for the market and to successfully<br />
launch them in foundries.<br />
Does this change the relationship between<br />
products and services in your<br />
strategy?<br />
We still manufacture chemicals, but<br />
services are becoming more and more<br />
important. Let’s take the automotive<br />
industry as an example. When introducing<br />
new products, such as a new<br />
cylinder head or a new engine block,<br />
there is always a bottleneck in the prototype<br />
phase. This is because you have<br />
to use the engine foundry, which is already<br />
operating at full capacity. Our<br />
customers can carry out all of their<br />
prototyping in our CoC. We have<br />
every thing we need to produce cores<br />
and molds, and to cast all metals. This<br />
How does this work in practice?<br />
The customer comes to the CoC with<br />
his request and meets a consortium of<br />
Example of a customer project in the HA Center of Competence: Production of prototypes<br />
in inorganic core production (Photos: Hüttenes-Albertus)<br />
6 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
HA Center of Competence (CoC)<br />
The HA Center of Competence (CoC) has about 8,000 m 2 of pilot and industrial<br />
facilities and replicates almost all of the stages of the foundry process.<br />
Here, new ideas and solutions for nearly all mold and core production<br />
processes can be tested in practice, and without disrupting the processes<br />
of customers.<br />
Moreover, a comprehensive machine park offers the opportunity to optimize<br />
the interaction of foundry chemistry and machine technology.<br />
To this end, HA cooperates with virtually all renowned manufacturers of<br />
foundry plants. The machine park’s facilities include:<br />
means that we are not only able to carry<br />
out prototyping from core production<br />
to casting, but also to provide other<br />
services that can then be outsourced<br />
by the foundry. We want to act as an<br />
extension of the foundry and offer<br />
every thing that a foundry, in the midst<br />
of series production, would have difficulty<br />
implementing internally.<br />
As a chemicals manufacturer, will you<br />
continue to focus on foundries in the<br />
future?<br />
Yes. We are 100 % focused on foundry<br />
chemistry with worldwide distribution,<br />
and in recent years, we have divested<br />
some business areas outside our<br />
core foundry business.<br />
» melting and casting plants<br />
» core shooting machines for Cold Box, inorganics and other core production<br />
processes<br />
» sand mixing plants for Cold Box and inorganic processes<br />
» continuous mixers for the no-bake process<br />
» coating area, including robotic handling<br />
» drying oven with a range of special features<br />
» extensive measuring technology<br />
You are engaged in research and de-<br />
organic<br />
and organic binder systems.<br />
What progress are you making?<br />
The new research centre in Hanover will<br />
significantly increase the degree of innovation<br />
by bringing our researchers together.<br />
In the past, R&D was divided into<br />
two areas. All organic R&D took place in<br />
Düsseldorf, while inorganic binder systems<br />
and coatings were developed in<br />
Hanover. In the future, we intend to significantly<br />
increase the proportion of inorganic<br />
products in our production. We<br />
also aim to further reduce the volume of<br />
organic content in our organic products<br />
thereby increasing the volume of inorganic<br />
content in return. Our aim is for<br />
our researchers in organic and inorganic<br />
chemistry to inspire each other.<br />
Can you give me an example?<br />
Years ago, we began to introduce more<br />
and more inorganic content into organic<br />
chemistry, for example with our<br />
Sipurid Cold Box systems. In the future,<br />
we intend to continue pursuing<br />
this approach. HA’s strategy is to promote<br />
the development of environmentally<br />
friendly organic binders and not<br />
to turn our back on organic products.<br />
What proportion of turnover is accounted<br />
for by inorganics?<br />
Currently, inorganics continue to represent<br />
about 8 % of total sales. Inorganics<br />
are still in their infancy. But this is<br />
the area that is growing fastest. Inorganics<br />
will continue to grow to well<br />
above 20 to 25% of our product portfolio<br />
over the next few years.<br />
When will inorganics for iron casting<br />
arrive?<br />
We are very close to a solution that we<br />
will present to the market. The first<br />
results for series production are very<br />
promising. We think that we will be<br />
ready to launch a product in 2<strong>01</strong>9.<br />
But you also sell organic binders with<br />
inorganic content?<br />
That’s right. We also integrate inorganic<br />
components into the organic molecular<br />
structure in order to improve environmental<br />
behaviour and gain other<br />
technical advantages.<br />
Do organic binders have a future or<br />
will they one day be substituted by<br />
inorganic products?<br />
Honestly, that is a difficult question to<br />
answer. In principle, organic binders<br />
have many advantages. The disadvantage<br />
lies in their environmental impact.<br />
That is why we are trying, both<br />
now and in the future, to make these<br />
products as environmentally compatible<br />
as possible. We know that we will<br />
never achieve zero emissions from organic<br />
binders, but we can significantly<br />
reduce them. If we manage to do<br />
this, organic binders will continue to<br />
have their place in the future. In addition,<br />
as things stand today, completely<br />
replacing organic materials with<br />
inorganic materials, not only in Germany,<br />
but globally, would be very difficult<br />
given the limited supply of raw<br />
materials alone. There are simply not<br />
enough readily available materials to<br />
completely convert to inorganics. We<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 7
INTERVIEW<br />
want to maintain the efficiency of the<br />
foundry industry, and need to keep<br />
costs within reasonable bounds. We<br />
can only do so by further developing<br />
organic binders to incorporate more<br />
inorganics.<br />
<br />
Gladly. It is well known that the inorganic<br />
binders used by core makers today<br />
require heated tools. This results in<br />
a negative energy balance when compared<br />
to organic Cold Box processes.<br />
If we succeed in making Cold Box systems<br />
more environmentally compatible,<br />
and it looks like we will, the Cold<br />
Box process will be used for many years<br />
to come. The Cold Box process definitely<br />
has its advantages, especially in<br />
the iron casting sector, and has become<br />
well established in the automotive industry.<br />
This is likely to remain the case<br />
in the long term, unless regulations are<br />
dramatically tightened.<br />
Which process represents the greatest<br />
threat to the Cold Box process?<br />
Certainly, inorganics are among the<br />
processes challenging Cold Box. When<br />
I look at our sales figures, inorganics<br />
have gained ground in the aluminium<br />
sector compared to Cold Box. In<br />
the iron sector, Cold Box dominates<br />
and is still growing very strongly – every<br />
year, purchase quantities have increased.<br />
The Cold Box process is even<br />
supplanting other organic core production<br />
processes. For example, Cold<br />
Box is increasingly replacing the shell<br />
molding process. The same applies to<br />
other processes: Even more voluminous<br />
cores are more frequently shot<br />
rather than pressed using the furan<br />
resin method. In this respect, we see a<br />
promising future for Cold Box.<br />
Is e-mobility a relevant topic for you?<br />
What impact will it have on you as a<br />
foundry supplier?<br />
When we talk about e-mobility, we are<br />
talking about purely electric vehicles<br />
and hybrid vehicles. Internal combustion<br />
engines will continue to be used,<br />
including in many Asian countries.<br />
We assume that car sales will continue<br />
to grow and that the share of internal<br />
combustion engines, including hybrid<br />
engines, will also increase until 2025.<br />
Combustion engines will also change<br />
in the future. The casting process is becoming<br />
much more complicated due<br />
to continuing efforts to reduce CO 2<br />
and other pollutants.<br />
An opportunity for casting?<br />
This is both a challenge for foundries<br />
and a great opportunity for the Cold<br />
Box process. In the future, more complex,<br />
filigree cores will be produced<br />
and combined into packages – one of<br />
the major strengths of the Cold Box<br />
process. The way in which certain castings<br />
are made will change and this will<br />
require special binders.<br />
So, Cold Box will remain an important<br />
process for hybrid drives and internal<br />
combustion engines ...<br />
Absolutely. This is because cast iron<br />
will always be an important part of<br />
engines – whether it’s a turbocharger,<br />
an engine block or a cylinder head.<br />
These are all parts that continue to<br />
be produced in sand casting. As the<br />
castings become more complex, they<br />
move from die casting to sand casting.<br />
We see a clear trend here. With higher<br />
complexity, castings are sometimes<br />
easier to produce using the Cold Box<br />
process. But Cold Box binders must fulfil<br />
certain requirements. Both technically<br />
and environmentally, the binders<br />
must achieve a significantly better result<br />
than today’s systems. We are currently<br />
working intensively on both<br />
challenges. In one to two years’ time,<br />
we will offer market solutions that can<br />
also meet these new conditions.<br />
Does e-mobility place special demands<br />
on foundry chemistry?<br />
No, for the production of castings, this<br />
depends solely on the processes used.<br />
But in addition to powertrains, which<br />
may become smaller because of e-mobility,<br />
there are more and more die-cast<br />
parts in car bodies and chassis. HA has<br />
been serving these areas for some years<br />
now, and here, too, we see opportunities<br />
for high-performance, i.e. productivity-enhancing<br />
and environmentally<br />
friendly products.<br />
How is the coating sector developing?<br />
When will we see coating-free<br />
castings?<br />
In iron casting, efforts have been made<br />
for years to eliminate the need for coatings.<br />
In some cases, it is already possible<br />
– depending on the metallurgy and<br />
the geometry of the casting – but in<br />
many cases casting is impossible without<br />
coatings. In fact, the field of coating<br />
is actually set to grow over the next<br />
few years.<br />
What are the drivers?<br />
Just take new technologies like 3-D<br />
printing for core production. 3-D<br />
printing allows an enormous freedom<br />
of geometry, but has the disadvantage<br />
8 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
that compression is not of the same<br />
standard as with a shot core. In order<br />
to achieve the required surface quality,<br />
a coating material is needed to smooth<br />
out the unevenness that occurs during<br />
printing. We are in the process of developing<br />
coatings specifically designed<br />
for 3-D printing, because not every<br />
coating is suitable for this process. This<br />
is a market with a future.<br />
And in iron casting?<br />
Coatings are still necessary in iron and<br />
steel casting, even if inorganic material<br />
is introduced. We have also succeeded<br />
in modifying inorganic systems, which<br />
are generally highly sensitive to water,<br />
and coatings in such a way that they<br />
can be applied without causing damage.<br />
We are continuously working to<br />
ensure that the binder systems and<br />
matching coating materials harmonize<br />
in order to prevent certain casting defects<br />
in the iron and steel casting sector.<br />
So, coatings are an important R&D<br />
topic?<br />
Yes, in fact we have expanded our resources<br />
and increased the number of<br />
researchers working on coatings. These<br />
are scientists who focus exclusively on<br />
developing coatings for the fields of inorganic<br />
and 3-D printing. We are convinced<br />
that coatings will continue to<br />
represent a growing market in the future.<br />
You have touched on additive production.<br />
An engine plant that casts<br />
more than one million engines a year<br />
needs to produce cores economically.<br />
Will 3-D printing ever be able to replace<br />
core shooters?<br />
Certainly not in the short or medium<br />
term. Printing still takes far too long,<br />
although the technology is advancing<br />
in leaps and bounds. Over the last 5<br />
years, speeds have increased fourfold.<br />
And 3-D printing is getting faster all<br />
the time. We already know that 3-D<br />
printing allows maximum geometrical<br />
freedom. In future, cores that cannot<br />
be shot due to their geometry will<br />
be produced using additive manufacturing<br />
technologies, whereas simpler<br />
cores will still be shot at low cost. We<br />
fully expect both methods to be used<br />
in combination. Core-making shops<br />
will not only have 3-D printers or core<br />
shooters – they will use both.<br />
Are these developments being driven<br />
by industry-led demands?<br />
Certainly. In terms of 3-D printing, we<br />
have also built up resources for the development<br />
of new core printing additives.<br />
After all, new processes require<br />
new products. We also recognize the<br />
pressure to innovate from the customer<br />
side. Even today, it is possible<br />
to print complete core packages with<br />
20 cores, whereby it’s not always possible<br />
to clearly distinguish between cores<br />
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Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 9<br />
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INTERVIEW<br />
and molds. Our customers are already<br />
asking us how to advance this new<br />
technology. Industry wants to use the<br />
technology, but still sees certain limitations.<br />
And what exactly is HA’s role in all<br />
of this?<br />
In our view, our task is to develop the<br />
right products for the whole range of<br />
metals in order to improve the field of<br />
core printing. It is not only the printing,<br />
it is also about the thermal stability<br />
of printed cores during the complete<br />
casting process, all the way through<br />
to de-coring. It doesn’t help if I have<br />
a beautifully printed core, but I can’t<br />
get it out of the casting. After pouring<br />
even the most delicate component, the<br />
sand has to be removed from the tightest<br />
corner. And this is one of the challenges<br />
we are trying to solve.<br />
Do you work closely with machine<br />
manufacturers and foundries in additive<br />
manufacturing?<br />
We collaborate with universities and<br />
other institutes, as well as with foundries<br />
and machine manufacturers. Producers<br />
of 3-D printers, such as Voxeljet<br />
and ExOne, are among our customers.<br />
We supply them with the appropriate<br />
products and we also work together on<br />
developing solutions for the foundry<br />
industry.<br />
Hüttenes-Albertus is a global company.<br />
Where is the greatest demand?<br />
HA has a very strong position in Europe<br />
and is also very well established<br />
in the United States. We certainly see<br />
great potential for growth in Asia. China<br />
is our fastest growing market, delivering<br />
double-digit growth rates every<br />
year. We also have a good footprint in<br />
India, Turkey and Russia.<br />
What is driving demand in China?<br />
The automotive industry, together<br />
with mechanical engineering, are<br />
the key drivers of growth in the Chinese<br />
foundry industry. When we talk<br />
about hydraulic casting, we have 5 to<br />
10 new customers in China every year.<br />
Hydraulic casting is generally in steady<br />
decline in Europe, except in certain,<br />
special cases. The business of simple<br />
castings has all moved to China, and<br />
we are seeing more and more foundries<br />
built there to satisfy this demand.<br />
Do inorganic processes play a role in<br />
China?<br />
Inorganic processes play an increasingly<br />
important role in China. Next year,<br />
we will sell more inorganic products in<br />
China than in Europe. China is experiencing<br />
an enormous rate of growth.<br />
It doesn’t take years and years to introduce<br />
new regulations in China – they<br />
are implemented quickly, within one<br />
year. Some of our customers have already<br />
been forced to switch to inorganic<br />
processes to comply with new<br />
environmental standards. In the field<br />
of aluminium casting for the automotive<br />
industry, for instance, more and<br />
more new production lines are being<br />
built – and they are all geared towards<br />
inorganic processes in order to satisfy<br />
more stringent environmental requirements.<br />
However, the Cold Box process<br />
is also gaining ground in China and is<br />
increasingly replacing the shell molding<br />
process that has so far dominated<br />
there.<br />
Do you also manufacture foundry<br />
chemical products for local markets?<br />
Like particularly high-quality offers designed<br />
for the German market or the<br />
automotive industry, and then simpler<br />
products for the Asian market?<br />
In the past, western European foundries<br />
did require higher performance products<br />
than Asian foundries. And I deliberately<br />
say “performance” rather than<br />
“quality”, because the quality of all our<br />
products has to be just right. Nowadays,<br />
we have customers in China who<br />
have higher requirements and demand<br />
even higher performing products than<br />
our European customers, although<br />
there are still customers who only require<br />
lower performance products. Our<br />
strategy is to always offer our customers<br />
exactly the solution that meets their<br />
needs and gives them added value, for<br />
example in terms of increased efficiency.<br />
For that reason, we do not manufacture<br />
the same products everywhere. We<br />
have market-specific products that we<br />
only manufacture in China, for example,<br />
for our customers there.<br />
How will you generate growth in the<br />
future? Organically, or via strategic<br />
acquisitions?<br />
HA’s growth over the last few years<br />
has been achieved not only organically,<br />
but also inorganically, via strategic<br />
mergers and acquisitions. HA,<br />
as a family-owned company, has had<br />
a large number of joint ventures with<br />
other family-owned companies worldwide.<br />
Our philosophy has always been<br />
to ultimately secure majority ownership<br />
of these international joint ventures.<br />
And we have succeeded in doing<br />
so. In the last decade, for example,<br />
we have achieved majority ownership<br />
10 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
of joint ventures in Turkey, Spain, Korea<br />
and Italy. The biggest challenge,<br />
however, was to take control of the remaining<br />
50 % of our joint venture in<br />
the United States, which we managed<br />
to do in May 2<strong>01</strong>6. There will certainly<br />
be more M&A projects in the future.<br />
But a major part of our growth will also<br />
be achieved organically.<br />
With new products?<br />
Through the introduction of new processes<br />
and new high-performance<br />
products for specific markets. As I mentioned<br />
previously, we always focus on<br />
the needs of our customers and develop<br />
solutions to help them improve<br />
processes and increase productivity.<br />
We expect significant growth, particularly<br />
in the Chinese market, but also<br />
in the southeast Asian region, which<br />
is also a region with a promising future<br />
for us.<br />
Next year is a GIFA year. Can we expect<br />
anything new from HA at GIFA<br />
2<strong>01</strong>9?<br />
Nothing revolutionary, but an evolution<br />
with promising and innovative<br />
solutions. We want to offer not only<br />
individual products, but above all fully<br />
integrated solutions for the foundry<br />
industry. We will present at least two<br />
new solutions that will have a positive<br />
and lasting impact on the foundry industry.<br />
Last question: Where is HA today, and<br />
where will the company be 10 years<br />
from now?<br />
HA is already one of the leading foundry<br />
chemical companies in the European<br />
market. We also have a very strong<br />
market position in North America. In<br />
Asia, we still see enormous growth potential<br />
in a number of foundry markets.<br />
In some markets, the two letters<br />
“HA” are not always as well-known<br />
as we would like them to be. This will<br />
certainly have changed 10 years from<br />
now.<br />
But one thing is certain: We are and<br />
will remain a family-owned company.<br />
Our owners will always stand firmly<br />
behind the business. Our credo – HA<br />
family – is far more than just a slogan.<br />
Our employees and partners in the<br />
global HA world live and experience<br />
this every day. It is the foundation of<br />
their motivation, and they work passionately<br />
every day to help shape the<br />
future and growth of our company.<br />
The interview with Amine Serghini<br />
was conducted by Gerd Krause,<br />
Dusseldorf<br />
www.huettenes-albertus.com/en<br />
Pneumatic conveying<br />
technology<br />
For dry, free-flowing,<br />
abrasive and abrasion<br />
-sensitive material<br />
Core sand preparation<br />
technology<br />
For organic and inorganic<br />
processes, turn-key systems<br />
including sand, binder<br />
and additive dosing<br />
and core sand distribution<br />
Reclamation<br />
technology<br />
Reclamation systems for<br />
no-bake sand and core sand,<br />
CLUSTREG® for inorganically<br />
bonded core sands<br />
KLEIN Anlagenbau AG<br />
Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 200 · 57572 Niederfischbach<br />
Fon +49 2734 5<strong>01</strong> 3<strong>01</strong> · Fax +49 2734 5<strong>01</strong> 327<br />
info@klein-ag.de · www.klein-ag.de<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 11
COREMAKING<br />
Christian Appelt, ASK-Chemicals GmbH, Hilden<br />
Material properties and process<br />
requirements for inorganic core<br />
production<br />
The inorganic binder technology Inotec from ASK Chemicals has established itself over the past<br />
10 years as a productive and alternative core manufacturing procedure in serial casting production<br />
processes, especially in the segments of aluminium cylinder heads, crankcases and suspension<br />
parts by low pressure die casting and gravity casting applications<br />
This odourless and emission-free core<br />
production is also characterized by<br />
very low cleaning and maintenance efforts<br />
for machines and tools. These ecological<br />
advantages are strongly linked<br />
to economic and technological benefits<br />
as an increased permanent mold<br />
availability leads to a general increase<br />
in productivity and increased mechanical<br />
component strength as permanent<br />
mold temperatures are reduced. In order<br />
to profitably deploy this technology<br />
and its ecological, economic and<br />
technological advantages, expertise<br />
and specialized knowledge of materials<br />
and processes are required.<br />
“Inotec technology has established<br />
itself as a productive core manufacturing<br />
procedure for the serial production<br />
of lightmetal castings by low-pressure<br />
die casting and gravity casting applications”,<br />
explains Dr. Christian Appelt,<br />
Global Incubator Business Manager<br />
Inorganics at ASK Chemicals, Hilden,<br />
Germany.<br />
The initial motivation for the introduction<br />
of inorganic binder systems<br />
into the foundry industry was themed<br />
by “emission-free casting processes”<br />
and is based on the absence of harmful<br />
volatile compounds and emissions<br />
during the core production, core storage<br />
and casting processes, which ultimately<br />
results in the elimination<br />
of air treatment systems. The drastically<br />
reduced cleaning and maintenance<br />
effort for the permanent molds<br />
is based on the inorganic nature of<br />
Production of inorganic cores using Inotec technology at ASK Chemicals<br />
the Inotec technology, since the formation<br />
of condensates and pyrolysis<br />
products during the casting processes<br />
is not observed. The absence of these<br />
condensates also allows a faster casting<br />
solidification due to reduced permanent<br />
mold temperatures, which in<br />
turn contributes to the mechanical<br />
strength of the metallurgical structures.<br />
Thus, the ecological advantages<br />
of this technology are in line with<br />
economic and technological factors.<br />
The Inotec technology is described<br />
as a two-component binder system:<br />
Component 1 forms the liquid Inotec<br />
binder, which can be described as<br />
a modified alkali silicate solution and<br />
influences specific sand core properties<br />
during the production (final<br />
strength, flowability); Component<br />
2 is the powdered Inotec promoter,<br />
which is a mixture of synthetic and<br />
natural raw materials based on a completely<br />
inorganic product composition<br />
( Figure 1).<br />
Through the use of the Inotec promoter,<br />
primarily mechanical and thermophysical<br />
parameters of the sand<br />
core are influenced during the production<br />
process (immediate strength,<br />
flowability), but in particular during<br />
the casting processes, resulting in castings<br />
of high dimensional accuracy and<br />
best surface quality.<br />
12 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
BEYOND TOMORROW<br />
Are you<br />
READY<br />
to leave your<br />
competitors behind?<br />
Champion world-class tailor-made solutions ASK Chemicals<br />
If you want to be on the podium in the future, you need to beat the competition. A reliable and strong partner will<br />
help you in achieving this goal. We are always there for you, offering a comprehensive technical service that looks at<br />
your entire production process. This opens up a whole world of new possibilities – from cost savings to increased<br />
productivity.<br />
ASK Chemicals experts look forward to hearing from you:<br />
Phone: +49 211 71103-0<br />
E-mail: info@ask-chemicals.com<br />
www.ask-chemicals.com/beyondtomorrow
COREMAKING<br />
Inotec binder system<br />
with balanced viscosity<br />
and particulate structure<br />
of the promoter<br />
The Inotec binder contains an active<br />
solids content between 35 and 55 %<br />
on the basis of an aqueous solution.<br />
The macroscopic parameter “viscosity”<br />
is thereby influenced by this active<br />
solid content as well as by its adjusted<br />
reactivity, whereby the viscosity<br />
meets all requirements during the<br />
mixing and core production processes,<br />
e.g. wetting behaviour/coating of<br />
the sand grain surface and flowability<br />
at productive cycle times. The Inotec<br />
promoter contains over 99.8 % solids.<br />
The particulate, i.e. powdery, structure<br />
of the promoter is essential to enable<br />
the incorporation of network-forming<br />
constituents and to act as filler for increasing<br />
the flowability of the molding<br />
mixture and increasing the sand core<br />
packing density.<br />
The core production is characterized<br />
by a physical-chemical curing mechanism.<br />
The introduction and supply<br />
of thermal energy from heated steel<br />
tools and dehumidified, heated compressed<br />
air leads to the evaporation<br />
of the free solvent water and simultaneously<br />
initiates a chemical polycondensation<br />
reaction with the formation<br />
of a three-dimensional silicate<br />
network which characterizes the actual<br />
strength composite in the sand core<br />
(Figure 2). Simultaneously, specific raw<br />
materials of the Inotec promoter are<br />
linked to the free, non-condensed, OH<br />
Figure 1: Typical composition of an Inotec binder system<br />
groups of the three-dimensional silicate<br />
structure via a surface reaction and<br />
can thus specifically influence the mechanical<br />
and thermal properties of the<br />
sand core. The binder bridge formed<br />
after core production has a gel structure<br />
and, depending on the cross-section<br />
and volume of the sand core and<br />
energy input during core manufacture,<br />
contains a defined amount of residual<br />
water. If this residual water is expelled<br />
by further introducing thermal energy,<br />
the binder bridge loses its binding gel<br />
structure and embrittles, resulting in<br />
sandy core surfaces and core fracture.<br />
The material properties of the Inotec<br />
technology thus define the process<br />
windows and the technical prerequisites<br />
for production: robust and<br />
productive process flows can be effectively<br />
ensured by suitable control and<br />
quality assurance measures (Figure 3).<br />
Process requirements: from<br />
the incoming goods to the<br />
deployment of the inorganically-bonded<br />
sand cores in<br />
the casting process<br />
In addition to casting surface roughness<br />
requirements, the silica sand<br />
qualities commonly used for inorganic<br />
core production have to fulfil specific<br />
chemical and physical properties<br />
(Table 1): a high chemical purity of<br />
> 99 % SiO 2<br />
ensures a high binder compatibility,<br />
whereby impurities such as<br />
clay or lime lead to reduced strength<br />
properties of the sand cores; the particle<br />
size and the fine-grain fraction<br />
significantly alter the gas permeability<br />
of the sand cores, so that cycle time<br />
extensions or productivity losses occur<br />
with fine silica sand qualities and<br />
voluminous core geometries. Above<br />
all, acidic silica sands with a pH value<br />
Figure 2: Polycondensation reaction, schematic description of the sol-gel process and incorporation of network-forming components<br />
of the Inotec promoter<br />
14 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Giesserei-Verlag Wörterbuch<br />
Deutsch – Englisch / Englisch – Deutsch<br />
1. Auflage · 1st Edition<br />
ISBN 978-3-87260-186-5<br />
39,00 €<br />
PLASMA<br />
METALL SCHMELZE<br />
KÜHLER<br />
DIN<br />
RECOVERY<br />
FORMANLAGE<br />
GLÄTTEN<br />
PIPE<br />
CORE<br />
MOULD<br />
GUßEISEN<br />
QUALITÄT<br />
SUPPLY<br />
FEUERFEST<br />
ORE<br />
PATTERN<br />
KOKILLE<br />
INDUSTRY ENERGY RECYCLING<br />
WÄRME<br />
TEMPERATURE<br />
GUßBLOCK<br />
OXIDANT<br />
FOUNDRY KERNHERSTELLUNG<br />
KERNEISEN<br />
ZIRCON<br />
WELDING<br />
FERTIGUNG<br />
Gießen | Casting<br />
FOREHEARTH<br />
Herausgeber:<br />
Verein Deutscher Gießereifachleute e. V. (VDG)<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8 · 616 Seiten · 10,5 x 14,8 cm<br />
Giesserei-Verlag<br />
Wörterbuch · Dictionary<br />
Deutsch – Englisch<br />
Englisch – Deutsch<br />
German – English<br />
English – German<br />
Das Giesserei-Verlag Wörterbuch ist die umfassend überarbeitete und aktualisierte Fassung<br />
des seit der 1. Auflage 1971 im In- und Ausland bewährten und geschätzten “Giesserei-Wörterbuch“.<br />
Erfasst ist der Fachwortschatz der gesamten Gießereitechnik in Wissenschaft und Praxis von Formstoffen,<br />
Form- und Kernherstellung über Schmelzen und Gießen (einschließlich der Druckgießtechnik)<br />
bis zu Rohgussnachbearbeitung, Qualitätssicherung und Gussverwendung.<br />
Das Wörterbuch umfasst je Sprache rund 18.000 Eintragungen.<br />
Giesserei-Verlag GmbH<br />
Sohnstraße 65 · 40237 Düsseldorf · Tel.: +49 211 6707- 527 · Fax: +49 211 6707- 582<br />
E-Mail: gabriele.wald@stahleisen.de · www.giesserei.eu
COREMAKING<br />
Figure 3: a) Homogeneous distribution of the Inotec binder system in the molding mixture; b) binder bridge with gel structure;<br />
c) destroyed binder bridge through dehydration and embrittlement<br />
Figure 4: Temperature and moisture content curves of Inotec-bonded sand cores at low<br />
humidity<br />
Base mold material: Silica sand (96 – 97 % of the sand core)<br />
Chemical Purity<br />
<br />
content (
a cross-section and volume-dependent<br />
strength development and volume-dependent<br />
cycle times.<br />
The storage stability of inorganic-bonded<br />
sand cores is limited due to<br />
the reversibility of the binder bridge formation<br />
in the case of high temperatures<br />
and high absolute humidity, so that<br />
usually climate-controlled core storage<br />
facilities are deployed. The equilibrium<br />
between the temperature and humidity<br />
(moisture content) of the sand core<br />
and the ambient air is the driving force<br />
of the moisture absorption (Figures 4<br />
and 5). Here too, the selection of specific<br />
Inotec binder systems can ensure sufficient<br />
and stable storage stability even<br />
at high absolutely humidity.<br />
The filling of the liquid aluminium<br />
melt during the casting process produces<br />
a thermal energy input and causes an<br />
equilibrium shift in the inorganic-bonded<br />
sand core with the release of free residual<br />
solvent water and chemically<br />
bound water of the free Si-OH groups<br />
of the 3-D silicate network. Therefore,<br />
Figure 5: Temperature and moisture content curves of Inotec-bonded sand cores at<br />
high humidity<br />
the gas permeability of the sand cores<br />
and the geometry and position of the<br />
sand core in the permanent mold and<br />
the orientation of the core prints ensure<br />
a successful core gas venting.<br />
Finally, the breadth of the process<br />
window of inorganic core production<br />
has been significantly reduced compared<br />
to organic core production processes.<br />
Suitable technical measures,<br />
taking into account the Inotec material<br />
properties, and specific control and<br />
quality measures can accompany and<br />
ensure stable and productive processes<br />
of inorganic core production.<br />
www.ask-chemicals.com<br />
Competence in<br />
Shot Blast Technology<br />
We offer a complete service in surface preparation technology,<br />
not just as machine designers and manufacturers.<br />
Our emphasis is on providing reliable service on:<br />
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• Inspection and process advice<br />
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AGTOS<br />
Gesellschaft für technische Oberflächensysteme mbH<br />
Gutenbergstraße 14 · D-48282 Emsdetten<br />
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www.agtos.com<br />
151-11/13-4c-GB<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 17
MELTING SHOP<br />
Tobias Möldner, Munich<br />
Burner air preheating by means<br />
<br />
reduces gas consumption<br />
<br />
<br />
This furnace is the electrical version - without heat exchanger. For cost reasons,<br />
however, the variant with heat exchanger is recommended (Photos: ZPF GmbH).<br />
In 2<strong>01</strong>6, the prototype of an optimized<br />
aluminum smelting system was realized<br />
as cooperative project between the<br />
industrial and business communities,<br />
funded by the German Federal Ministry<br />
of Economics and Technology (BMWi).<br />
The EDUSAL II project makes it possible<br />
to determine the energy-saving potential<br />
of the smelting process while at<br />
the same time minimizing the resulting<br />
smelting loss. In order to further reduce<br />
the consumption values of such<br />
a system and thus to increase both energy<br />
efficiency and resource conservation,<br />
the smelting furnace manufacturer,<br />
ZPF GmbH, Siegelsbach, Germany,<br />
has now extended its concept with additional<br />
components: By incorporating<br />
a so-called burner air preheating,<br />
in which the warm exhaust gas volume<br />
flow is passed through a pipe system to a<br />
heat exchanger, the system operator has<br />
more room for maneuver – with lower<br />
pollutant emissions and lower gas consumption.<br />
This new system can – with<br />
appropriate adjustments – be used as a<br />
retrofit kit for existing ZPF melting systems.<br />
EDUSAL means energy efficiency<br />
enhancement and melting process optimization<br />
through the sensory detection<br />
of melting material and melting range<br />
of aluminum smelting furnaces.<br />
“In last year’s project, numerous sustainable<br />
improvements, that have optimized<br />
the previous furnace system, were<br />
achieved” says Sven-Olaf Sauke, head of<br />
R & D at ZPF. “The main focus was on the<br />
further development of the measurement<br />
technology to a sensory detection of the<br />
melting shaft, which means that in laboratory<br />
operation both the position of the<br />
residual material on the smelting link and<br />
its quantity can be precisely determined.<br />
In addition, a special evaluation algorithm<br />
has been developed that has improved<br />
the process to the point that an<br />
increase in smelting efficiency of up to<br />
15 % can be achieved.”<br />
Another focus of the EDUSAL II system<br />
was the testing of burner air preheating.<br />
The idea of integrating a burner<br />
air preheating, which efficiently uses<br />
the heat flow of the system, has been<br />
around for a long time. However, since<br />
solutions with partly utopian characteristics<br />
and promises are offered on the<br />
market, an electrical preheating was initially<br />
installed. This allows a very precise<br />
energy and thus also profitability<br />
balance of the measure. The characteristic<br />
values obtained were used to design<br />
a burner air preheating from the<br />
exhaust gas stream of the smelting system.<br />
“With this version, the already<br />
18 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
heated exhaust gas flow is directed to a<br />
heat exchanger via a suitable pipe system”,<br />
continues Sauke.<br />
<br />
<br />
The primary air side (hot gas side),<br />
which is prefixed to the heat exchanger,<br />
requires additional components: for<br />
example, a control unit that directs the<br />
exhaust gas flow to the heat exchanger<br />
according to the requirement, and additional<br />
measuring points that ensure<br />
safe process management. In the event<br />
of failure of the heat exchanger or any<br />
of the components, the control unit<br />
must direct the exhaust flow through a<br />
bypass function, past the heat exchanger,<br />
directly into the secondary system to<br />
protect the heat exchanger and its components.<br />
In the heat exchanger, the energy<br />
is released to the secondary air side<br />
(burner air) – the cooled exhaust gas is<br />
discharged in the other system either<br />
directly into the atmosphere or for preheating<br />
the melting material in a corresponding<br />
chamber.<br />
The burner air fan conveys cold<br />
burner air from the environment into<br />
the heat exchanger, which is heated<br />
there in the ZPF smelting systems<br />
to about 200 °C. The pipe system after<br />
the heat exchanger is insulated and<br />
equipped with appropriate butterfly<br />
valves, measuring instruments and displays.<br />
An air collector installed directly<br />
after the heat exchanger helps distribute<br />
the heated medium evenly across<br />
the piping to the entire burner system.<br />
Thus, the flame temperature increases<br />
significantly, resulting in a higher energy<br />
input and lower gas consumption.<br />
“In this way, not only are operating<br />
and energy costs reduced, it also<br />
allows for a careful handling of the<br />
valuable resource of gas,” says Sauke.<br />
“The efficiency of the entire system is<br />
increased, and the pollutant emissions<br />
are reduced.” This heat exchanger variant<br />
is suitable for all ZPF gas-fired aluminum<br />
smelting and heating furnaces,<br />
which have a connected load of more<br />
than 300 kW and a high smelting ratio<br />
over the entire operating time of the<br />
furnace. However, the specified limit<br />
temperatures for the refractory lining<br />
of the kilns must be strictly adhered to.<br />
In burner air preheating by means of a heat exchanger, the warm exhaust gas volume<br />
<br />
gas consumption<br />
“Burner air preheating not only saves on<br />
operating and energy costs, it also makes<br />
it possible to use the valuable resource of<br />
<br />
system will be increased, and pollutant<br />
emissions will decrease,” explains Sven-<br />
Olaf Sauke, head of R & D at ZPF<br />
Burner air preheating by<br />
means of heat exchanger as<br />
ing<br />
systems<br />
The extension of the energy-efficient<br />
burner air preheating with an integrated<br />
heat exchanger can also be carried out<br />
with an existing smelting system, but requires<br />
some changes, according to Sauke:<br />
“When upgrading existing ZPF systems,<br />
in addition to the heat exchanger, a hot<br />
gas withdrawal point, suitable piping<br />
and temperature-resistant control and<br />
butterfly valves must be integrated. The<br />
adjustments with regard to the control<br />
as well as the user interface must also be<br />
observed. “All electrically operated components,<br />
for example the control valves<br />
and the measuring technology, are integrated<br />
in the control and in the control<br />
cabinet in order to simplify the operation<br />
of the system.<br />
All modifications and retrofits of<br />
the system are done by ZPF directly<br />
at the customer’s premises - before<br />
this, a comprehensive inventory, consultative<br />
discussions and an in-depth<br />
conception will take place. In closing,<br />
Sauke explains: “The need for pipes,<br />
routes and insulation material must<br />
be calculated on a project-specific basis.<br />
The advantage of the developed<br />
system lies in the fact that all components<br />
are installed directly at the plant<br />
and thus no further space requirement<br />
arises in the smelting system. “In addition,<br />
ZPF is working intensively on further<br />
measures to improve the efficiency<br />
of the aluminum smelting systems.<br />
www.zpf-gmbh.de<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 19
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
<br />
(Photos and graphics: Foseco)<br />
Brian Dickinson, Tony Midea, Andy Adams, Foseco Metallurgical, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
The analysis uses industry standard filter<br />
print designs as the baseline for the fluid<br />
flow comparisons, and compares these<br />
results to filter print designs that have<br />
been altered for yield improvement. Industry<br />
standard filter prints are defined<br />
as those designed during the initial filter<br />
development for iron castings. Some<br />
of the key requirements for optimal results<br />
were identified during the development,<br />
incl. the following [1-4],[6-11].<br />
» Maximize exposure of the filter inlet<br />
face to ensure maximum total flow<br />
» Maximize (four sided) support to ensure<br />
that the inertial forces on the filter<br />
from the iron flow do not surpass<br />
the strength of the filter<br />
» Minimize the possibility of iron<br />
passing around (not through) the<br />
filter by designing the support ledge<br />
on the filter print outlet to match filter<br />
tolerance dimensions<br />
» Minimize turbulence by designing<br />
the filter print volumes such that<br />
the flow smoothly transitions from<br />
inlet to outlet<br />
These combined characteristics were<br />
used to define the basis for standard filter<br />
print design. Over the past 30 years,<br />
these designs have been continually tested<br />
and have slightly evolved through applications<br />
and foundry evaluations. The<br />
first simulations conducted in this study<br />
were used to evaluate these standard designs.<br />
Yield improvement is a high priority<br />
for all foundries, and gating systems<br />
are analyzed as carefully as all other<br />
aspects of the casting process to reduce<br />
weight. Alterations are sometimes<br />
made to standard filter prints to reduce<br />
weight without careful analysis of the<br />
effect on the fluid flow properties on<br />
the gating system.<br />
20 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Changes that adversely affect molten<br />
metal fluid flow can result in increased<br />
turbulence, non-uniform flow<br />
and a reduction in filtration efficiency.<br />
Several of these situations were also<br />
evaluated in this study.<br />
The results of this work include several<br />
ideas on how to design filter prints<br />
and runner systems that are applicable<br />
to all iron filtration devices in the best<br />
way.<br />
<br />
Standard 75 mm x 75 mm x 22 mm<br />
(2.95 x 2.95 x 0.866 inch) thick square<br />
horizontal and vertical filter prints<br />
were chosen as the baseline to begin<br />
the analysis. Several modifications<br />
were made to both types of filter prints<br />
to evaluate the effect of these design<br />
modifications on fluid dynamics.<br />
All fluid flow analyses were conducted<br />
using MAGMA 5 (Version 5.3.0.4)<br />
with Solver 5. The mesh size for all simulations<br />
was approximately 10 million<br />
elements (700,000 metal cells). The<br />
metal dataset represents ASTM A536-84<br />
(80-55-06/GGG-60) grade ductile iron<br />
poured at 1,400 °C (2,552 °F) into a sand<br />
mold. The plate casting is approximately<br />
305 x 610 x 76 mm (12 x 24 x 3 in) in<br />
dimension and approximately 100 kg<br />
(220 lb) in weight. Total pour weight<br />
was approximately 110 kg (242 lb).<br />
The filter was represented using<br />
standard 10 ppi, foam filtration pressure<br />
drop data for a 22 mm (0.866 in)<br />
thick SEDEX filter [5]. In all cases, the<br />
program was run using the “Automatic<br />
Filling Control” feature. Specifically,<br />
the program was forced to maintain<br />
a pouring cup metal height of<br />
70 % for all the simulations, thus ensuring<br />
identical pouring conditions for<br />
all versions simulated. Fill time was approximately<br />
24 s for all configurations,<br />
representing a flow rate of approximately<br />
4.5 kg/s (10 lb/s).<br />
The gating designs evaluated in this<br />
report are representative of those in<br />
use on industry standard, high pressure,<br />
green sand, automated molding<br />
equipment.<br />
Standard Vertical Filter Print<br />
Standard Horizontal Filter Print<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 21
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
The choke area was calculated using<br />
Equation 1.<br />
The top of the sprue was calculated<br />
using Equation 2.<br />
The sprue was tapered at a three-degree<br />
angle to allow for mold stripping.<br />
The runner system follows a ratio of<br />
Sprue:Runner:Ingate of 1.0:1.1:1.2.<br />
The baseline vertical filter print configuration<br />
is shown in .<br />
The baseline horizontal filter print<br />
configuration is shown in .<br />
All simulations were conducted on a<br />
Dell Precision 7810 Tower workstation<br />
utilizing 8 cores. CPU time for each<br />
simulation was approximately 10 h.<br />
<br />
Velocity at 10 % Filled<br />
<br />
All fluid flow results shown are analytical<br />
and based on the Navier-Stokes<br />
flow equations. Flow predictions from<br />
this first principal fluid dynamic approach<br />
have been validated for several<br />
decades in many industries and applications,<br />
including molten metal applications.<br />
The expectation is that the<br />
comparative results shown should be<br />
very meaningful and accurate. However,<br />
foundry trials will be conducted<br />
in future work to further validate the<br />
conclusions presented in this paper.<br />
<br />
The flow characteristics for a standard<br />
vertical filter print are shown in .<br />
The colors represent flow velocities. At<br />
10 % filled, the flow is in a steady state<br />
in and around the filter print. The color<br />
scale goes from light blue (low velocity,<br />
near 0.2 m/s (0.66 ft/s) to white (higher<br />
velocity, near 2.0 m/s (6.6 ft/s). Flow<br />
through the filter is approximately 0.3-<br />
0.4 m/s (1-1.3 ft/s), and the flow before<br />
the filter is laminar, and covers the entire<br />
filter. Flow after the filter is uniform<br />
and stable.<br />
A cross section through the middle<br />
of the filter print at this same time step<br />
<br />
shows the fluid velocity and flow vectors<br />
().<br />
This image clearly shows the uniform<br />
flow, and the utilization of the<br />
entire filter face for both flow control<br />
and filtration. This can be considered<br />
a well-designed filter print and gating<br />
system, and will serve as a baseline for<br />
the vertical filter print section of this<br />
study. In application, extreme changes<br />
have sometimes been made to standard<br />
filter prints to save weight, increase<br />
yield and/or fit within pattern<br />
plate restrictions. shows one<br />
actual example.<br />
While this design results in a 35 %<br />
weight reduction to the filter print design<br />
(0.9 kgs, 2 lbs), the flow characteristics<br />
in the filter print and gating system<br />
are adversely affected.<br />
22 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
shows the flow characteristics at<br />
the centerline of the filter print and ga t-<br />
ing system at 6.5 % filled. (Note: The results<br />
for all designs are compared to the<br />
standard filter print design results. The<br />
standard results are shown as the bottom<br />
image in the comparative figures for the<br />
vertical filter print examples.)<br />
Because of the sharp angles of the<br />
modified filter print inlet, the flow accelerates<br />
into the center of the filter inlet<br />
face, and begins to move through<br />
the filter before completely filling up<br />
the filter print inlet area. The flow<br />
characteristics for the standard filter<br />
print design show a more evenly distributed<br />
flow pattern within the filter<br />
print inlet and at the filter inlet face.<br />
The high filter inlet face velocities of<br />
the reduced filter print inlet area design<br />
results in some very high filter exit<br />
face velocities, as shown in .<br />
Ideally, the filter should reduce flow<br />
energy and turbulence by acting as a<br />
flow discontinuity. However, this effect<br />
is mitigated if only a small area of the<br />
filter is being utilized. This is shown<br />
clearly in Fig. 7, with the reduced area<br />
filter print showing flow exiting the<br />
filter at high velocity, while the standard<br />
design shows the entire filter<br />
filled with metal at very low velocity,<br />
and minimal metal flow exiting the filter<br />
itself at this time step.<br />
In , this continues to be the<br />
case even at steady state flow. Even at<br />
steady state, the reduced area filter print<br />
design is not allowing the entire filter<br />
print inlet area to be used, and instead<br />
is pushing the metal through the center<br />
of the filter. This results in non-uniform<br />
flow behind the filter, and the potential<br />
for turbulence. Contrast this with<br />
the uniform flow profile shown for the<br />
standard filter print design, particularly<br />
at the filter outlet face, the filter print<br />
outlet and downstream in the runner.<br />
Also, due to the steep angle of the<br />
filter print outlet, the flow is launched<br />
upward, thus adversely influencing the<br />
stability of the flow downstream. This<br />
can be seen more clearly in .<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 23
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Fig. 9 shows a top view of a cross section<br />
taken near the bottom of the runner<br />
bar, just after the filter print. For<br />
the reduced area filter print design,<br />
note that the flow at both sides of the<br />
runner bar are moving very slowly, and<br />
most importantly, in the opposite direction<br />
of the intended flow.<br />
The upward thrust of the metal flow<br />
due to the steep angle has created a<br />
large, adverse eddy current driving the<br />
flow slowly backwards. This situation<br />
24 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
exists for the bottom third of this runner<br />
bar. The standard filter print design<br />
shows an area of slow flow near the bottom<br />
of the runner on one side, but the<br />
primary flow characteristics are much<br />
more uniform in velocity and direction.<br />
shows a side view of the<br />
runner bar at the same time step, and<br />
shows a clear difference between the<br />
two designs, with the standard filter<br />
print providing more uniform, controlled<br />
metal flow to the casting. Reducing<br />
the area of the filter print in this<br />
fashion to slightly increase yield (0.9 kg,<br />
2 lbs saved) has significant adverse effects<br />
on the flow characteristics in the<br />
filter print inlet, the filter inlet face, the<br />
filter outlet face, the filter print outlet,<br />
and in the downstream runner bar. This<br />
type of alteration is not recommended<br />
for best practice filter print design.<br />
shows a configuration<br />
with the area of the filter print outlet<br />
modified to match the standard print<br />
shown in Fig. 1, but the reduced filter<br />
print inlet area is unchanged.<br />
In this case, the issues in the filter<br />
print inlet area and at the filter<br />
inlet face remain the same as discussed<br />
previously, but the flow after<br />
the filter shows clear improvement. In<br />
, note how similar the filter<br />
outlet face and filter print outlet flow<br />
profiles appear when comparing the<br />
reduced filter print inlet area configuration<br />
with the standard filter print.<br />
The main difference between this<br />
configuration and the standard filter<br />
print is the dramatically higher flow<br />
<br />
velocities at the filter inlet face for the<br />
reduced area design, and the fact that<br />
only a small portion of the filter is being<br />
used. This is the same situation discussed<br />
in the previous configuration,<br />
but the yield argument is even more<br />
clear this time.<br />
Reducing the area of the filter print<br />
inlet only saves 0.6 kg (1.3 lb), but adversely<br />
affects the flow such that the<br />
entire filter area is not being used to<br />
efficiently filter inclusions from the<br />
metal. Again, this small yield improvement<br />
has a significant adverse effect on<br />
the flow, and is not recommended in<br />
practice.<br />
shows a similar design with<br />
the area reduced at the filter print outlet<br />
only. Reducing the area of the filter<br />
print outlet only will save just 0.3 kg<br />
(0.66 lb), and result in very poor flow<br />
exiting the filter print. The flow comparison<br />
is shown in .<br />
In this case, the flow in the filter<br />
print inlet and at the filter inlet face<br />
has the same beneficial characteristics<br />
as that of the standard filter print.<br />
However, the flow at the filter outlet<br />
face, within the filter print outlet and<br />
in the downstream runner bar exhibits<br />
all of the same poor characteristics<br />
shown in Fig. 7-10. A filter print design<br />
that adversely affects the flow characteristics<br />
and delivers minimal yield improvement<br />
should not be considered as<br />
practical.<br />
<br />
<br />
shows the standard configuration<br />
with an addition of a slag trap<br />
before the filter. This change only adds
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
<br />
approximately 0.23 kg (0.5 lbs) to the<br />
filter print design, but results in a positive<br />
impact on the overall flow characteristics<br />
of the filter print itself. The filter<br />
print with a properly designed slag<br />
trap displays all of the high quality<br />
flow characteristics shown in the standard<br />
filter print, with the added benefit<br />
of better filter print inlet flow and<br />
potentially better filtration efficiency.<br />
shows how the trap begins<br />
to work as soon as the metal reaches<br />
the filter. Note that the bottom of the<br />
filter print inlet has filled quickly, and<br />
that the flow is washing the filter inlet<br />
face and moving upwards into the<br />
slag trap area.<br />
At 8.5 % (), the flow is nearly<br />
stabilized, and the slag trap is forcing<br />
the initial metal into a beneficial<br />
counter-clockwise eddy current, thus<br />
potentially allowing inclusions to reverse<br />
direction and slowly float upward<br />
into the trap. The standard filter print<br />
without the slag trap also has a small<br />
area of beneficial eddy currents at the<br />
top of the filter print inlet, but very little<br />
space to trap and retain inclusions.<br />
By 9 % filled ( ), the filter<br />
print is fully flooded, including the
slag trap. There are still some small<br />
beneficial eddy currents in the trap. By<br />
10 % filled (), the filter print is<br />
fully stabilized and any inclusions that<br />
entered the slag trap will remain.<br />
Adding a small area to trap slag in<br />
the filter print inlet improves the flow<br />
characteristics of the runner design<br />
and the ability of the filter print to trap<br />
inclusions. These are significant benefits<br />
for a minimal reduction in yield.<br />
<br />
For horizontal filter print designs,<br />
some significant advantages to filtration<br />
efficiency can be gained simply by<br />
placing the filter at an angle relative to<br />
the flow. shows a standard<br />
horizontal filter print compared to an<br />
angled filter print configuration.<br />
The angled filter more readily accepts<br />
the flow and provides a more<br />
<br />
uniform flow pattern both within and<br />
above the filter inlet face.<br />
At 8.5 % filled ( ), the angled<br />
filter print flow profile is fully established,<br />
and uniform throughout. A<br />
beneficial eddy current is visible within<br />
the filter print inlet which enhan ces<br />
the effectiveness of the slag trap. The
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
<br />
<br />
formation of the eddy current is a direct<br />
result of the angled filter.<br />
At 10 % filled (), both filter<br />
prints are operating at steady state conditions,<br />
and both produce a uniform<br />
flow pattern. The angled design does<br />
a better job of distributing and minimizing<br />
the flow energy at the filter inlet<br />
face and outlet face.<br />
Another advantage of angling the<br />
filter is to direct the flow across the filter<br />
inlet face to potentially dislodge<br />
any inclusions that may have become<br />
trapped on the filter itself. These dislodged<br />
inclusions could then get entrained<br />
into the eddy current and be<br />
mechanically moved into the slag<br />
trap.<br />
The velocities at the filter inlet face<br />
are shown in top view in (To<br />
create the image for the angled filter,<br />
the clipping plane was rotated around<br />
the y-axis to match the plane of the filter).<br />
essentially shows a top<br />
view of the flow profile at the filter inlet<br />
face. For both cases the metal flow<br />
is clearly moving across the filter inlet<br />
face from one end to the other, but<br />
more prominently in the angled filter<br />
case, as seen in the right image. For<br />
the angled filter, the flow is also moving<br />
more quickly through the filter, as<br />
shown in .<br />
The images in Fig. 25 represent only<br />
the filter geometry (no filter print or<br />
gating), and the images are rotated for<br />
comparative viewing and as such are<br />
not in their normal orientation. The<br />
left image represents the standard horizontally<br />
oriented configuration while<br />
the right image represents the angled<br />
filter configuration. The filters have<br />
been sectioned along the centerline,<br />
and the scale has been adjusted (reduced)<br />
to show the flow direction and<br />
to delineate more clearly the velocity<br />
differences.<br />
From this view, the right image<br />
shows the washing of the angled filter<br />
inlet face, represented by the parallel<br />
vectors on the filter inlet face and even<br />
a few millimeters into the filter thickness<br />
itself. By comparison, only two<br />
small sections of the horizontal filter<br />
(left image) show parallel flow at the<br />
filter inlet face, and even then only on<br />
the surface of the filter itself, not into<br />
the filter thickness.<br />
The benefits of the mechanical action<br />
of moving inclusions from the fil-<br />
28 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Standard vs angled horizontal<br />
<br />
ter inlet face to the slag trap are twofold.<br />
This action allows the filter to<br />
operate at maximum flow rate because<br />
there are fewer particles trapped on the<br />
surface of the filter restricting the metal<br />
flow through the filter. In addition,<br />
for metal containing significant slag<br />
levels, this may also allow the filter to<br />
operate at higher capacity than standard<br />
filter print orientations because<br />
of the opportunity to pass more metal<br />
through the filter before ultimately<br />
becoming blocked or caked with slag<br />
or other inclusions.<br />
Overall, placing the filter at an incline<br />
relative to the metal stream is<br />
beneficial to the filter flow rate capability<br />
and filtration efficiency.
CASTING TECHNOLOGY<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
30 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Alterations are sometimes made to<br />
standard filter prints to improve yield<br />
without careful analysis of the effect<br />
on the fluid flow properties on the gating<br />
system. This initial study evaluated<br />
the effect of several filter print design<br />
changes on the quality of metal flow in<br />
the filter print, the runner system and<br />
through the filter itself. In general, the<br />
conclusions are as follows:<br />
» Large reductions in filter print inlet<br />
and outlet areas, and sharp angles<br />
within the print itself adversely<br />
alter the flow characteristics<br />
resulting in non-uniform flow and<br />
turbulence.Conclusion: Yield improvement<br />
is minimal, not recommended.<br />
» A slag trap designed prior to the<br />
filter inlet face induces a counter-clockwise<br />
eddy current that<br />
washes the filter face and assists<br />
with the trapping of inclusions.<br />
Conclusion: Recommended<br />
» In horizontal applications, angling<br />
the filter relative to the metal stream<br />
is beneficial to the filter flow rate capability<br />
and filtration efficiency.<br />
Conclusion: Recommended<br />
Maximize<br />
your profit<br />
with 3D printed<br />
cores & molds.<br />
Our experts<br />
will be pleased<br />
to advise you!<br />
This paper constitutes the initial, theoretical<br />
study of various SEDEX filter<br />
print designs and their effect on flow<br />
characteristics. Future work is planned<br />
to review additional design concepts<br />
and to validate these configurations<br />
with molten metal.<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Daimlerstr. 22 • 86368 Gersthofen<br />
+49 (0) 821 650 630<br />
ExOne.com • europe@exone.com
PRESSURE DIE CASTING<br />
Robert Piterek, German Foundry Association, Düsseldorf<br />
Globalization in Swabian<br />
60 years after Föhl was founded, looking back is much less interesting than looking ahead: the<br />
zinc and plastic caster from Rudersberg near Stuttgart is preparing itself for the future with re-<br />
nese<br />
market<br />
die-casting foundry”), the consolidation<br />
of important processes, further<br />
work on establishing a corporate culture,<br />
and the professionalization of<br />
further education and training.<br />
Dr. Frank Kirkorowicz, Föhl’s President and CEO, at the Michelau die-casting plant.<br />
<br />
(Photos: Andreas Bednareck)<br />
In 1958, Germany’s economic miracle<br />
was driving development, and the<br />
die-casting process was still a comparably<br />
new technology: Adolf Föhl,<br />
then a toolmaker at pressure die-casting<br />
machine producer Oskar Frech,<br />
Schorndorf, Germany, recognized the<br />
potential of this production process<br />
and exploited his professional knowledge<br />
to set up his own company –<br />
Adolf Föhl GmbH + Co KG. An initial<br />
injection molding plant rapidly became<br />
a sizeable machine park in which<br />
zinc die-casting machines soon played<br />
the leading role. The marriage of Adolf<br />
Föhl’s sister to Oskar Frech marked<br />
the creation of a fruitful partnership<br />
between the technology user and the<br />
supplier, that has lasted to the present<br />
day.<br />
60 years after its founding in the late<br />
1950s, Föhl is celebrating a decadal jubilee.<br />
The Swabian foundry is now a<br />
flourishing group of companies with<br />
sales of 107 million euros and almost<br />
700 employees in five works in Germany<br />
and China. It is still a matter of<br />
recognizing and exploiting potentials.<br />
Because the caster from Swabia is currently<br />
developing the company’s future<br />
foundations. The program for the<br />
coming years includes the launch of<br />
newly developed technologies in Germany<br />
and China, expansion of the<br />
works in Michelau (which is already<br />
considered “Europe’s most modern<br />
Creating value by appreciating<br />
value<br />
As President and CEO, Dr. Frank Kirkorowicz<br />
has been steering corporate<br />
development since the mid-1990s. In<br />
this he is supported by his Executive<br />
Board colleagues Ulrich Schwab (Chief<br />
Operating Officer) and Boris Langer<br />
(Chief Financial Officer). Kirkorowicz,<br />
who studied medicine in Heidelberg<br />
and is the grandson-in-law of the company’s<br />
founder, has led the firm through<br />
highs and lows in recent decades, turning<br />
it into an SME global player with the<br />
construction of a Chinese works in Taicang<br />
near Shanghai. With success: the<br />
workforce has doubled, today’s sales of<br />
more than 100 million euros are now<br />
five times higher than in 1996, the year<br />
he joined the company. “When I started<br />
at Föhl I decided to expand the company<br />
in such a way that it could rapidly<br />
adapt to changing conditions,”<br />
explains the former trauma surgeon<br />
who gained the necessary know-how<br />
for his current tasks at the respected St.<br />
Galler Business School. In his opinion,<br />
Föhl’s adaptability means, on the one<br />
hand, a functioning corporate culture<br />
under the motto ‘Creating value by appreciating<br />
value’. “We see people holistically,<br />
they must feel good and be able<br />
to develop – then they can call up the<br />
performance that we need,” according<br />
to Kirkorowicz. A conviction that derives<br />
from his medical past. On the other<br />
hand, the father of three daughters<br />
wants to maintain the company’s state-<br />
32 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
of-the-art technology, building upon a<br />
future-oriented innovation policy.<br />
Focus on material and process<br />
competence<br />
Föhl is a Tier 2 automotive supplier and<br />
produces, for example, plugs, ball sockets<br />
for gas springs in cars, antennae components,<br />
gear levers, and components<br />
for belt restraints. Föhl also produces<br />
components for the machine construction<br />
and fittings sectors. The product<br />
range – with about 1,100 different components<br />
– is considerable. The weight of<br />
the castings varies from a few grams to<br />
about one-and-a-half kilograms. 90 %<br />
of Föhl’s sales are now made with zinc<br />
and 10 % with plastic. The batch size of<br />
some components is an impressive 100<br />
million units per year.<br />
Kirkorowicz and the Föhl team skillfully<br />
exploit their expertise in the two<br />
material segments for the development<br />
of hybrid components, e.g. zinc<br />
antennae components recast in plastic.<br />
Even though business with hybrid,<br />
zinc and plastic components is<br />
currently going well, the entrepreneur<br />
is not resting on his laurels. Technological<br />
changes such as Industry 4.0,<br />
e-mobility and autonomous driving<br />
push the company to develop further<br />
The Mold Center in Rudersberg. The machine can mill and erode molds on the basis of<br />
CAD data. Mechanical engineer Mirko Jordan (left) is one of eight designers at Föhl<br />
innovations. Whereby Föhl is not developing<br />
randomly, but is capitalizing<br />
on its strengths: material and process<br />
competences. Though the principle of<br />
only developing resource-conserving<br />
and energy-saving technologies also<br />
applies.<br />
Sprue-free casting<br />
with hot runner technology<br />
Hot-runner technology has attracted<br />
considerable attention in the non-ferrous<br />
metal sector: the parts are cast<br />
with little or no sprue, as in a similar<br />
process in injection molding. Where-<br />
The Training Workshop: Föhl currently employs 37 trainees. With 430 employees in<br />
Germany this represents almost 10 % of the workforce<br />
A trainee practicing in the workshop<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 33
PRESSURE DIE CASTING<br />
Ulrich Schwab (left), Dr. Frank Kirkowicz<br />
and CP+T-Editor Robert Piterek (right)<br />
during a works tour<br />
High-tech hybrid component production in Haubersbronn. The casting is recast with<br />
plastic and then closely inspected with the help of cameras and 3-D scanners<br />
by several nozzles are used to inject the<br />
liquid melt into the mold. This process<br />
offers enormous advantages: little<br />
or no sprue, less recycling material,<br />
environmental benefits, less air in<br />
the system and consequently higher-quality<br />
castings, lower energy consumption,<br />
and greater possibilities for<br />
implementing complex geometries. In<br />
economic terms, the increase in productivity<br />
is a considerable advantage<br />
because the lack of sprue creates space<br />
in the mold so that more parts than<br />
before can be poured with one shot.<br />
This gave Kirkorowicz an idea: “This<br />
also opens up the possibility of pouring<br />
more parts in the same time on<br />
existing machines,” he explains with<br />
sweeping gestures, clearly enthusiastic.<br />
Though he admits that the tools<br />
for the process cost 30 - 40 % more.<br />
Nevertheless, taken as a whole, the use<br />
of the new technology could be good<br />
for business – for which Kirkorowicz,<br />
however, does not claim any exclusivity:<br />
“The automotive industry wants<br />
to purchase their products at competitive<br />
prices. This is impossible if only<br />
one supplier is using the technology.”<br />
Fully automated tool<br />
construction<br />
Four of the five Föhl works are located<br />
within ten kilometers of the company’s<br />
Headquarters. Production continues<br />
at Rudersberg itself, though space<br />
Base for a car roof antenna: 1.2 million units are supplied every year<br />
is limited. In addition, the Training<br />
Workshop and the brand new Mold<br />
Center (in which Föhl has invested<br />
almost one million euros) are located<br />
here. Casting tools for die-casting<br />
plants are produced in the futuristic 6<br />
x 6 m² temperature-controlled cell. A<br />
robot uses a CAD data set to work on<br />
the clamped molds with milling and<br />
eroding tools, preparing them for the<br />
manufacture of new products. 27-yearold<br />
mechanical engineer Mirko Jordan<br />
is one of eight designers at Föhl. He is<br />
fascinated by the plant, which processes<br />
graphite, steel and copper with an<br />
accuracy of up to 3 μm. “I was lucky<br />
because, straight after my training, I<br />
got into CAM programming and I feel<br />
really good here now,” says Jordan,<br />
whose uncle also works at Föhl. The<br />
plant, that measures and documents<br />
every step with the help of a measuring<br />
machine from Zeiss, is not just an important<br />
step for Föhl in the direction<br />
of Industry 4.0, but is also a motivation<br />
for young people to start their careers<br />
here. “Having in-house expertise<br />
is crucial”, says Ulrich Schwab, “and<br />
our young employees anyway want to<br />
make the molds themselves”.<br />
34 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Perfect serial production: the zinc die-casting plants<br />
in Michelau are arranged in several rows<br />
The main entrance of the Föhl works in<br />
Michelau: the railings on the bridge are<br />
decorated with a variety of images, including<br />
a galvanized dragon and a snake as a<br />
symbol of molting and renewal<br />
Training with social<br />
responsibility<br />
The Training Workshop run by Dierk<br />
Göhringer is also located in Rudersberg.<br />
37 trainees work here. Industrial<br />
managers, industrial mechanics, electronics<br />
engineers, process mechanics,<br />
foundry mechanics (in pressure and<br />
gravity die-casting), machine and plant<br />
operators, tool mechanics, and specialists<br />
in warehouse logistics are trained<br />
here for their professional futures, as<br />
well as several students who are doing<br />
their Bachelor’s degrees at Föhl.<br />
“The basic metal training is very similar<br />
for all trainees during the first year<br />
here. Then the trainees go to their various<br />
specialist departments,” Göhringer<br />
explains. Newcomers largely come<br />
from Germany or have Turkish roots,<br />
though recently a young man from Afghanistan<br />
also started training as a machine<br />
and plant operator. “We also had<br />
an employee from Syria who was able<br />
to communicate excellently after just<br />
six months in Germany – we wanted<br />
to keep him on, of course,” stresses Kirkorowicz,<br />
who also feels a high level of<br />
social responsibility towards refugees<br />
and is committed to assisting their integration<br />
in this way.<br />
Connected plants for<br />
large-scale production<br />
Hot-chamber pressure die-casting<br />
machines are used at the foundry in<br />
Rudersberg, as at all the works. The<br />
plants, with locking forces from 20<br />
to 200 tonnes, all originate from machine<br />
producer Oskar Frech, whose<br />
works halls are only a few kilometers<br />
from Föhl’s German works. There are<br />
also highly productive plants in Rudersberg.<br />
A socket, part of a car’s steering<br />
wheel locking system, is being produced<br />
in a fully automatic production<br />
cell – a million of them are produced<br />
every year. Three robots serve the entire<br />
value-creation chain from cooling<br />
and punching, through sprue melting,<br />
to thread forming and blasting. “The<br />
part used to go through three works<br />
and is now finished within an area of<br />
almost 60 m²,” explains Ulrich Schwab<br />
proudly, and Kirkorowicz adds that,<br />
“This is how the future of our foundry<br />
must be, even for small batch numbers.”<br />
This is because such highly automated<br />
production is more economical<br />
than any manual production, however<br />
cheap it may be.<br />
State-of-the-art high-tech is also to be<br />
found in Haubersbronn, where the<br />
plastic production is located. This is<br />
also where the hybrid plant does its<br />
work. Floor panels for several models<br />
of Ford and the popular Mercedes<br />
Sprinter are produced here in a refined<br />
interplay of cameras, robots, 3-D scanners<br />
and the injection molding machine.<br />
The cycle time for four parts is<br />
just 30 s, and 1.2 million floor panels<br />
leave the works every year.<br />
Transparency throughout<br />
the process chain<br />
The lion’s share of the 111 Föhl die-casting<br />
plants worldwide, however, is located<br />
in the Swabian caster’s newest German<br />
die-casting works: the Michelau<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 35
Housings for Kärcher high-pressure cleaners are produced in this integrated casting cell<br />
works that was opened in 1999, and<br />
was visited by the then Federal Chancellor<br />
Gerhard Schröder. The foundry<br />
was constructed in response to a major<br />
order from electronics producer<br />
Philips for housing parts for CD players.<br />
100 specially employed temporary<br />
workers had to be discharged and 30 %<br />
of sales were lost when the IT bubble<br />
burst. “We needed ten years to get over<br />
that crisis,” Kirkorowicz admits.<br />
Business is now booming again in the<br />
works – built on 250 piles for flood protection<br />
and with oversized windows:<br />
the familiar production noises engulf<br />
the large and tidy production halls in<br />
a busy soundscape. Production takes<br />
place in two halls with several rows of<br />
Frech die-casting machines. An automated<br />
casting furnace moves around<br />
between them, regularly filling the<br />
machines with hot zinc melt at about<br />
400 °C. The tool maintenance area is<br />
accommodated in another hall where<br />
the die-casting tools are, among other<br />
things, cleaned in ultrasonic baths<br />
and then dismantled. The great variety<br />
of products is clearly visible in the production<br />
halls: each machine spits out a<br />
different casting and, at the back of the<br />
hall, blasting units provide the necessary<br />
processing. Hot-runner technology<br />
is also already in use here, as is an<br />
integrated production cell in which<br />
the housings for Kärcher high-pressure<br />
cleaners are produced. But capacity<br />
has been exhausted 17 years after<br />
construction of the Michelau foundry.<br />
Expansion of the works is unavoidable.<br />
Looking at the layout plan that has just<br />
come out of the plotter, Ulrich Schwab<br />
indicates the planned production enlargement:<br />
the factory area will be doubled<br />
in size. After the warehouse and<br />
dispatch department has moved in,<br />
more die-casting machines will probably<br />
be installed in future – the expansion,<br />
planned by Föhl personnel themselves,<br />
should be completed by 2<strong>01</strong>9.<br />
Föhl has long been reliant on IT support<br />
to ensure that high stocks do not<br />
build up despite the many different products<br />
and the millions of units – 5 million<br />
per day worldwide. A new Enterprise Resource<br />
Planning/Production Planning<br />
System (ERP/PPS) recently started operation.<br />
“If an excavator ripped up a cable<br />
here, we would have to stop production<br />
within three days because we would no<br />
longer be able to maintain an overview,”<br />
Kirkorowicz points out.<br />
Green anti-corrosion coating<br />
as an export hit?<br />
The Asperglen logistics site accommodates<br />
Föhl’s second large new development<br />
with which the company intends<br />
to establish itself worldwide: the<br />
thin-film passivation or nano-coating<br />
plant. This technology is revolutionary<br />
because it can replace polluting metal-galvanizing<br />
anti-corrosion coating<br />
processes. Harmless silicon oxide dissolved<br />
in liquid is used instead. “The<br />
technology is sustainable; the recyclates<br />
in the machine are vaporized<br />
later. The rest can be sold to bioenergy<br />
plants as cooling material,” explains<br />
Kirkorowicz. Since mid-2<strong>01</strong>7,<br />
Föhl has used this ‘green technology’<br />
for its own castings, such as rooftop antennae<br />
components, to protect them<br />
against corrosion. And in this case too,<br />
Föhl plans to introduce the technology<br />
on an open-market basis. Kirkorowicz<br />
believes that there is enormous potential<br />
for thin-wall passivation in China,<br />
where environmental legislation is becoming<br />
increasingly stringent – and is<br />
also affecting galvanization there.<br />
If one examines the growth figures of<br />
the Föhl works in China (managed, by<br />
the way, by Frank Kirkorowicz’s brother),<br />
such a rollout does indeed appear<br />
promising: the 15,000 m² works in<br />
Tai cang with its 271 employees and<br />
23 die-casting machines has achieved<br />
fantastic growth figures for some years<br />
now: growth rose to more than 30 % in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>7 from 8 % in 2<strong>01</strong>5. Let the future<br />
come – Föhl is prepared!<br />
www.foehl.de<br />
36 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
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A central, optimized cell control creates the basis for productivity gains in die casting (Photos and graphics: Bühler)<br />
Adrian Buob, Bühler AG, Uzwil<br />
Cell management for greater success<br />
Potential for optimization in die casting<br />
Industry 4.0 – a buzzword currently on<br />
the tip of everyone’s tongue. In some<br />
branches of industry, the factories of<br />
the future are already being tested; others<br />
are more restrained. However, the<br />
subject is being discussed all over – including<br />
within the die-casting industry.<br />
Die casting is in competition with<br />
alternative manufacturing processes<br />
and materials. In order to continue<br />
manufacturing competitive die cast<br />
parts, it is essential to keep working on<br />
making the process more efficient. Cell<br />
management plays an important role<br />
in this regard, since there is still great<br />
potential to be explored:<br />
Having a central, optimized cell management<br />
system makes it possible to<br />
increase productivity in die casting<br />
and to further develop the industry.<br />
Networking is at the forefront of Industry<br />
4.0: machines and products collect,<br />
analyze and evaluate information,<br />
while remaining in constant contact<br />
with each other. This is also where the<br />
exceptional potential for cell management<br />
lies: the goal is that the die-casting<br />
cell is ready for production quickly<br />
after a standstill and that it optimizes<br />
itself in the final expansion stage. This<br />
results in sustained improvement of<br />
uptime. After all, 47 % of the interruptions<br />
in the production process are<br />
currently caused by peripheral devices<br />
(Figure 1). The problem generally lies<br />
Figure 1: Nearly half of the interruptions of production during die casting are caused<br />
by peripheral equipment. The data are subjected to an exemplary evaluation with the<br />
help of the Bühler EventAnalyzer<br />
in the inadequately developed communication<br />
between the individual<br />
subsystems. This is due to a lack of data<br />
needed to inform the operator about<br />
the cause and remedy for the problem.<br />
A higher-level cell management system<br />
would result in a clear improvement<br />
at this point. However, further<br />
development and setting of standards<br />
are still required to create an intelligent,<br />
self-optimizing cell.<br />
Three steps towards an<br />
intelligent die casting cell<br />
For Bühler, Uzwil, Switzerland, the development<br />
of the cell management system<br />
is an important step towards die<br />
casting foundries becoming part of Industry<br />
4.0. The process of developing<br />
an intelligent die casting cell can be divided<br />
into three completed steps. They<br />
build upon each other and can be continuously<br />
expanded ().<br />
The first step includes detecting and<br />
correcting existing vulnerabilities within<br />
the die-casting cell. A key criterion will<br />
be the installation of a central head controller<br />
– i.e. cell management. If an error<br />
happens today, the operator has no other<br />
choice than to walk around the cell<br />
and find out where the problem lies. Frequently,<br />
it becomes necessary to manual-<br />
38 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Bühler approaches the goal of intelligent production in three<br />
development steps with a central cell control system<br />
ly reset every single device within the cell<br />
and to restart the process from the starting<br />
position. The cell management system<br />
relieves the operator by getting all of<br />
the participating devices into home position<br />
and automatically starting again.<br />
This allows the operators to concentrate<br />
on their primary duties.<br />
In the second step, the goal is to attain<br />
optimized production. The central<br />
cell management system recognizes<br />
deviating parameters and provides<br />
tips for improving the process. In addition,<br />
it can also suggest measures to be<br />
taken to ensure that the die-casting cell<br />
does not suddenly stop operating and a<br />
proactive maintenance becomes possible.<br />
A user-friendly visualization helps<br />
the operator with the analysis of the<br />
data and makes finding solutions easier.<br />
Based on the interplay between the<br />
machine, the operator and the process<br />
experts, the die-casting process can be<br />
more easily optimized, whereby the uptime<br />
of the cell increases demonstrably.<br />
The goal of the third step is to implement<br />
intelligent production which<br />
works fully-automatically and is able to<br />
independently counteract errors and<br />
loss of quality in a timely manner. This<br />
is made possible by “Predictive Analytics”<br />
which means that the control system,<br />
based on algorithms, is able to<br />
predict early on which parts have to<br />
be serviced when. This knowledge allows<br />
the control system to implement<br />
targeted counter-measures. For example,<br />
maintenance work is planned and<br />
carried out at the ideal point in time.<br />
Central control system acting<br />
as the “brain of the cell”<br />
“Currently we are working on executing<br />
the first stage”, explained Laszlo<br />
Jud, Head of Automation for Bühler<br />
Die-Casting, Uzwil, Switzerland. During<br />
the first step, the cell control system<br />
is implemented and acts “as the<br />
brain” of the die-casting cell, communicating<br />
directly with the peripheral systems<br />
such as the press and the marker<br />
( Figure 3). It controls and monitors the<br />
entire cell including all participants.<br />
The cell control system is operated from<br />
a central operating unit. The user interface<br />
is web-based ensuring that it can<br />
also be accessed from mobile terminals<br />
through the network. Special attention<br />
is paid to how user-friendly the system<br />
is: instructions are clearly written, error<br />
messages are precisely assigned to a<br />
particular part of the machine and support<br />
is provided for repairs. This ensures<br />
that operating the machine is as easy as<br />
possible. Furthermore, all relevant information<br />
gained from the production<br />
process is saved and the extensive tracing<br />
of components is ensured.<br />
Whenever the production process<br />
is interrupted, the cell management<br />
system provides additional significant<br />
added value: for the first time, error<br />
messages for all of the devices are bundled<br />
centrally. The user not only receives<br />
the information wherever there<br />
is a problem, but also receives concrete<br />
directions as to how to eliminate an error.<br />
This ensures that the die-casting<br />
cell is ready for operation faster after<br />
a malfunction.<br />
Ensuring traceability &<br />
quality<br />
Complete traceability is required particularly<br />
for the automotive industry,<br />
and is often associated with additional<br />
costs. As a result of detailed production<br />
data collection through cell management,<br />
comprehensive documentation<br />
is guaranteed for each manufactured<br />
component.<br />
Standardizing Interfaces<br />
The successful implementation of a<br />
cell management system also requires<br />
standardization of interfaces and specification<br />
of uniform data formatting<br />
and transfer protocols. This is the only<br />
way for components made by a wide<br />
variety of manufacturers to work together<br />
in a coordinated manner. The<br />
interfaces that have been used up to<br />
now can no longer meet current demands.<br />
Just like many other companies,<br />
Bühler relies on the IEC standard<br />
that has been proven effective for communication<br />
between machine control<br />
systems and production management<br />
systems (Figure 4).<br />
Communication within the cell is<br />
more challenging since a deterministic<br />
signal exchange is absolutely essential.<br />
Currently common interfaces<br />
are Profinet and Ethernet/IP. However,<br />
switching to a new communications<br />
protocol takes time. “That is<br />
why those of us participating in the<br />
cell management project will be continuously<br />
integrating all of the interfaces”,<br />
explained Laszlo Jud. “We are<br />
certainly convinced that the IEC standard<br />
will soon have established itself as<br />
the standard for communication within<br />
the cell”.<br />
Targeted data analysis at the<br />
cell level as a factor for success<br />
The tasks of analyzing data and interpreting<br />
the processes must be performed<br />
along the way of establishing a<br />
cell management system. “We are currently<br />
already able to record a great<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 39
INDUSTRY 4.0<br />
amount of data from a die-casting machine.<br />
However, expanding data collection<br />
to all parts of the cell, how we interpret<br />
these data, what conclusions we<br />
draw from them and, finally, what measures<br />
can be derived are all of great significance”,<br />
explained Laszlo Jud. The information<br />
gained has to be used in such<br />
a way as to create the greatest possible<br />
benefit for die casting foundries. One<br />
possible use of the data is the predictive<br />
maintenance of the cell that is made<br />
possible by having reliable information<br />
about the condition of the equipment.<br />
This is a significant step on the way to a<br />
digital future for die casting foundries:<br />
errors that occur can be analyzed more<br />
precisely and production can be optimized<br />
accordingly. “Such a comprehensive<br />
database combined with our experience<br />
leads to highly promising results<br />
for the benefit of our customers” according<br />
to Mr. Jud. For one thing is clear: if<br />
the production data are used correctly,<br />
the uptime of a die casting cell will increase<br />
significantly.<br />
Cell management already<br />
<br />
Already in 2<strong>01</strong>8, the first cell control systems<br />
from Bühler will be operating at<br />
customers’ sites. “Starting with this first<br />
step, we will be working together consistently<br />
with our customers and partners<br />
to continue developing and optimizing<br />
the cell management system”, reports<br />
Laszlo Jud. “In order for our customers<br />
to benefit from cell management, we<br />
all have to pull together.” Everything<br />
is centered around the quality of the<br />
manufactured parts, as well as around<br />
productivity and uptime of the plant.<br />
“This is where our years of experience<br />
Figure 3: Die casting is currently hard at work creating a cell control system that monitors<br />
and controls all of the machines and processes within a die-casting cell. It functions<br />
as the “brain” of the cell<br />
Figure 4: In cell management, the die-casting machine and the required peripheral devices<br />
work together as equal partners and form a completed process step within the<br />
entire value-added chain<br />
with the die casting industry come into<br />
play”, said Laszlo Jud with conviction.<br />
www.buehlergroup.com<br />
40 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 41
SIMULATION<br />
Andreas Buswell, Wolfgang Schlüter, Matthias Henninger and Stefan Müller, University of Ansbach<br />
Simulation of non-ferrous melting<br />
and die-casting plants for energy<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In order to stay competitive on the<br />
world market a high level of automation<br />
and energy efficiency is essential<br />
for energy-intensive industries. The<br />
impact of energy efficiency has increased<br />
in Germany in particular as a<br />
result of the energy transition and the<br />
strengthening competition based on<br />
globalization. In the non-ferrous melting<br />
and die-casting industry for example<br />
the energy consumption per ton of<br />
good casting usually ranges between<br />
2000 and 6000 kWh. Consequently,<br />
the amount of energy costs generally<br />
exceeds 25 % of gross value added.<br />
Up to 60 % of this energy is needed<br />
for the factory-internal melting process<br />
of the aluminum, which usually<br />
takes place in gas-fired secondary<br />
aluminum melting furnaces. Thereby<br />
problems are generally determined<br />
by the lack of information on the production<br />
fluctuations in the foundry<br />
which are caused by the complex requirements<br />
for liquid aluminum. Consequently<br />
the furnaces are frequently<br />
driven outside the ideal operating<br />
range and energy is wasted. Obviously<br />
the production process needs to be<br />
optimized by appropriate intralogistic<br />
control measures which lower the energy<br />
consumption without impairing<br />
productivity. Control strategies can be<br />
evaluated with the help of a material<br />
flow simulator which includes an ad-<br />
Figure 1: Schematic structure of a melting and die-casting plant<br />
Figure 2: Example of a melting furnace<br />
with the four process stages<br />
42 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
ditional function for the energy consumption<br />
of the melting process.<br />
Schematic structure of a melting<br />
and die-casting plant<br />
Constructing a simulation model requires<br />
an understanding of the process<br />
flow inside a typical melting and<br />
die-casting plant (Figure 1). The delivery<br />
of aluminum to the plant is carried<br />
out in a liquid and a solid state. Whereas<br />
the delivered liquid aluminum can<br />
be processed directly, the solid aluminum<br />
needs to be melted by using inhouse<br />
melting furnaces. The melting<br />
process is based on a 50 to 50 mixture<br />
of solid aluminum shipments and recycled<br />
process material, e.g. rejected<br />
products or sprue material from the<br />
die-casting process. Forklifts are used<br />
for transporting liquid and solid aluminum<br />
inside the plant.<br />
Inside the die-casting machines the<br />
liquid aluminum is pressed into the<br />
desired shapes (products). Since the<br />
die-casting machines act as the only<br />
sinks for liquid aluminum, they determine<br />
the demand for melted material<br />
(pull system). The amount of produced<br />
parts and the consumption of liquid<br />
aluminum depend on the cycle time<br />
as well as the shot weight of the current<br />
product. Due to production fluctuations<br />
and complex thermodynamic<br />
processes within the melting furnaces,<br />
it is almost impossible for the operation<br />
manager in charge to optimize<br />
the in-house melting process. Consequently,<br />
the furnaces are usually operated<br />
in a very unsteady way and this<br />
leads to great fluctuations in the filling<br />
levels. As a result the number of heating<br />
and cooling processes increases.<br />
These factors have a negative impact<br />
on the specific energy consumption<br />
(kWh/t) of the furnaces and therefore<br />
the economic efficiency of the overall<br />
process.<br />
The process within the previously<br />
examined melting furnaces can be divided<br />
into four basic stages (Figure 2).<br />
The solid aluminum is delivered to the<br />
melting shaft by the charging system<br />
(stage 1). Inside the shaft the aluminum<br />
is heated up and melted by natural<br />
gas-powered burners (stage 2).<br />
Thereby hot flue gas is produced which<br />
Figure 3:<br />
Figure 4: Flue gas temperatures inside the melting furnace<br />
flows around the aluminum and passes<br />
on its own heat energy to the material.<br />
The efficiency of the process<br />
is determined by the amount of absorbed<br />
heat energy of the aluminum.<br />
The flue gas and the molten aluminum<br />
leave the melting shaft and reach the<br />
furnace’s holding area (furnace tub)<br />
where the liquid metal is kept at a specified<br />
temperature with the help of additional<br />
burners (stage 3). In order to<br />
withdraw molten aluminum at the discharge<br />
socket, the whole furnace is tilted<br />
to enable the material to flow into<br />
the forklift’s container (stage 4).<br />
Process analysis<br />
An energy efficient functioning of<br />
a melting furnace requires a steady<br />
mode of operation at a high filling level<br />
of the melting shaft. However, measurements<br />
in reference plants have<br />
shown that the filling levels inside<br />
melting shafts are usually significantly<br />
lower than the shaft’s maximum capacity<br />
(Figure 3).<br />
Low aluminum filling levels inside<br />
the shaft reduce the heat exchange<br />
which depends on the surface area as<br />
well as the driving temperature gradient.<br />
As a result, the thermodynamic<br />
efficiency decreases whereas the furnace’s<br />
specific energy consumption increases.<br />
Therefore, a fluctuating operation<br />
mode causes a negative effect on<br />
the furnace’s performance. For example,<br />
the specific energy consumption<br />
of the examined furnace exceeds the<br />
nominal value of the furnace manufacturer’s<br />
specifications by 25 %. Additionally,<br />
the measured melting rate of<br />
3.68 t/h only reaches the lower end<br />
of the specifications (3.5 – 4.5 t/h). Depending<br />
on the operating point, the<br />
thermodynamic efficiency ranges between<br />
25 and 50 %.<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 43
SIMULATION<br />
The flue gas’ outlet temperature is a<br />
suitable parameter for rating the furnace’s<br />
energy efficiency, since it represents<br />
the result of the combined heat<br />
transfer processes inside the furnace.<br />
As a general rule, a higher efficiency is<br />
obtained at a lower flue gas temperature.<br />
Figure 4 depicts the chronological<br />
course of flue gas temperatures at<br />
the melting shaft’s exit (position A in<br />
figure 2) as well as the furnace’s outlet<br />
(position B).<br />
The effect of the fluctuating filling<br />
level on the flue gas temperature can<br />
be seen at measurement position A.<br />
Charging procedures lead to significant<br />
drops of the measured temperature,<br />
which are then followed by a steady<br />
increase. However, the temperature of<br />
the flue gas at the furnace’s outlet (position<br />
B) which ranges between 850 °C<br />
and 1,000 °C shows a more consistent<br />
trend. Furthermore this illustrates that<br />
the flue gas still contains a lot of heat<br />
energy when leaving the furnace.<br />
a<br />
b<br />
Figure 5:perature<br />
inside the melting shaft<br />
Figure 6: Aluminum mass inside a melting shaft with optimized charging strategy<br />
Simulation model<br />
In order to analyze different process<br />
parameters, such as the die casting machine’s<br />
demand for aluminum and its<br />
effect on the melting furnaces, a simulation<br />
model following the depiction<br />
in figure 1 has been created. The<br />
simulation is qualified for developing<br />
new strategies for the in-plant aluminum<br />
distribution or suitable operation<br />
modes for the die-casting machines<br />
and furnaces. Furthermore the simulation<br />
tool offers the derivation of suitable<br />
reactions for different problems,<br />
such as an unexpected breakdown of a<br />
melting furnace or delays in the delivery<br />
of external melted aluminum. The<br />
simulation allows in a risk-free and<br />
cost-efficient virtual environment to<br />
analyze procedures which would otherwise<br />
have major impact on the operation,<br />
e.g. the changing of charging<br />
intervals of the melting furnaces or the<br />
preheating of the raw materials.<br />
The simulation consists of a material<br />
flow model and an energy model,<br />
representing the thermodynamic processes<br />
inside the furnaces. The material<br />
flow section comprises the transport<br />
and processing of aluminum (see figure<br />
1). In addition to the various components,<br />
such as die-casting machines,<br />
furnaces and forklifts, the model also<br />
includes the control measures for the<br />
entire process. In this context strategies<br />
for distribution of liquid aluminum<br />
to the die-casting machines as<br />
well as the order of charging the melting<br />
furnaces with solid material are implemented.<br />
The link between the material flow<br />
model and the energy model of the<br />
furnace is realized by the processes af-<br />
44 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
fecting the furnace, namely charging<br />
and withdrawal of aluminum. The energy<br />
model includes the combustion<br />
of natural gas inside the burners, the<br />
heat and mass transfer processes (conduction,<br />
convection, radiation) and<br />
the phase transition of aluminum.<br />
The model allows analyzing different<br />
demand situations and charging strategies<br />
and their impact on the thermodynamic<br />
processes. A precise calculation<br />
would require flow simulations of<br />
the furnace’s interior using a CFD tool.<br />
However, this approach would lead to<br />
extremely complex models and would<br />
demand huge computational power,<br />
especially for extended time periods.<br />
Additionally, CFD simulations provide<br />
low flexibility considering changing<br />
boundary conditions. Therefore,<br />
the developed simulation is based on<br />
a simplified mathematical model consisting<br />
of several ordinary differential<br />
equations. The current model has been<br />
refined by analyzing CFD simulations<br />
of various steady cases. Because of the<br />
conducted drastic simplifications the<br />
validation of the model by using measured<br />
data is crucial for the development<br />
of a reliable simulation.<br />
Validation<br />
The results of the simulation can be<br />
validated using a model that is specifically<br />
configured to represent the<br />
real-life plant. Parameters include the<br />
implemented charging strategy for the<br />
melting furnaces and the productions<br />
schedule of the die-casting machines.<br />
The validation data is based on measurements<br />
inside the plant conducted<br />
over the time period of a standard<br />
working week which includes 17 shifts.<br />
In terms of the analyzed week, the material<br />
flow model shows a deviation of<br />
1.4 % concerning the amount of produced<br />
proper aluminum parts and a<br />
deviation of 0.9 % regarding the overall<br />
mass of aluminum used inside the<br />
plant. These divergences can mainly be<br />
traced back to unexpected breakdowns<br />
of die-casting machines, which can be<br />
statistically approximated, but not precisely<br />
predicted. The accuracy of the<br />
energy model can be proved by comparing<br />
the chronological course of simulated<br />
and measured data (Figure 5).<br />
Figure 7: CFD simulation of the preheating of an aluminum package in a chamber<br />
The charts show a high compliance<br />
between the simulated and the measured<br />
data within the analyzed time<br />
frame. The flue gas temperature represents<br />
an overall result of the thermodynamic<br />
processes inside the furnaces.<br />
The comparison of the simulated<br />
and measured data of this parameter<br />
shows the reliability of the simulation.<br />
The remaining deviations might arise<br />
from incomplete approximation of the<br />
control algorithm governing the furnace’s<br />
burners. During the simulated<br />
week, the mass of melted aluminum<br />
and the gas consumption deviated by<br />
1.5 % respectively 0.5 % from the measured<br />
data.<br />
<br />
measures<br />
The validation results illustrate that<br />
the simulation model allows a precise<br />
representation of the actual plant.<br />
Based on the real-life configuration<br />
various operational parameters can be<br />
modified within the simulation model,<br />
which determines the resulting effects<br />
on the material flow and the thermodynamic<br />
processes. The different<br />
scenarios can be evaluated regarding<br />
the key figures representing productivity,<br />
production reliability and energy<br />
efficiency. In the following, two measures<br />
will be analyzed:<br />
» Optimized aluminum charging<br />
» Preheating of solid aluminum<br />
(300 °C)<br />
Optimized aluminum charging<br />
Establishing a continuous operation of<br />
the melting furnace at a constant high<br />
aluminum filling level inside the melting<br />
shaft is the aim of an optimized<br />
charging strategy. Then the burners<br />
are able to operate at their nominal<br />
power which reduces the specific energy<br />
consumption while maintaining a<br />
high quality of the melted aluminum.<br />
An adjusted charging strategy ensures<br />
a filling level of 60 – 90 % of the melting<br />
shaft’s capacity (Figure 6).<br />
The high filling level leads to a large<br />
heat transfer surface which enhances<br />
the heat exchange and lowers the flue<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 45
SIMULATION<br />
gas temperature at the shaft’s exit. In<br />
combination with a constant burner<br />
operation, these effects lead to an improvement<br />
of the melting rate and the<br />
specific energy consumption.<br />
Preheating<br />
The preheating of the solid material<br />
inside heating chambers is a common<br />
measure in industrial plants. The flue<br />
gas’ waste heat is used to heat up the<br />
air inside a chamber where raw aluminum<br />
is stored.<br />
Using CFD simulations the preheating<br />
process inside the chamber can be<br />
analyzed (Figure 7). The influence of<br />
the inflow speed, the flue gas temperature<br />
and the package geometry on the<br />
required preheating time is displayed.<br />
The CFD simulations demonstrate that<br />
the warm-up period inside the chamber<br />
can be reduced up to 22 % by improving<br />
the arrangement of the mass package.<br />
The integration of a preheating<br />
chamber into the process sequence, in<br />
particular during the charging of the<br />
melting furnaces, is a problem not to<br />
be underestimated.<br />
However, the required time and the<br />
energy consumption to melt the preheated<br />
solid materials in the furnaces<br />
decrease as a result of the preheating.<br />
Figure 8:<br />
Simulation results<br />
The measurements inside the reference<br />
plant reveal planned and unexpected<br />
downtimes of 30 % of the die-casting<br />
machines’ overall runtime. Under these<br />
circumstances, the plant’s productivity<br />
is solely limited by the die-casting machines.<br />
Thus, the demand for aluminum<br />
is constantly surpassed by the available<br />
supply. In order to be able to analyze<br />
the effects of the optimized aluminum<br />
charging and the preheating of solid material,<br />
downtimes have been reduced to<br />
3 % in the simulation. This could be realized<br />
by an improved maintenance concept<br />
in the real plant. As a result, the supply<br />
and demand for melted aluminum<br />
are almost equally balanced.<br />
The die-casting machines’ Overall<br />
Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a suitable<br />
key figure to describe a plant’s productivity.<br />
On the other hand, downtimes<br />
due to a lack of melted aluminum<br />
Figure 9:<br />
energy consumption<br />
have impacts on the plant’s production<br />
reliability.<br />
Preheating of the solid aluminum<br />
as well as an optimized charging strategy<br />
increases the production reliability<br />
(Figure 8). While the accumulated<br />
downtimes due to aluminum shortage<br />
initially make up 1.7 % of the analyzed<br />
timeframe, they decrease to 0.3 % by<br />
preheating, respectively 0 % due to an<br />
optimized charging strategy. Additionally,<br />
reducing these downtimes leads to<br />
noticeable improvements of the plant’s<br />
productivity. Optimized charging in<br />
particular delivers OEE-values of over<br />
90 %. Both measures do not only stabilize<br />
the production, they also enable a<br />
more energy efficient operation mode<br />
of the melting furnaces (Figure 9).<br />
Both measures show a positive effect<br />
on the energy consumption.<br />
While the energy consumption in<br />
the initial configuration averages 910<br />
kWh/t, preheating leads to a decrease<br />
of 9 % (specific energy consumption:<br />
825 kWh/t). The optimized charging<br />
strategy even exceeds this improvement,<br />
up to 20 % (specific energy consumption:<br />
720 kWh/t).<br />
The results illustrate that the previously<br />
described measures are able to<br />
optimize the plant’s operation itself,<br />
as well as its energy efficiency. The improvements<br />
in a real-life plant are likely<br />
to be lowered by company standards<br />
or thermal losses. However, the simulation<br />
indicates that a purely intralogistical<br />
measure (optimized charging)<br />
46 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
can help to enhance productivity, production<br />
reliability and energy efficiency<br />
more effectively than any measures<br />
taken at a cost-intensive preheating<br />
chamber.<br />
The described measures only reach<br />
their full potential when combined<br />
with a drastic reduction of die-casting<br />
machine downtimes (3 %) or other<br />
means of preventing an oversupply of<br />
melted aluminum. This could include<br />
reducing the amount of melted aluminum<br />
deliveries or setting an furnace on<br />
stand-by. Simulation results show that<br />
the specific energy consumption can<br />
be lowered by 10 % (reduced delivery)<br />
respectively 12 % (furnace on standby)<br />
without impairing production reliability.<br />
Next steps<br />
In the next phase of the project the previous<br />
investigations will be carried out<br />
within a further partner company. Subsequently,<br />
the simulation model will<br />
be adapted to this operation. Comparing<br />
both simulations will enable to<br />
determine the factors which have the<br />
greatest influence on the simulated operating<br />
sequence and the parameters<br />
which can be neglected in the future.<br />
The aim here is to realize a flexible simulation,<br />
which can provide meaningful<br />
results for a wide range of companies.<br />
The provision of up-to-date process<br />
data and key figures is a major challenge<br />
in representing real operations<br />
within a simulation. The state of automation<br />
within the die casting industry<br />
is still at a very low level compared<br />
to other branches of industry, for example<br />
the automotive industry. Therefore,<br />
the acquisition and processing of<br />
the relevant parameters are important<br />
components in the project’s next<br />
phase. However, the current results<br />
have already proved that a step-by-step<br />
introduction of Industry 4.0 measures<br />
can contribute to an increase in productivity<br />
in the melting and die casting<br />
industries.<br />
References:<br />
www.cpt-international.com<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 47
COMPANY<br />
Customer proximity was essential for Imerys during the acquisition of IKO, as shown at the Imerys’ GIFA booth (Photo: Imerys)<br />
Michael Vehreschild, Kleve<br />
Imerys – strong potential for synergies<br />
The IKO brand, representing the green molding sand additives producer based in Germany, was<br />
well known throughout the foundry industry. However, three years ago, IKO became “Imerys<br />
Metalcasting Solutions”. The French group of companies Imerys, a world leader in mineralbased<br />
specialty solutions for industry, acquired the Greek S&B Industrial Minerals S.A. in 2<strong>01</strong>5<br />
“The fast brand change was initially a<br />
challenge, but quickly became a success,”<br />
emphasizes Didier Legrand, the<br />
Technical & Commercial Director for<br />
Foundry Europe of Imerys Metalcasting.<br />
A major benefit of the acquisition is<br />
“the strong potential for synergies and<br />
new investments”.<br />
Some things have changed and, above<br />
all, improved – which is instantly noticeable<br />
upon entering the former IKO<br />
plant in Marl, Germany. While walking<br />
over the company area, red flags indicate<br />
the loading of a truck. Securely<br />
fixed storage shelves and the employees’<br />
bright helmets should contribute to the<br />
prevention of accidents. Furthermore, a<br />
well-marked assembly point for emergencies<br />
at the entrance sends immediately<br />
a clear signal to the visitor: Safety<br />
is very important here. This does not<br />
mean that safety had not been of great<br />
value before the acquisition. However,<br />
the French company has “gone one step<br />
further and transferred its corporate<br />
safety concept to IKO/ S&B,” explains<br />
Dr. Oleg Podobed, Application Technology<br />
Manager – Foundry Germany.<br />
IKO/S&B and Imerys complement<br />
each other<br />
However, safety is not the only subject<br />
for added value. Another positive<br />
effect of the acquisition is the greater<br />
variety of potential solutions, because<br />
“IKO/ S&B and Imerys complement<br />
each other,” emphasizes Didier Legrand.<br />
This is beneficial because, in addition<br />
to the best possible performance<br />
of Imerys’ products, “foundries must<br />
speed up production and reduce costs,<br />
while castings become increasingly<br />
complex.” Customized blends of green<br />
48 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Imerys Metalcasting – a company with a long tradition<br />
S&B Industrial Minerals was founded in 1934 and has a long tradition as a<br />
supplier of foundry bentonites, using minerals from the renowned reserves<br />
on the Greek island of Milos as well as from other mines worldwide. The<br />
origin of IKO Industriekohle dates back to 1964. IKO Industriekohle and<br />
Erbslöh Geisenheim merged in 1994 – S&B bought 50 % of the new company<br />
with plants in Germany and France. S&B also acquired the remaining<br />
50 % of IKO in 20<strong>01</strong> and moved closer to the foundry customers in Europe,<br />
supplying them with bentonites, lustrous carbon formers and other<br />
selected raw materials, as well as customized technical services. The foundry<br />
business expanded first into the Americas, Turkey and then to China,<br />
India and Italy, by incorporating the expertise, technology and assets of<br />
local foundry suppliers.<br />
S&B/IKO has been part of Imerys, one of the world’s leading supplier of<br />
mineral-based specialty solutions for industry, since 2<strong>01</strong>5. Imerys, founded<br />
in 1880, looks back at a long, successful and sustained history. The French<br />
company, with headquarters in Paris, has about 18,500 employees worldwide<br />
and generated more than 4 billion euros in sales in 2<strong>01</strong>6. Imerys meets<br />
ambitious criteria for responsible development, regarding social, environmental<br />
or Corporate Governance.<br />
Imerys Metallurgy Division, which emerged from S&B, encompasses the<br />
world’s leading bentonite, perlite, bauxite and moler businesses with its<br />
own high-quality deposits. Besides there is the Steel Casting Fluxes business<br />
unit, serving continuous steel casting production. The Metallurgy Division<br />
is mainly focussed on the foundry industry and its business segments. The<br />
former IKO has been renamed into Imerys Metalcasting.<br />
Imerys Metalcasting offers customized blends of green molding sand<br />
additives as well as the technical expertise to the foundry industry. Having<br />
a global focus, the company also serves international customer groups<br />
through the extensive network of 14 metalcasting sites in Europe, North<br />
America and Asia, according to the slogan: Think Global, Act Local. The<br />
main customer group are foundries with automated molding plants. Another<br />
application area for the Imerys products is the core shop using the<br />
cold box process, where Imerys provides core sand additives, which are<br />
needed to avoid veining and other core sand related casting defects.<br />
Dr. Oleg Podobed, Application Technology<br />
Manager – Foundry Germany. Safety plays<br />
<br />
concept (Photo: MV)<br />
molding sand additives based on bentonites,<br />
lustrous carbon formers and<br />
other selected high-quality raw materials<br />
from Imerys Metalcasting contribute<br />
to meet these challenges. Through<br />
the combination with Imerys, S&B<br />
gained access to the Imerys world of<br />
minerals. S&B, which hold previously<br />
only five industrial minerals, has over<br />
30 Imerys industrial minerals at its disposal<br />
now. “We use the larger portfolio<br />
for the development of new, high-performing<br />
products and blends,” explains<br />
Didier Legrand. This is a boost<br />
for further innovations. In 2<strong>01</strong>6 more<br />
than 90 new products were launched<br />
within the Imerys Group worldwide,<br />
whereas 110 new products have been<br />
developed in 2<strong>01</strong>7.<br />
Supply reliability is ensured<br />
Imerys Metalcasting benefits now<br />
from a much larger network, because<br />
the group is present on five continents<br />
with 270 industrial facilities in more<br />
than 50 countries. These include 14<br />
production sites worldwide operating<br />
for foundries in Europe, North America<br />
and Asia. “This allows us today to<br />
provide the right products at relatively<br />
short notice. Furthermore, the delivery<br />
security is increased,” according<br />
to Didier Legrand. “In addition, market<br />
fluctuations can be better absorbed because<br />
we have our own mines.”<br />
Focus on innovation<br />
The trend towards weight reduction<br />
in modern castings and increasing en-<br />
<br />
Marl (Photo: Imerys)<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 49
COMPANY<br />
Bentonite deposit on Milos (Photo: Imerys)<br />
Milling installation (above) and modern<br />
equipment in the laboratory (right) at<br />
the Imerys plant in Marl (Photo: Imerys)<br />
vironmental requirements request innovative<br />
solutions. Market demands<br />
shall not only be met due to the higher<br />
number of minerals used. The Imerys<br />
Metalcasting team has access to the research<br />
and development centers, testing<br />
facilities and expertise of the entire<br />
Imerys Group. The development of innovative<br />
solutions is supported by the<br />
newly founded Business Development<br />
Department. This young department<br />
not only promotes traditional research<br />
and development, but also focuses specifically<br />
on upcoming market trends<br />
and market processing. Imerys Metallurgy<br />
has enhanced its team with additional<br />
scientists since 2<strong>01</strong>5, pushing<br />
R&D projects in the foundry applications.<br />
Cooperation with universities<br />
and institutes has also been intensified,<br />
and investments in new equipment<br />
were made. On top of that, Imerys<br />
Metallurgy strengthened the sales<br />
team with young foundry experts.<br />
10 years ago, Envibond, the first environmentally<br />
friendly green molding<br />
sand binder, was launched into<br />
the foundry industry. The Envibond<br />
technology reduces the amount of organic<br />
components in the cycle system<br />
and allows the foundry to reduce significantly<br />
the emissions during pouring<br />
and thus to improve the working<br />
conditions. Thanks to the above-mentioned<br />
measures, Envibond is continuously<br />
and intensively developed further<br />
in order to provide the market<br />
with new solutions.<br />
Customer proximity remains<br />
guaranteed<br />
Among all the advantages, continuity<br />
is of high priority for Imerys. All products<br />
and services previously provided<br />
by IKO continue to be offered and are<br />
retained unchanged. Customer proximity<br />
is preserved. “Thus the background<br />
remains unchanged,” Didier<br />
Legrand underlines.<br />
Nevertheless, during the transition<br />
period Imerys relied on unavoidable<br />
and comprehensive information campaigns<br />
to manage it best. Through intense<br />
public relations efforts during<br />
the acquisition process, customers were<br />
continuously informed about the latest<br />
developments, and the previous contacts<br />
remained unchanged. This new<br />
combination was promoted visually at<br />
GIFA 2<strong>01</strong>5 in Düsseldorf: the IKO logo<br />
merged with the Imerys logo at the Imerys<br />
Metalcasting booth. This strategy<br />
was overall effective because in this way<br />
the acquisition “didn’t become a shock<br />
for the industry,” says Didier Legrand,<br />
and he concludes that the transition<br />
phase was successful despite the usual<br />
challenges such a change may cause.<br />
A matter of heart<br />
New solutions were found for the customers’<br />
challenges and for new applications.<br />
And it just fits because IKO/S&B<br />
and Imerys complement each other.<br />
They have the same background. Both<br />
companies offer mineral-based solutions<br />
for the industry. Therefore, it is all<br />
about a common successful future, and<br />
not a speculative transaction. “When<br />
Imerys acquires companies they look<br />
only for targets that complement or expand<br />
existing business segments, and<br />
that fit to the growth strategy and the<br />
markets of the Imerys Group,” emphasizes<br />
Dr. Oleg Podobed.<br />
Didier Legrand, as Technical & Commercial<br />
Director, is a good example representing<br />
continuity. His family has a<br />
long history in casting of metals. His father<br />
worked in the foundry industry for<br />
47 years. Didier Legrand joined the sector<br />
at the age of just 16 and started initially<br />
in the laboratory. And the fascination<br />
remained the same. He has now spent<br />
42 years in the same sector, of which 28<br />
years were at IKO and then at Imerys.<br />
The company is close to Didier Legrand’s<br />
heart. No wonder that he is so enthusiastic<br />
about the successful development of<br />
Imerys Metalcasting’s prospects.<br />
Keeping an eye on the sector<br />
As Sales Director in Europe, Didier Legrand<br />
rushes from customer to customer.<br />
It is important to him “because we<br />
have to keep an eye on the development<br />
of the industry.” Imerys Metalcasting<br />
considers itself a strategic partner of<br />
the automotive industry. Therefore,<br />
the company cares about the mobility<br />
of the future. Legrand regularly meets<br />
automotive foundry suppliers in order<br />
to know the expectations of the industry<br />
– so that Imerys Metalcasting can<br />
also continue to gain momentum.<br />
50 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
“Great potential for<br />
development”<br />
<br />
tion<br />
and the related challenges<br />
What was the situation of IKO/ S&B<br />
before the acquisition?<br />
IKO/ S&B was and continues to be a<br />
leading supplier of green molding sand<br />
additives for the foundry industry.<br />
During the last five years, however,<br />
the bentonite producer landscape<br />
has changed due to the acquisition<br />
of other bentonite players by larger<br />
companies. Therefore, this move was<br />
probably inevitable. But, unlike the<br />
competitors, S&B was taken over by a<br />
minerals specialist with the vision to<br />
develop this new segment for Imerys.<br />
What were the reasons for the acquisition<br />
of S&B by Imerys?<br />
Both companies have major high-quality<br />
assets and leadership positions in<br />
most markets. S&B is a healthy and<br />
well-managed company. Furthermore,<br />
its business model largely corresponds<br />
with the Imerys model. We can also see<br />
a strong potential for synergies: some<br />
end-markets complement each other<br />
and the geographical positioning is<br />
complementary. The potential for development<br />
is high, as e.g. for geographical<br />
expansion, innovation, product development<br />
and optimizations.<br />
What was the S&B employees’ reaction<br />
to the new ownership?<br />
People are always afraid about change,<br />
but in this case, the change was very<br />
positive thanks to the excellent preparation,<br />
the fast integration and the offering<br />
of new opportunities for personnel<br />
development. Overall, most people<br />
welcomed the acquisition by a large industrial<br />
group of companies.<br />
What are the challenges of the future?<br />
To accelerate innovation and to provide<br />
a fast response to the demanding<br />
market. There are always new technical<br />
requirements and growing challenges,<br />
for example regarding the environment,<br />
in the foundry industry. For this<br />
purpose, we are constantly innovating<br />
our products. Weight reduction is also<br />
an important topic for the automotive<br />
industry. In addition, the mobility of<br />
tomorrow is a fundamental issue for<br />
Didier Legrand (Photo: MV)<br />
us. However, it is impossible to provide<br />
a precise picture of the mobility in ten<br />
years’ time. Therefore, we want to continue<br />
to keep our eyes and ears open to<br />
what is happening in the market.<br />
www.imerysadditivesformetallurgy.com<br />
Wear Protection Technology<br />
and Industrial Products<br />
The Tungsten<br />
Carbide Manufactory<br />
Wear Protection Technology • Industrial Products<br />
Rehhagenhof 32, D-33619 Bielefeld<br />
Phone +49 (0) 521 / 14 13 13<br />
info@gerhard-warning.de<br />
If you are hard to please,<br />
our hardness will please you<br />
Further information: www.gerhard-warning.de<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 51
NEWS<br />
FILL MACHINE ENGINEERING<br />
Investment of 7.5 million euros in Gurten plant<br />
New Fill-production facility in Gurten, Austria (Photo: Fill)<br />
The high-tech company Fill Machine<br />
Engineering, Gurten, Austria, continues<br />
on its course of expansion. 5,000 m 2 of<br />
new production space is being created.<br />
Fill remains on course for growth. In<br />
order to ensure the proven quality of<br />
the internationally successful machine<br />
engineering company for the<br />
long term, the production facility is<br />
being expanded. In the upcoming<br />
months, 5,000 m 2 of additional production<br />
space for assembling machines<br />
and systems will be created.<br />
The electrical workshop area will also<br />
be doubled in size. A total of 7.5 million<br />
euros is being invested in the<br />
company’s headquarters. All construction<br />
work is being carried out by companies<br />
from the region or elsewhere in<br />
Upper Austria. Completion of the entire<br />
project is scheduled for late March<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8.<br />
“With the enlargement of our production<br />
facility, we are creating sufficient<br />
space for optimum assembly conditions<br />
in light of increasing demands<br />
on capacity,” explains proprietor and<br />
CEO Andreas Fill. All three hall sections<br />
will be completed successively by<br />
the end of March 2<strong>01</strong>8.<br />
The stilt-based construction style in<br />
which the new halls are being built has<br />
allowed attractive, covered parking<br />
spaces to be created for employees underneath<br />
the assembly area. In order to<br />
be prepared for e-mobility and completely<br />
in line with the successful company’s<br />
innovative spirit, ten electric<br />
charging stations will also be provided<br />
in this area. These will be made available<br />
to employees free of charge for charging<br />
their electric vehicles. Furthermore,<br />
erection of a large photovoltaic system<br />
is planned, which will supply environmentally-friendly<br />
energy to the production<br />
facility and to the electric charging<br />
stations in future. <br />
ELKEM<br />
New plant in China<br />
On 12 December 2<strong>01</strong>7, Elkem, Oslo,<br />
Norway, celebrated the opening of<br />
a new plant for foundry products in<br />
Shizuishan city in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous<br />
Region in China.<br />
The evening before the ceremony,<br />
Elkem China hosted a dinner for the<br />
customers. Roland Hennigfeld, VP of<br />
Sales & Marketing in Elkem Foundry<br />
Products, welcomed the guests by explaining<br />
the Foundry products business<br />
model in a new way: He compared the<br />
business model to a fine dining restaurant,<br />
where Elkem’s customers are the<br />
professional chefs who need high quality<br />
ingredients to best serve their dinner<br />
guests. Elkem Foundry Products represents<br />
the condiments needed for taking<br />
the meal to another level, and in this<br />
particular restaurant, the spices are Mg-<br />
The brandnew Elkem-plant for foundry products in Shizuishan city, China<br />
FeSi and Inoculants. With several years<br />
of experience from cooking in high<br />
quality castings, the experts from Elkem<br />
can advise on how to best use the condiments.<br />
The amount added is important,<br />
as well as which spice is used for<br />
52 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
which dish. It is also key that the dish<br />
does not become too expensive, and<br />
Hennigfeld added that Elkem’s “kitchen<br />
assistance” will assist in both keeping<br />
costs down and ensuring high quality.<br />
On the day of the ceremony, Elkem<br />
staff and managers, customers, government<br />
officials from Shizuishan and<br />
Vice President of the China Foundry<br />
Association where gathered for the celebration.<br />
Jean Villeneuve, SVP of Elkem<br />
Foundry Products, told the story of the<br />
journey that led to the opening of the<br />
plant. In 2<strong>01</strong>3, Elkem Foundry Products<br />
decided to “become a true global leader<br />
in metal treatment solutions to the iron<br />
industry”. At that time, the division<br />
had a strong footprint in North America<br />
and Europe and had identified a need<br />
for local production in Asia. Shortly after,<br />
the construction of the new plant<br />
in China began. This new plant will<br />
help Elkem in delivering tailor made<br />
solutions to customers that will reduce<br />
costs and increase efficiency.<br />
The General Manager of Elkem Foundry<br />
Products, Mr. Liu He, spoke of Elkem’s<br />
long history as a technology provider<br />
and the Vice President of the China<br />
Foundry Association wished Elkem the<br />
best of luck with the new plant.<br />
After the ceremony, the attendees<br />
visited the new plant, which has advanced<br />
technology, high EHS standards<br />
and follows the Elkem Business System.<br />
Making sure that all plants have the<br />
same standards and company culture is<br />
an important strategy for Elkem in China,<br />
and when promoting Elkem Foundry<br />
Products new business there.<br />
In the meantime, all employees have<br />
moved to the new plant. After a very<br />
short commissioning period, the new<br />
plant started the production. The furnace<br />
is running well and safely with the<br />
advanced safe way system. The new<br />
crushing, screening and packing system<br />
relieved strong labor work from operators<br />
and operators understand more<br />
about the new process and new equipment<br />
gradually, and are more confident<br />
to operate. “We can see our employees<br />
working in full swing now, for a safe, efficient<br />
and competitive plant”, according<br />
to Elkem.<br />
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NEWS<br />
EIRICH<br />
<br />
Permanent-magnet synchronous motors,<br />
which are also known as torque<br />
or high-torque motors, are rapidly becoming<br />
established as the standard<br />
solution for more and more applications<br />
– and now also in mixing technology.<br />
Combined with a compact and<br />
space-saving design that only requires<br />
very little installation space, the high<br />
torque output of these drives enables<br />
energy-efficient solutions for challenging<br />
mixing tasks – for customers of<br />
Eirich, Hardheim, Germany.<br />
Mixing drives with asynchronous<br />
motors, which have been commonly<br />
used for many years, come with restrictions.<br />
Usually, the rotational speed of<br />
the motor is not the same as that of the<br />
mixing tool. In order to obtain the<br />
most suitable mixing speed for the<br />
mixing task, gearing ratios are normally<br />
realized with the aid of V-belt drives,<br />
or gearboxes are used for applications<br />
with a high torque demand to translate<br />
high motor speeds into low tool speeds.<br />
Mechanical transmission elements<br />
such as V-belts and gearboxes are subject<br />
to wear, so regular inspections and<br />
maintenance are essential. When<br />
torque motors are used, these transmission<br />
elements are no longer required.<br />
The mixing tool is then connected<br />
directly via a flange to the<br />
motor shaft of the torque motor, and<br />
the power transmission is direct and<br />
loss-free.<br />
In terms of its basic layout, a torque<br />
motor is the same as a conventional<br />
asynchronous motor. The key difference<br />
is in the design of the rotor. Instead of<br />
the armature found in an asynchronous<br />
motor, which is subject to slip, rotors<br />
loaded with permanent magnets are<br />
used in torque motors. This technology<br />
enables an increase in the size of the<br />
magnetic field by around 20 %. The design<br />
of the rotor with permanent magnets<br />
and the resulting geo metry that<br />
this enables lead to an increase in drive<br />
torque, which in turn allows the motor<br />
to be used as a direct drive.<br />
The use of torque motors offers many<br />
advantages: less weight, more power<br />
Eirich intensive mixer with high torque drive (Photo: Eirich)<br />
and minimized losses improve efficiency<br />
and dynamic performance. Thanks<br />
to the omission of a number of mechanical<br />
elements, torque motors are<br />
low-noise and low-maintenance. Due<br />
to the increased stiffness of the drivetrain,<br />
e.g. in comparison to V-belt<br />
drives, vibrations are reduced and the<br />
motor runs more smoothly. There is<br />
virtually no wear at all in the motor,<br />
partly also because there are no radial<br />
belt forces.<br />
Further advantages of the torque<br />
drive result from the way in which the<br />
torque motor works and from the fact<br />
that it is operated with a frequency inverter<br />
as standard. Thanks to the high<br />
torque, which remains constant<br />
throughout the entire operating range<br />
of the motor, the torque drive with frequency<br />
inverter makes it possible to optimally<br />
adjust the rotating speed of the<br />
mixing tool to the requirements within<br />
a mixing process. Together with a<br />
high overload torque, the torque drive<br />
also enables the tool to start up under<br />
high loads. This makes the drive absolutely<br />
predestined for challenging mixing<br />
tasks where high levels of torque are<br />
required. For this type of application,<br />
asynchronous motors often need to be<br />
designed with a rated power output<br />
that is not called upon during the bulk<br />
of the processing time, but instead is<br />
just needed occasionally to cope with<br />
peak loads and during start-up.<br />
By comparing the cost of the torque<br />
motors and asynchronous motors,<br />
torque drives can initially appear more<br />
expensive due to the higher purchase<br />
cost of the motor including the frequency<br />
inverter. However, if the costs<br />
54 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
of the components for the belt drive<br />
and the gearbox that are required for<br />
drives with asynchronous motors are<br />
included in the cost assessment, the<br />
additional costs are relativized. Depending<br />
on the particular application,<br />
a torque drive can be fitted to a new<br />
machine with almost no additional<br />
cost in comparison to conventional<br />
drive systems.<br />
Since there are no friction losses due<br />
to mechanical components like belt<br />
drives, gear drives or transmission elements,<br />
the efficiency of the drivetrain<br />
is higher than that of conventional<br />
drive systems. As a result, the power requirements<br />
are lower, and this means<br />
that it is often possible to use drives<br />
with a lower power output. With a<br />
torque drive there is also no need for<br />
maintenance of belt drives and gearboxes,<br />
which are both subject to wear,<br />
or for ongoing checks of belt tension<br />
and/or oil fill levels.<br />
Today, Eirich already uses torque<br />
motors as standard on mixers for the<br />
preparation of lead paste mixes, which<br />
are used to manufacture rechargeable<br />
lead batteries. Eirich conducted a comparative<br />
study at a customer that<br />
looked at a mixer with an asynchronous<br />
motor and a V-belt drive and a<br />
mixer with a torque drive; energy savings<br />
of up to 25% were achieved during<br />
the preparation of identical formulas.<br />
For over ten years now, torque motors<br />
have also been the standard technology<br />
for large-scale mixers, which<br />
are used for the processing of ores and<br />
in sinter plants. The excellent energy<br />
efficiency, low maintenance requirements<br />
and long service life of the mixing<br />
tool drives have already inspired<br />
customers to convert older mixers to<br />
the new drive system.<br />
By equipping new machines with<br />
this drive technology, Eirich offers its<br />
customers the opportunity to significantly<br />
reduce the operating costs of a<br />
mixer. Costed over the entire lifecycle,<br />
which is often several decades, the investment<br />
in state-of-the-art drive technology<br />
will always pay for itself.<br />
Eirich will also be happy to examine<br />
the conversion of older machines that<br />
are already part of the existing inventory.<br />
Customers will then know the time<br />
frame within which an investment in<br />
torque technology will be viable. The<br />
aim is to enable operators to run their<br />
systems with high economic efficiency,<br />
productivity and production reliability.<br />
<br />
NEW<br />
multiPulse<br />
160 °C.<br />
Winner of<br />
2<strong>01</strong>7 Export Award.<br />
DISA<br />
<br />
Norican Group, Herlev, Denmark, and Suzhou<br />
Mingzhi Technology Co Ltd., Jiangsu<br />
Sheng, China, have announced the signing<br />
of a binding agreement whereby Suzhou<br />
Mingzhi Technology Co Ltd. has purchased<br />
the assets of the DISA Core product<br />
business, based in Leipzig, Germany.<br />
The sale is the result of close dialogue<br />
between the parties, exploring potential<br />
cooperation within complementary<br />
business areas, to better serve customers.<br />
DISA has been offering core<br />
solutions to the foundry industry for<br />
20+ years from its facility in Leipzig,<br />
Germany.<br />
The agreement with Mingzhi Technology<br />
offers an excellent opportunity<br />
to expand and secure the continuation<br />
of the quality products offered by the<br />
Leipzig team, combining it with the<br />
strength and experience of the Mingzhi<br />
Technology organization.<br />
All employees working with the Core<br />
equipment offering in Leipzig have<br />
been transferred upon closing to the<br />
newly established Mingzhi Technology<br />
Leipzig GmbH entity and will continue<br />
their work as part of the Mingzhi<br />
Technology organization. Any current<br />
DISA core product contracts will be fulfilled<br />
by the Norican Group in collaboration<br />
with Mingzhi Technology<br />
Leipzig.<br />
<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 55
NEWS<br />
STRIKOWESTOFEN<br />
Full speed ahead<br />
Easy comparison: the burners on the left<br />
and right have been adjusted near-stoi-<br />
<br />
short and cold – the energy requirements<br />
rise (Photo: StrikoWestofen)<br />
An optimum air-to-fuel ratio means<br />
optimum results: this is true for all<br />
combustion processes. It’s also the reason<br />
why, as of today, StrikoWestofen,<br />
Gummersbach, Germany, is offering<br />
foundry customers the option of<br />
near-stoichiometric burner adjustment.<br />
The setting has to be made only<br />
once, when the “StrikoMelter” melting<br />
furnace is commissioned, and will<br />
then ensure the correct ratio of air and<br />
fuel at all times. This not only minimizes<br />
energy consumption, it also reduces<br />
metal oxidation. As a result, the<br />
investment quickly pays for itself.<br />
In everyday foundry operations, excess<br />
air is often the culprit behind increased<br />
energy use of melting furnaces.<br />
“If you don’t keep an eye on air-fuel ratios,<br />
you are literally burning money,”<br />
says Rudolf Hillen, burner expert at StrikoWestofen.<br />
That’s why they now offer<br />
an economical method of near-stoichiometric<br />
burner adjustment.<br />
At a combustion air ratio () of 1, the<br />
oxygen in the air reacts completely with<br />
the fuel gas. While gas flow is easily measured<br />
via a meter, measuring the amount<br />
of air requires more complex equipment<br />
and can cause a steady loss of pressure in<br />
the combustion air system.<br />
“This is why we are now offering our customers<br />
a solution for which we only have<br />
to measure air flow once, during the commissioning<br />
of the furnace,” Rudolf Hillen<br />
explains. “To do this, we install a measuring<br />
section in front of the combustion air<br />
fan. The pressure drop at the standardized<br />
metering orifice is an exact measure of the<br />
air flow.” With the help of special software,<br />
the air vent of the burner can then be positioned<br />
precisely to produce an optimum<br />
combustion air ratio ()of near 1.<br />
The thus minimized excess air in the<br />
combustion process also reduces oxidation<br />
during the melting process in<br />
the furnace. Suitably adjusted burners<br />
ensure a high flame temperature and<br />
optimum heat transfer to the metal to<br />
be melted, saving energy and costs.<br />
“We are talking about approximately<br />
7 kWh less energy per tonne of metal, i.e.<br />
annual savings of around 2,500 euros. In<br />
other words, at a melting rate of 2 t/h, the<br />
additional one-off investment pays for itself<br />
within two years,” Hillen adds.<br />
From 2<strong>01</strong>8, near-stoichiometric burner<br />
adjustment will be included in the<br />
scope of delivery for the standard version<br />
of StrikoMelter models PurEfficiency<br />
and BigStruc. It is available as an option<br />
for all other StrikoMelters.<br />
www.strikowestofen.com<br />
EUROGUSS<br />
Trade fair sets new records - structural casting wins Aluminium Die-casting Award<br />
Trade visitors take a close look at an exhibit<br />
at Euroguss 2<strong>01</strong>8 (Photo: NürnbergMesse)<br />
The latest EUROGUSS came to an end<br />
on 18 January 2<strong>01</strong>8 after three successful<br />
days that set a new record for visitor<br />
numbers. Snow, rain, squalls and the<br />
associated traffic chaos in many parts<br />
of Germany and across Europe were<br />
not enough to deter around 15,000<br />
trade visitors (2<strong>01</strong>6: 12,032) from coming<br />
to Nuremberg to attend the diecasting<br />
trade fair. This year’s event saw<br />
the proportion of international trade<br />
visitors increase still further. A total<br />
of 641 exhibitors gave them the opportunity<br />
to learn about innovations<br />
and trends in the industry. E-mobility,<br />
structural components, application-specific<br />
alloys and additive manufacturing<br />
were discussed at many of<br />
the stands. The <strong>International</strong> German<br />
Die Casting Congress, held in NCC Ost<br />
for the first time, enjoyed the greatest<br />
attendance.<br />
As part of the EUROGUSS in Nuremberg,<br />
Germany, the German Aluminium<br />
Association(GDA) awarded the<br />
winners of the <strong>International</strong> Aluminium<br />
Die-Casting Competition 2<strong>01</strong>8.<br />
Prizes were awarded by a jury of experts<br />
from research and practice to<br />
three castings from renowned manufacturers<br />
with a further three castings<br />
receiving special commendations. The<br />
8th <strong>International</strong> Aluminum Die-Casting<br />
Competition is organized by the<br />
GDA. It was partnered by the German<br />
Foundry Association (BDG). The Aus-<br />
56 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
trian Non-Ferrous Metals Federation of<br />
the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber<br />
and the Swiss Aluminium Association<br />
“alu.ch” also supported the competition.<br />
For many years, the Aluminium<br />
Die-casting Award has proven to be a<br />
successful platform for demonstrating<br />
the high quality standards of aluminium<br />
die-castings. The aim of the competition<br />
is to boost interest in aluminium,<br />
a versatile material, still further<br />
and to demonstrate further fields of application.<br />
Criteria for evaluating the<br />
castings, submitted to the Aluminum<br />
Die-Casting Competition 2<strong>01</strong>8, were<br />
the die-cast conform and resource efficient<br />
construction.<br />
A jury of experts from research and<br />
practice awarded six submissions:<br />
three cast pieces received prizes, three<br />
more “Special Commendations”.<br />
The winners were:<br />
1st Prize: Connection part CD<br />
» DGS Druckguss Systeme AG, St. Gallen<br />
» Alloy: AISi10MnMgZnZr<br />
» Weight: 3,043 g<br />
» Dimensions: L: 797 mm, W: 437 mm,<br />
H: 304 mm<br />
» Weight upper part: 7 270 g<br />
» Weight lower part: 14,120 g<br />
» Dimensions: L: 1,120 mm,W:<br />
540 mm, H: 260 mm<br />
The prize was awarded to a housing for<br />
high-voltage batteries for a plug-in hybrid<br />
vehicle that needs to satisfy the<br />
highest possible crash requirements.<br />
The geometry is achieved by using a very<br />
slider-intensive tooling concept and<br />
keeping the sealing surfaces free from<br />
ejectors. Particular mention should be<br />
given to the long flow length and the<br />
T7 heat treatment which results in relatively<br />
low distortion for a component<br />
of this size. An added benefit is that the<br />
part can be used without machining.<br />
3rd Prize: Tank housing<br />
» Georg Fischer Druckguss GmbH,<br />
Herzogenburg<br />
» Alloy: EN AC-AISi10MnMg-T7<br />
» Weight: 10,900 g<br />
» Dimensions: L: 980 mm, W: 626 mm,<br />
H: 236 mm<br />
The third prize goes to a crash-relevant<br />
component that opens up a new area<br />
of application for die-castings in hybrid<br />
vehicles. Aluminium die-casting offers<br />
cost savings while reducing weight at<br />
the same time. The award-winning<br />
component incorporates an extremely<br />
wide range of different functions and<br />
replaces a possible fabricated sheet<br />
structure. The component is subjected<br />
to a T7 heat treatment to reduce<br />
the risk of distortion of the intricate<br />
parts. This entry also scored points for<br />
the high depth of value added right<br />
through to CIL coating in the foundry.<br />
www.aluinfo.de<br />
PRODUCTIVITY IN 3D<br />
The first prize is being awarded for the<br />
holistic approach adopted in obtaining<br />
a highly competitive cast structural<br />
component. It is a part that has established<br />
itself thanks to a weight saving<br />
of 19 % compared with a sheet-metal<br />
shell construction, the result of<br />
the part’s complex, load-path-optimized<br />
wall-thickness distribution and<br />
rib configuration. The need for higher<br />
specific strength was achieved by<br />
choosing a high-strength alloy with<br />
very good flow characteristics combined<br />
with a T6 temper. Very efficient<br />
temperature control together with a<br />
runner that is ideal from a flow technology<br />
point of view enables component<br />
wall thicknesses of 1.8-2 mm to<br />
be achieved.<br />
2nd Prize: Housing for high-voltage<br />
batteries, upper and lower part<br />
» Magna BDW technologies GmbH,<br />
Markt Schwaben<br />
» Alloy: EN AC-AISi10MnMg(Fe) - T7<br />
3D-PRINTED CAST SOLUTIONS<br />
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can be created with speed and precision.<br />
voxeljet AG<br />
Paul-Lenz-Straße 1a 86316 Friedberg Germany info@voxeljet.com<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 57
NEWS<br />
KELLER HCW<br />
Non-contact temperature measurement for steel castings<br />
CellaCast measurement with monitor<br />
(Photo: Keller HCW)<br />
The temperature of the melt is one of<br />
the most important, quality-relevant<br />
process parameters in the production<br />
of cast steel products.<br />
In many cases, the temperature of<br />
the liquid steel is controlled in the<br />
melting kiln, holding kiln or casting ladle<br />
by means of immersion measuring<br />
lances. After heating, however, the<br />
melt loses up to 10 °C per min. Depending<br />
on the time between the last<br />
measurement and the casting, the temperature<br />
may have dropped considerably.<br />
And especially the temperature of<br />
the melt during the mold filling is of<br />
crucial importance. The desired quality<br />
can only be achieved by exact control<br />
and compliance with the casting<br />
temperatures.<br />
In the meantime, infrared measuring<br />
systems have established themselves<br />
for measuring the temperature<br />
of liquid metal, which automatically<br />
record the temperature values in milliseconds<br />
without contact and from a<br />
safe distance.<br />
In order to eliminate problems<br />
caused by slag and oxidation on the<br />
metal surface, the CellaCast measuring<br />
system has a CSD (Clean Surface Detection)<br />
function. A special algorithm filters<br />
out the true measured values at the<br />
clean spots when pouring the melt.<br />
In numerous plants with grey cast<br />
iron and nodular cast iron, the Cella-<br />
Cast system is for several years successfully<br />
in use. Now, the system has been<br />
extended for higher temperatures with<br />
the device version CellaCast PA 83 AF<br />
14. This means that it can also be used<br />
in the production of cast steel. With a<br />
measuring range of up to 750 - 2,400 °C,<br />
the pyrometer completely covers the<br />
relevant temperature range.<br />
Thanks to the two-colour (ratio) measuring<br />
technique, the CellaCast system<br />
delivers stable measured values despite<br />
the extremely strong smoke and steam<br />
generation during steel casting. Disturbing<br />
flames are filtered out by the<br />
ATD (Automatic Temperature Detection)<br />
function.<br />
Customer statements such as “The<br />
system has paid for itself very quickly<br />
thanks to the quality increase and the<br />
acquisition of new information” confirm<br />
the customer’s benefit, e. g. in the<br />
production of turbocharger housings<br />
and exhaust manifolds.<br />
www.keller.de/its<br />
FIRMA<br />
Sintokogio Corp. buys foundry plant manufacturer<br />
The Japanese Sintokogio Corporation<br />
headquartered in Nagoya has taken<br />
over the majority of foundry machine<br />
manufacturer Omega Foundry<br />
Machinery Ltd., Peterborough, United<br />
Kingdom. Omega and Sinto have<br />
been involved in a strategic partnership<br />
since 2006.<br />
The acquisition by Sintokogio gives<br />
both companies the opportunity to<br />
benefit from the broad portfolio in the<br />
Sinto and Omega Managers signing the contract<br />
in Peterborough, UK (Photo: Omega).<br />
ConviTec<br />
Vibration machines and conveying technology<br />
Project planning – Manufacturing - Service<br />
www.convitec.net · 069 / 84 84 89 7- 0<br />
field of chemically bound sand combined<br />
with the power of a global enterprise.<br />
Among other things the company<br />
offers technical solutions for<br />
molding sand mixing, handling of<br />
molds, sand regeneration as well as<br />
core production.<br />
The name of the company will be<br />
changed to “Omega-Sinto” with immediate<br />
effect, and the company’s leadership<br />
will continue to manage the business<br />
of the company and its subsidiaries.<br />
“Being part of the world’s largest manufacturer<br />
of foundry machines presents<br />
significant opportunities for the company<br />
and our customers,” according to<br />
the Omega management.<br />
www.ofml.net<br />
58 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
RHEINMETALL AUTOMOTIVE<br />
<br />
Components from first-tier auto-industry<br />
supplier Rheinmetall Automotive,<br />
Neckarsulm, Germany, are<br />
increasingly finding their way into<br />
newly engineered electric vehicles.<br />
The auto-equipment specialist, a member<br />
of the technology group Rheinmetall<br />
AG, was recently awarded<br />
through its subsidiary Pierburg, an order<br />
from the Southern California vehicle<br />
maker, Karma Automotive, to<br />
supply coolant pumps for its plug-in<br />
electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV). Karma<br />
Automotive will install the pumps into<br />
its luxury vehicle, the Revero, which<br />
will be sold in the U.S. and Canada.<br />
In terms of output, the pumps,<br />
which will recirculate the coolant in<br />
these luxury vehicles, are to be delivered<br />
in a smaller version (CWA 50, 50<br />
watts) and a larger one (CWA 100, 100<br />
watts). The delivery period for the<br />
pumps is scheduled for production in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>7, will continue into 2<strong>01</strong>8 and the<br />
total contract has a value in the range<br />
of 6-digit euros.<br />
The CWAs are being manufactured<br />
at Pierburg’s German location in Hartha,<br />
Saxony, which for 25 years has belonged<br />
to Pierburg and has comprehensive<br />
experience in the engineering<br />
and production of electric drives for<br />
pumps and for other applications.<br />
The CWA series among the pumps<br />
manufactured in Hartha are used for a<br />
variety of functions: from cooling the<br />
charge air on turbochargers to the main<br />
coolant circuit on I.C. engines. The most<br />
recent model is available in a 48-volt version<br />
with an output of 950 watts. In today’s<br />
newly engineered hybrid and electric<br />
vehicles, the pumps can also handle<br />
such functions as cooling or temperature-control<br />
of electric drivelines, batteries,<br />
DC-DC converters, power electronics,<br />
and a whole range of additional jobs.<br />
<br />
22. <strong>International</strong> Fair<br />
of Technologies for Foundry<br />
25-27<br />
September<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
Kielce, Poland<br />
The 73rd World Foundry<br />
<br />
23-27<br />
September<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
Krakow, Poland<br />
<br />
<br />
Global Media Partner:<br />
The luxury brand Karma Automotive will in future be supplied with coolant pumps<br />
from Rheinmetall Automotive subsidiary Pierburg<br />
Contact:<br />
Piotr Odziemek<br />
+48 41 365 13 34<br />
odziemek.piotr@targikielce.pl<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 59
NEWS<br />
Foseco’s new Acticote CG coating (Photo: Foseco)<br />
FOSECO<br />
<br />
Foseco, Tamworth, UK, announced<br />
the launch of the Acticote CG coating<br />
range for the improved production of<br />
compacted graphite iron (CGI) castings.<br />
These coatings have been especially<br />
developed to minimize the degradation<br />
of the graphite structure in the<br />
rim-zone of CGI castings. Without<br />
such preventative measures, there is<br />
the risk of the formation of a flake<br />
graphite containing skin that can have<br />
a thickness of typically up to 1 mm, or<br />
in some more, which will affect both<br />
the mechanical properties and the machinability<br />
of the casting.<br />
During the casting process a depletion<br />
of magnesium within the solidifying<br />
skin of the casting can occur due to reactions<br />
of the magnesium with sulphur<br />
and oxygen present in the molding materials<br />
and/or in the mold atmosphere.<br />
This combined with the undercooling<br />
effects at the metal/mold interface<br />
can lead to a reduction in compacted<br />
graphite formation in favour of flake<br />
graphite. Acticote CG coatings act to<br />
provide a barrier to core gases and reduce<br />
undercooling, reducing the affected<br />
reversion layer to a minimum.<br />
Additionally, the coatings have high<br />
performance benefits including:<br />
» The refractory filler is highly resistant<br />
to the high temperature of the<br />
liquid iron and has good insulation<br />
properties.<br />
» The coating is formulated with excellent<br />
rheological properties making<br />
it ideal for the dipping of cores,<br />
building the required layer thickness<br />
without runs or drips<br />
» The water-based coating has optimal<br />
drying properties without any spalling<br />
or the formation of craters or blisters,<br />
ensuring the cast surface is free from<br />
pin-holes, blemishes or scabs.<br />
<br />
VDMA<br />
<br />
Three specialist associations of the German<br />
Mechanical Engineering Industry<br />
Association VDMA have merged.<br />
At their joint general meeting held<br />
on Thursday, November 16, 2<strong>01</strong>7 in<br />
Frankfurt, Germany, the VDMA spe-<br />
60 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Board of VDMA specialist association Metallurgy. From left.: Prof. Dr. Johann Rinnhofer,<br />
SMS Elotherm; Dr. Joachim G. Wünning, WS Wärmeprozesstechnik; Axel E. Barten,<br />
Achenbach Buschhütten; Dr. Ioannis Ioannidis, Oskar Frech; Dr. Christian Bartels-von Varnbüler,<br />
Küttner; not present: Rudolf Wintgens, Laempe Mössner Sinto (Picture: VDMA)<br />
cialist associations Foundry Machinery,<br />
Metallurgical Plants and Rolling<br />
Mills, and Thermo Process Technology<br />
announced the formation of a new<br />
joint association, the VDMA Metallurgy<br />
specialist association. The previous<br />
specialist associations are to be specialist<br />
sections of the new body.<br />
The overall board of VDMA Metallurgy<br />
will comprize the chairmen and deputy<br />
chairmen of the previous specialist<br />
associations. The designated chairman<br />
of the board is Dr. Ioannis Ioannidis,<br />
President & CEO Oskar Frech GmbH +<br />
Co. KG. Designated deputy chairmen<br />
are Dr. Christian Bartels-von Varnbüler,<br />
President Küttner Group, and Dr. Joachim<br />
G. Wünning, Managing Director<br />
WS Wärmeprozesstechnik GmbH.<br />
“The newly created platform expresses<br />
the joint commitment of companies<br />
in the metallurgical plant and equipment<br />
sectors to the further development<br />
of technologies for the metal production<br />
and processing value streams,”<br />
said Dr. Timo Würz, managing director<br />
of VDMA Metallurgy, at the inaugural<br />
meeting.<br />
VDMA Metallurgy represents 180<br />
member companies. The total sales of<br />
the metallurgical plant and equipment<br />
sectors amount to more than 4.6 billion<br />
euros (2<strong>01</strong>6), with a total workforce<br />
of about 24,000 (2<strong>01</strong>6). The sectors represented<br />
by the specialist association<br />
sold equipment with a total value of 2.3<br />
billion euros throughout the world,<br />
also in 2<strong>01</strong>6. The share of exports is<br />
more than 70 % on average.<br />
www.vdma.org<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
CellaCast<br />
Measuring<br />
system<br />
Expert for precise optical<br />
temperature measurement for<br />
process analysis and control<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Carl-Keller-Str. 2-10 · 49479 Ibbenbüren-Laggenbeck<br />
Tel. +49 (0) 5451 850 · its@keller.de · www.keller.de/its<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 61
NEWS<br />
NEMAK<br />
Casting solution for e-engine housings<br />
Nemak, Monterrey, Mexico, has successfully<br />
designed the housing of an<br />
e-engine unit for an innovative powershift<br />
three-way solution in cooperation<br />
with IAV, one of the leading engineering<br />
firms in the area of propulsion.<br />
Working together with IAV, the specific<br />
e-engine requirements were analyzed<br />
and the housing design was optimized<br />
in terms of functional integration,<br />
cooling, structural stiffness and NVH as<br />
well as ensuring a cost-effective, largescale<br />
and robust manufacturability.<br />
Due to the growing demand among<br />
automakers for attributes such as complex<br />
design, lightweight construction<br />
and integration of components into<br />
e-engine housings, aluminum casting<br />
processes are gaining momentum for<br />
electric engines. The weight advantage<br />
of aluminum as well as its favorable<br />
properties and easy castability makes it<br />
the material of choice for automotive<br />
powertrains and for e-engine applications.<br />
Nemak manufactures e-engine<br />
housings applying all of its casting technologies,<br />
including High Pressure Die<br />
Casting (HPDC), Low Pressure Die Casting<br />
(LPDC) and Gravity Die Casting<br />
(GSPM) and Core Package System (CPS).<br />
In view of a growing demand for<br />
functional integration and geometric<br />
complexity in e-engine housings, the<br />
Low Pressure Die Casting and the Core<br />
Package Sand (CPS) processes are increasingly<br />
coming into focus.<br />
The HPDC process is ideal whenever<br />
high productivity is needed. This casting<br />
process offers the possibility to cast<br />
very thin-walled components with<br />
some flexibility in design. LPDC is<br />
characterized by high flexibility in design,<br />
the use of different alloys, and<br />
The graphic shows the components of the newly developed casting solution for<br />
eengine housings (Graphic: Nemak)<br />
high mechanical properties supporting<br />
outstanding casting quality. CPS, a<br />
proprietary precision sand casting process,<br />
is the best option when highest<br />
flexibility in design and integration of<br />
components, best mechanical properties<br />
and lowest possible weights are required.<br />
CPS offers a high process efficiency<br />
together with a high level of<br />
production automation. To achieve<br />
sustainable progress in the field of electro-mobility,<br />
Nemak offers its wide experience<br />
in development and manufacturing<br />
of complex cast components<br />
– including the use of casting and<br />
property simulation – to develop forward-looking<br />
solutions that tap into<br />
the emerging electrification market.<br />
Nemak presented the newly developed<br />
casting solution for e-engine housings<br />
together with other innovations at the<br />
EUROGUSS trade fair in January 2<strong>01</strong>8.<br />
www.nemak.com<br />
ASK CHEMICALS<br />
Inauguration of new Spanish plant<br />
On November 30, 2<strong>01</strong>7, on of the leading<br />
foundry consumable suppliers,<br />
ASK Chemicals, Hilden, Germany, celebrated<br />
the official opening of its new<br />
Spanish plant. The company invited<br />
customers, suppliers, workers, and local<br />
authorities to join an interesting<br />
one-day program in the Port of Bilbao<br />
(Zierbiena).<br />
62 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
ly in the segments of aluminum cylinder<br />
heads, crankcases, and suspension<br />
parts by low-pressure die casting and<br />
gravity casting applications. The odorless<br />
and emission-free core production<br />
with Inotec is characterized by very low<br />
cleaning and maintenance efforts for<br />
machines and tools. Ecological advantages<br />
are strongly linked to economic<br />
and technological benefits as increased<br />
permanent mold availability leads to a<br />
general growth in productivity and improved<br />
mechanical component<br />
strength as permanent mold temperatures<br />
are reduced. In order to profitably<br />
deploy this technology and its ecological,<br />
economic, and technological advantages,<br />
expertise and specialized<br />
knowledge of materials and processes<br />
are required. The lecture to the Spanish<br />
audience focused specifically on those<br />
material and process requirements that<br />
are key to leveraging the full potential<br />
of Inotec.<br />
A joint speech by José Manuel<br />
Hernández, Technical Director at PYR-<br />
SA, and Julián Izaga, Director of Technology<br />
and Innovation at IK4-Azterlan,<br />
shared the interesting showcase of large<br />
steel castings. During the development<br />
of the gear wheel of an excavator, ASK<br />
Chemicals provided its foundry expertise<br />
and know-how to develop a specific<br />
In addition to this, Christian Koch introduced<br />
ASK Chemicals’ latest coatings<br />
developments for the segment of<br />
large casting applications. Here, besides<br />
fast-drying, water-based coatings that<br />
effectively prevent casting defects,<br />
highly productive full mold coatings<br />
were presented to the audience. An outlook<br />
on future requirements of coatings<br />
rounded off the lecture and demonstrated<br />
the contribution of coatings to<br />
reducing emissions. ASK Chemicals’<br />
patented Celantop coating technology<br />
absorbs emissions in large casting applications<br />
and avoids the need of any further<br />
investments in air treatment.<br />
The riser cap, developed by<br />
ASK Chemicals for the project,<br />
combines both insulating and<br />
exothermic characteristics. Especially<br />
size and geometry of<br />
the cast part required a tailored<br />
feeding solution<br />
(Photo: ASK-Chemicals)<br />
In keeping with the motto “Innovative<br />
solutions for the foundry industry<br />
– a new plant for new challenges”, the<br />
company presented its new, modern<br />
facilities to its guests and hosted interesting<br />
speeches on the latest ASK<br />
Chemicals technologies.<br />
Certainly one highlight at the event<br />
was Sales Manager Spain Jesús Reina’s<br />
speech on “Material properties and<br />
process requirements for inorganic core<br />
production”. The Inotec technology<br />
has established itself over the past ten<br />
years as a productive and alternative<br />
core manufacturing procedure in serial<br />
casting production processes, especial-<br />
mini-riser solution for the highest demands<br />
in safety, material, technological,<br />
and economical requirements.<br />
Christian Koch shared with the audience<br />
ASK Chemicals’ experience with its<br />
Miratec TS technology. The guideline<br />
VDA 19 (ISO 16232) formulates a very<br />
clear requirement for automotive series<br />
castings. The residuals in the components<br />
are limited by the guideline in order<br />
to prolong the maintenance intervals<br />
for the engines. Thanks to its<br />
self-detaching character, and with good<br />
anti-veining and anti-penetration properties,<br />
Miratec TS is giving the answer to<br />
these challenges by reducing the coating<br />
residue after pouring to a minimum.<br />
The inauguration event was topped<br />
off with a guided tour through the new<br />
facilities, where guests got a vivid idea<br />
of the new site. “Our new location is designed<br />
to fulfill the demanding requirements<br />
of the foundry industry. The machinery<br />
and testing equipment helps<br />
us to ensure the high-quality requirements<br />
of our customers – now and in<br />
the future,” states Iñigo Zarauz, Managing<br />
Director of ASK Chemicals Spain.<br />
The new Spanish site of ASK Chemicals<br />
accommodates the mini-riser operations<br />
as well as coatings production.<br />
www.ask-chemicals.com<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 63
BROCHURES<br />
Quality assurance<br />
16 pages, English<br />
A company brochure featuring quality assurance systems for the metals industry offered<br />
by EMG Automation. The systems enable operators to continuously optimize their<br />
production processes, thus enhancing the quality of their products to comply with the<br />
growing demands of their customers.<br />
www.emg-automation.com<br />
Determination of diffusible hydrogen<br />
4 pages, English<br />
A brochure featuring the G4 PHOENIX analyzer offered by Bruker for the determination<br />
of diffusible hydrogen. It describes the functional principle, technical data, hardware<br />
components and software features of the analyzer, which is also available for the analysis<br />
of nitrogen and oxygen.<br />
www.bruker-elemental.com<br />
High-performance hearth and bath melting furnace<br />
2 pages, English<br />
A fact sheet about the EcoMelter, type HSO, offered by Jasper. This hearth and melting<br />
<br />
aluminium treatment system. The entire bath serves as the melting zone. A dry hearth<br />
is integrated for pre-heating.<br />
www.jasper-gmbh.de<br />
Auxiliary materials<br />
28 pages, English<br />
A comprehensive brochure outlining the range of auxiliary materials offered by SQ<br />
Group. Materials offered include release agents, cleaning agents, mould and core adhesives,<br />
inorganic adhesives, mould sealing paste, surface enhancers for green sand and<br />
<br />
www.shenquan.com<br />
64 Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8
Cold ice cleaning and production<br />
20 pages, English<br />
A brochure explaining the dry ice production process and presenting dry ice cleaning<br />
solutions offered by Cold Jet. The Foundry Edition comprises a wide range of cold ice<br />
equipment, including a micro-particle system, for dry non-abrasive cleaning of machines,<br />
core boxes etc.<br />
www.coldjet.com<br />
Non-contact temperature sensors<br />
8 pages, English<br />
This brochure provides detailed descriptions of temperature measurement solutions<br />
offered by LumaSense Technologies for the metals processing industries. These include<br />
MIKRON thermal imagers and IMPAC pyrometers, temperature switches, etc.<br />
www.lumasenseinc.com<br />
Core making plant<br />
4 pages, English<br />
The brochure sets out the key components of complete core making shops installed by<br />
JML. Apart from core machines, sand storage facilities, sand and binder dosing units,<br />
<br />
handling equipment, etc.<br />
www.jml-industrie.com<br />
Power plants and incinerators<br />
4 pages, English<br />
This comprehensive brochure describes the range of services provided by Seven Refrac-<br />
ized<br />
bed combustion chambers, all kinds of furnace chambers, cyclones, rotary kilns, etc.<br />
The brochure includes a list of the refractory products with their key performance data.<br />
www.sevenrefractories.com<br />
Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 65
INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND CONGRESSES<br />
Fairs and Congresses<br />
Castcon<br />
<br />
www.castmetalfederation.com<br />
AFS Metalcasting Congress 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
<br />
www.afsinc.org<br />
Litmetexpo 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
<br />
<br />
Hannover Messe<br />
<br />
www.hannovermesse.de<br />
Metal + Metallurgy China 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
<br />
<br />
Metallurgy/Litmash 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
<br />
www.litmash-russia.com<br />
CastForge<br />
<br />
www.castforge.de<br />
Metalforum<br />
<br />
<br />
Advertisers´ Index<br />
Admar Group 53<br />
AGTOS Ges. für technische<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Gerhard Warning Verschleißtechnik<br />
<br />
<br />
Giesser<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jasper Ges. für Energiewirtschaft<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Regloplas AG 55
PREVIEW / IMPRINT<br />
Preview of the next issue<br />
Publication date: June 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
<br />
<br />
Selection of topics:<br />
<br />
The production of Aluminium castings globally is dominated by the automotive industry. To ensure that the casting<br />
quality is achieved, a more effective and technically sound melt treatment and a controlled pouring practice is essential.<br />
<br />
virtual ESI production solution for castings with ESI ProCAST. The simulation software enables foundries to optimize the<br />
methods and process conditions also in die casting.<br />
<br />
By using a ladle casting machine, the Italian foundry Fonderie Palmieri benefits from significantly less rejects and improved<br />
yield.<br />
Imprint<br />
Publisher:<br />
German Foundry Association<br />
Editor in Chief:<br />
Michael Franken M.A.<br />
Editor:<br />
Robert Piterek M.A.<br />
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Casting Plant & Technology 1 / 2<strong>01</strong>8 67