CPT International 03/2018

www.cpt-international.com 

September 

2018 

CASTING 

PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY 

INTERNATIONAL 

3 

Fully automatic 

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CASTING TECHNOLOGY 

BEYOND TOMORROW 

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to accelerate with INOTEC? 

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INOTEC offers you clear environmental benefits, excellent technical properties and 

impressive improvements in productivity – ensuring that you remain in the fast lane! 

ASK Chemicals experts look forward to hearing from you: 

Phone: +49 211 71103-0 

E-mail: info@ask-chemicals.com 

www.ask-chemicals.com/beyondtomorrow

EDITORIAL 

Casting has a future! 

In meteorological terms, autumn has already started and the trade fair season 

for foundrymen is resuming after the summer months. This year’s range is 

more extensive than ever – from EUROGUSS Asia Pacific in Bangkok and the 

World Foundry Congress in Poland, through ALUMINIUM in Germany and 

Ankiros in Turkey, to China Cast in Suzhou near the Chinese metropolis Shanghai 

– the marketplaces and discussion forums are again opening their gates for 

casters all over the world. It is a good start for a trade fair season that reaches 

its climax in the middle of next year with GIFA in Düsseldorf from 25. - 

29.06.2019. This is where the latest trends in the sector will become apparent 

and the most sophisticated foundry technologies will be presented. About 

80,000 visiting professionals and 2,000 exhibitors are expected again. 

When one reviews the time since the last GIFA, it is noticeable that the trends 

of both Industry 4.0 and the additive manufacturing of metals or molds and 

cores have arrived where they belong: in the toolboxes of casters as indispensable 

instruments for securing the future. Although it is undoubtedly true that 

few have actually made concrete investments yet, the awareness that these 

technologies cannot be ignored when modernizing or expanding product 

portfolios has grown considerably during the last four years, particularly in 

the high-wage countries of Europe. Plants and machines are being networked 

with one another and process data collected wherever possible, enabling the 

avoidance of faults, the optimization of processes, and the conservation of 

energy and raw materials. At the same time, 3-D printing opens up the possibility 

of skipping pattern making and, sooner or later, accelerating the production 

of single items and small batches while probably being able to further 

reduce the prices of these products. Although the 3-D printing of metals was 

still being underappreciated four years ago, here too there have been astonishing 

developments regarding products and printers. We can only guess where 

we will stand in 2019. We will know when GIFA starts. 

There have, however, also been astonishing developments in the design of new 

products in the foundry industry. The Bosch subsidiary Buderus Guss has come 

up with its so-called iDisc by combining the knowledge it has gained from the 

hard-metal coatings of tools and its expertise in the production of cast iron 

brake discs. The iDisc is a brake disc that suffers almost no wear and emits almost 

no fine particles into the environment – a small sensation in Germany, 

where the discussion on fine particles keeps flaring up (more on this from 

P. 36). One can see that casting has a future and that it pays to invest in ideas 

for its further development! 

Have a good read ! 

Robert Piterek 

e-mail: robert.piterek@bdguss.de 

Casting Plant & Technology 3 / 2018 3

FEATURES 

INTERVIEW 

Geisler, Stefan 

“We have to open up to everything” 6 

COREMAKING 

Mück, Felix; Appelt, Christian 

Inorganic binder systems in iron casting – current state of development 

and outlook 12 

MOLDMAKING 

Ermert, Stefan; Wilding, Chris 

Thermal sand reclamation for foundries 18 

Cover-Photo: 

Heinrich Wagner Sinto 

Maschinenfabrik GmbH 

Bahnhofstr. 101 

57334 Bad Laasphe 

info@wagner-sinto.de 

0049-2752-907-0 

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING 

Vorrath, Martin 

Structured liners from Bergmann Automotive 20 

QUALITY ASSURANCE 

Podobed, Oleg; Eilhard, Maximilian; Böhnke, Sandra; Brune, Jens 

Friability tester for molding materials 24 

30 36 

Efficient processes are decisive for the economic success 

of die-casting foundries. Machine producers like Bühler 

therefore constantly optimize their processes (Photo: Bühler) 

Buderus Guss has won the German Innovation Award with 

a corrosion-free cast iron brake disc that lowers fine particle 

emission and wear enormeously (Photo: A. Bednareck)

CASTING 

3 | 2018 

PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY 

INTERNATIONAL 

PRESSURE DIE CASTING 

Fuchs, Marc 

Process optimization of a die casting cell 30 

COMPANY 

Piterek, Robert 

On the peak of inventiveness 36 

ENGINEERING OF FOUNDRY PLANTS 

Vollrath, Klaus 

A modern new iron foundry for Kutes Metal 42 

COLUMNS 

Editorial3 

News in brief 48 

Brochures56 

Fairs and congresses / Ad Index 58 

Preview / Imprint 59 

42 

Leading edge technology is crucial for Turkey when it selects suppliers of capital goods. Therefore German providers had good 

chances when Çorlu-based Kutes Metal build a modern foundry to double the capacity and expand the portfolio 

(Photo: Kutes Metal)

INTERVIEW 

Dr. Stefan Geisler is Head of IP Management at KSM Castings’ Design & Engineering Department, where components are developed 

in close collaboration with customers (Photo: KSM Castings) 

“We have to open up 

to everything” 

Everybody in the sector is talking about e-mobility, e-fuels and light construction. Beyond the 

visionary musings of experts, it is particularly interesting how these major trends are seen in the 

development departments of large foundries. In an interview with CP+T International, Dr. Stefan 

Geisler, Head of IP Management and Strategic Projects at the KSM Castings Group in 

Hildesheim, Germany, revealed his opinion of the sector’s direction of development, the substitution 

potentials he sees, and how his employer KSM Castings is reacting to the trends. 

KSM is a light metal foundry for chassis, 

gear, engine and steering components. 

What is your strongest segment 

in the area of e-mobility? 

Chassis components – particularly 

wheel control castings for e-mobility. 

We also receive enquiries for e-motors, 

however, with all the complexity they 

involve. 

You develop e-motor housings. Do 

you observe any particular trend? 

Carmakers and first-level suppliers 

have the most varied of concepts, and 

we look at all of them so that we can 

assess whether we want to, and could, 

produce them. There are, for example, 

different types of cooling, such as 

two-part components that are welded 

at the end or single-part housings with 

sand cores, and the like. 

6 Casting Plant & Technology 3 / 2018

What cooling system do you use? 

One new development, for example, 

is to use CO 2 

as a cooling medium 

for such components. The advantage 

would be that we can work with 

a much smaller tube diameter. This 

would also simplify the casting of such 

components. Another approach is to 

use separate components that are conically 

inserted into one another. Then 

the outer surface of the inner housing 

and the inner surface of the outer 

housing no longer actually need to 

be machined because one can cast appropriate 

structures for cooling, slide 

the two halves together, and then weld 

them. Making the whole thing considerably 

cheaper to produce. 

Battery housings also offer potentials 

for casting. Do you also make these? 

Currently only within the framework 

of prototypes in a low-pressure 

sand-casting process. It would undoubtedly 

be an interesting market for 

us if we had high enough unit numbers. 

We are also thinking here about 

a variety of cooling concepts. Cooling 

for battery cases and e-motors is actually 

the most important aspect. It is a 

topic that has not yet been thought 

through all the way. We naturally 

think about how we can support the 

customers. 

KSM has developed a wheel hub motor. 

What is its current status? 

We developed a process in collaboration 

with other companies (such as 

Audi, AVL, and two Fraunhofer institutes) 

that enables us to produce a 

wheel hub motor in series. The project 

“SeRiel” was supported by the German 

Federal Ministry for Education and Research. 

A wheel hub motor would, in itself, 

be the optimum... 

That’s what many people say. From the 

point-of-view of the driving experience, 

it is indeed pretty much the optimum 

that one could imagine. Though 

I fear that it will remain a niche product. 

Because of the unsprung mass, at 

least that’s what one always hears? 

Machining of cast parts is largely automated at KSM Castings. In this production unit, a 

portal robot drives along the red steel beam from one aluminum processing cell to another 

(Photos: Andreas Bednareck) 

More because of the difficult control. It 

is not so easy to reliably accommodate 

all the necessary components, the motor, 

the power electronics and control 

system in such a tight space. 

What is the greatest challenge that 

you have regarding e-mobility? 

One does not have to bet on every 

horse. It is very important to observe 

the market accurately so that we 

can evaluate for ourselves where it is 

worthwhile for us to get involved, and 

where we can best exploit our competences. 

Is it the case that the OEMs or firstlevel 

suppliers specify the concept 

and you check whether you can produce 

it or not? 

It varies. Sometimes we are involved 

right at the start of development, 

which is, of course, the better case for 

us and the optimum case for the customer. 

We can contribute our ideas 

straightaway if we are integrated into 

development early on. But also the 

things that are necessary to successfully 

design the whole thing in casting 

terms. If we get involved as early as 

possible in the development phase of 

the component we can develop an optimum 

casting together with the customer. 

Which is too rarely the case, isn’t it? 

Should casters get together with the 

OEMs and first-level suppliers earlier? 

Ideally during the pre-development 

stage. But customers find this difficult. 

They do not want people to see what 

they are up to, because they are then 

tied to a specific supplier in a particular 

field. But I think that, on the whole, 

an optimally designed component is a 

win-win situation for both parties. For 

the casters and the customers. 

How does collaboration between customer 

and supplier work? 

The responsibility for development 

is increasingly being transferred to 

the supplier. This is a task that we are 

pleased to accept. That’s why we also 

have our own development department. 

We not only develop components, 

but we test whether the casting 

process that we are thinking about using 

for it is the optimum one. It may be 

that we have to change to a different 

casting process, possibly even develop 

a special casting process. 

That’s why we have two development 

departments: one is for Design & 

Engineering, where I work and where 

the component is developed in close 

collaboration with the customer. And 

the other is our R&D department that 

handles development of the appropri- 

Casting Plant & Technology 3/ 2018 7

INTERVIEW 

casting processes, but can also handle 

ramp-ups without burdening our 

production departments. We can also 

use this foundry for training our new 

employees. 

Industrial robots handle the comprehensive post-processing work at KSM Castings, 

contributing towards achieving maximum value creation 

ate process and materials. The two departments 

work closely with one another 

so that ultimately we provide 

the customer with an optimized component 

made using the optimum process. 

In this way we not only ensure 

an optimum design, but also optimize 

costs. 

One increasingly hears from the 

OEMs that casters in the automotive 

sector must change from pure component 

producers to system suppliers, 

and offer more than a cast component. 

Does this apply to you? 

Yes, we also offer complete concepts 

and have been developing, for example 

for Audi, complete pedal sets for more 

than ten years. In the end, we only produce 

the bearing block, which is made 

of aluminum, but the development of 

the entire systems – with all the pedals, 

springs and sensors – comes from us. If, 

ultimately, something does not function 

properly we are, of course, the first 

contact for the customer for correcting 

the problem. 

This ultimately means that you 

must increasingly think about how 

a component could be integrated 

in multi-material construction, must 

consider joining techniques, or temperature 

management. In other 

words, topics extending far beyond 

the pure casting of a component? Do 

you need different system competence 

from that required by a ‘pure’ 

caster who simply delivers castings? 

We concern ourselves with these topics, 

though this does not mean that we 

have everything in-house. We work 

closely with engineering consultancies, 

with university institutes, Fraunhofer 

and other research institutes, as 

well as with our suppliers. The depth 

of production has played a more-andmore 

important role in recent years. 

In addition, customers increasingly 

want the supplier to take over processing 

of the casting. Simply delivering 

raw castings is only a minor part of 

our work. We have to build up expertise 

with the help of full automation. 

We cannot, of course, achieve this all 

at once – so we have also leant very 

heavily upon our suppliers who designed 

and installed the corresponding 

plants. On the other hand, we also 

develop new casting processes with 

our suppliers. For example, we have 

developed the CPC process in collaboration 

with Fill, Gurten, Austria, and 

a tilt casting technique with another 

supplier. To allow us to test all these 

casting techniques and new materials 

we are now building an experimental 

foundry with the appropriate 

machinery, in which we test different 

materials and various ideas for new 

Does this mean that you want to expand 

your range of products in future? 

Initially this means that we have to 

constantly further develop our processes, 

even well-known generally recognized 

processes. We are one of the 

market leaders in the production of 

wheel control components made of 

aluminum. Naturally, this will remain 

a core business – whatever the e-vehicle, 

or even the car of the future, looks 

like it will still have four wheels that 

will have to be attached to the chassis 

somehow. In this regard it will remain 

an important topic for us in the 

future, and one we will have to develop 

further. 

What role does material development 

play? 

A relatively large one. We are always 

trying to further develop our materials 

in the direction of greater strength 

and greater flexibility, depending on 

what is currently needed. Some of this 

we do ourselves, though some of it we 

carry out with our customers or with 

aluminum suppliers. 

At KSM you not only speak of e-mobility, 

but also of ‘future mobility’. 

What do you do in concrete terms? 

e-mobility is at least a clear trend that 

all carmakers are following. Alternative 

drive technologies, such as fuel 

cells or e-fuels, are more like R&D topics 

in Germany... 

We must not only refer locally to Europe. 

We have to look to where we will 

be placed in future and what energies 

will then be available. In Europe it will 

definitely be the case (as Fraunhofer 

ISE showed in a study) that we will be 

able to produce all electrical energy regeneratively 

by 2050. The prerequisites 

are right here in Germany, also in geographical 

terms. The situation is different 

in other countries. If, for example, 

one looks at Japan, then this possibility 

does not exist there. The Japanese, 


however, are now starting work on producing 

hydrogen in Australia with regenerative 

energies, and then transporting 

it to Japan in tankers. There 

the fuel cell would be a better option. 

Does this affect your business? 

We still have to wait to see the extent to 

which this will affect our business. We 

have to carefully observe developments 

and then assess them for ourselves. In 

my opinion, the development of e-fuels 

has been totally underestimated. I 

think that there will be a lot of action 

here soon. e-mobility does not just involve 

the development of electric cars. 

One also has to consider the entire infrastructure. 

It may be possible in an 

industrial nation like Germany. But if I 

look at, for example, the United States 

(which often has problems with its energy 

supply) I consider the development 

of a suitable infrastructure relatively 

difficult – not to mention in 

the threshold nations. If one looks at 

China, e-mobility works excellently in 

Shanghai and Beijing but not further 

out in the countryside. In contrast to 

demands for greater e-mobility, the 

funding for e-mobility there is currently 

being scaled back. 

Which funding programs do you think 

require more support? 

I would like to see politics not only 

one-sidedly promoting e-mobility 

but also considering what the alternatives 

to it are. What about e-fuels? 

We could solve many problems if 

we made a breakthrough here. Then 

we wouldn’t need to adapt our infrastructure. 

Who is supposed to pay 

for the infrastructure for e-mobility? 

There are already differences of opinion 

here. I do not think that the state 

can afford to do it alone. And the energy 

providers are still having trouble 

with the whole subject. So this is 

another of those things that we have 

to keep an eye on, so that we can react 

appropriately when there is some 

movement. 

Energy experts, like Prof. Martin Wietschel 

from the Fraunhofer ISI, do not 

think the production of e-fuels in Germany 

is practical because the renewable 

energy available here would be 

insufficient in future… 

Sure. I also do not think that it is sensible 

to produce e-fuels in Germany. This 

must be done where there is sufficient 

regenerative energy for it. That could 

well be with solar cells in the Sahara in 

northern Africa. 

Does the topic fundamentally need 

more political attention? 

It needs to be pushed. One also hears 

voices from industry who demand that 

one should come to a decision about 

the direction one wants to take: not 

just push e-mobility, but also re-evaluate 

alternative possibilities. When I see 

how many new institutes have sprung 

up recently dealing with alternative fuels, 

and the dynamism that research 

on this topic currently has without receiving 

any major funding from the 

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INTERVIEW 

price alone? Material-related competition? 

Functional integration? 

Ultimately always the price. Functional 

integration and the mix of materials 

also bring cost advantages. It will 

be accepted as long as we can present 

it all as reliable, economical and environmentally 

friendly – and here, 

again, we are back at democratic light 

weight construction. But there are 

also many developments, particularly 

at the institutes, of which I think: 

that’s a dead-end, it will never be affordable. 

That is why I say that we 

should concentrate on technologies 

that are also, ultimately, accepted by 

the customers. 

Camshaft carriers in a row on a conveyor system, like pearls in a necklace. The components 

are destined to be sent to the Wolfsburg-based carmaker Volkswagen 

state, it shows that e-fuels are an important 

topic that one should not ignore. 

KSM is a light metal foundry for aluminum 

and magnesium so it does 

light construction. Battery weight 

might one day not play the role it 

currently does, because there will be 

greater power density and thus longer 

e-vehicle ranges. What is the future 

of light weight construction? 

It is vitally important for light weight 

construction that it remains reasonably 

priced. It must be reliable, environmentally 

friendly, and affordable. 

Only then will it be accepted. 

That is why I speak of democratic 

light weight construction – the expression 

is not mine – but this is exactly 

the right expression. It is not a 

matter of light weight construction 

at any price. So in order to achieve it, 

we have to ensure that we optimize 

materials and processes so that we 

get components at reasonable prices. 

Whether they are die-cast components 

made of pure aluminum or hybrid 

components with steel, we have 

to get rid of all the worries and restrictions 

and also consider other processes. 

We have to open up to everything: 

the plastic producers, the forges, the 

steel producers, but also the competition. 

We have to find optimum solutions 

together to continue to make 

the industrial location of Germany 

attractive. 

Does KSM do this? 

I, at least, advocate that we collaborate 

with competitors and not just with 

suppliers and customers. We have already 

carried out a few projects with 

competitors and successfully completed 

them. Ultimately, there were advantages 

for all involved. 

You mentioned hybrid solutions made 

of aluminum with steel. BMW, for example, 

is testing the practical applicability 

of molded steel straps in order 

to economically integrate aluminum 

die-casting in the production chain of 

sheet metal, and it is developing castings 

with steel insets to make components 

more compact. Are you doing 

similar work? 

I would be pleased if the OEMs got 

us casters involved in such topics. 

Of course, the OEMs have their own 

foundries and can do this in-house. 

But, ultimately, if it comes to mass production 

with such inserts we are then 

asked whether we can do this sort of 

thing. We have already presented development 

of hybrid components ourselves, 

say for casting different materials. 

We would be pleased to contribute 

this experience to such projects. 

What drives light metal casting? The 

Can you give us an example? 

Take the topic of salt cores. This technology 

is not accepted by casters because 

it is very difficult to implement, 

causes corrosion in the machinery, 

and involves a very high maintenance 

level for foundry machines. I do not 

think that the lost-foam process has a 

future either. These are all topics that 

are great when well thought-out and 

scientific, but at the moment they do 

not bring us any further. They do not 

help the industry. 

Conversely, do you see any processes 

that are not yet economical but that 

perhaps have a great future? 

The central topic is light weight construction. 

I think that a lot more is 

possible than is currently being done 

with hybrid components and hollow 

cast components. We have to keep 

working on them and succeed in producing 

these hybrid components economically. 

Here, too, the question is 

will we succeed in developing processes 

that can do this? 

Does 3-D printing play a role in light 

weight construction? 

I see 3-D printing as a benchmark. As 

a goal that is theoretically possible but 

cannot be implemented practically using 

the casting process. 3-D printing 

will not be able to replace foundries, 

though it will undoubtedly penetrate 

more and more. But then only for premium 

vehicles and for a limited number 

of components. 


Castings can be added to with the laser 

powder process or laser hot-wire 

welding process... 

That is possible, but here, too, one will 

not be able to reach the unit numbers 

that are necessary. 

Not yet? 

It is all-to-often forgotten that even 

additive production cannot ignore 

the rules of physics. Ultimately here, 

too, it is only a process: melting and 

cooling. This does not work at any 

particular desired speed. I think that 

the foundries will in future increasingly 

have to get involved in additive 

production. But this will then just be 

a supplementary topic that one assesses 

or works with. 

Is it also something for you? 

We ourselves have a machine for laser 

melting at our Czech plant. We 

produce complex cores there for our 

die-casting processes with complex 

cooling. 

Does the process make sense for 

tools? 

It really shortens the cycle time. 

What does one have to do to increase 

the use of casting parts in the volume 

market? 

The price must be right, that is obvious. 

Can cast parts compete with sheet 

metal shell structures in mass production? 

Will light metal castings also be 

used in the VW Golf? If we succeed 

in producing large unit numbers economically, 

so that we approach the 

steel price, then I think it will also 

be possible to use aluminum in compact 

cars. This requires the flexible automation 

of processes: for example, 

I can cast similar products to what are 

currently produced in steel. In the 

downstream interlinked processes, the 

automatic systems recognize the component 

involved and can then appropriately 

process it. In this way I could 

imagine that ultimately production 

could be so cheap that aluminum components 

could also be considered for 

compact cars. 

Are you working on this? 

That is one project that we are working 

on. I think it is possible that castings 

could be so economically produced 

that it becomes attractive for carmakers 

to also use aluminum in smaller 

vehicles. By the way, the Chinese are 

much more open to this idea. They 

also use a lot more aluminum in compact 

cars. 

Do you still see a lot of untapped potential 

for light metal casting? What 

is your summary? 

Yes. I can see that. 

The interview with Dr. Stefan Geisler was 

conducted by Gerd Krause, Mediakonzept, 

Düsseldorf 

www.ksmcastings.com 

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COREMAKING 

Initial feasibility studies and customer 

projects on real component geometries 

underline the fundamental 

potential of inorganic binder systems 

like the Inotec technology in 

iron casting applications 

(Photo: Shutterstock) 

Felix Mück and Christian Appelt, ASK Chemicals GmbH, Hilden 

Inorganic binder systems in iron 

casting – current state of development 

and outlook 

The Inotec technology from ASK Chemicals has previously been limited to large-scale applications 

in light metal casting [1]. In heavy metal casting, inorganic binder systems also have huge 

potential as an emission-free system alternative to organic core production processes. However, 

a number of materials science and technological hurdles must be overcome first. For example, 

the processes and sand systems are more complex and the requirements for the thermal resistance 

of the binder are significantly higher [2] 

Motivation 

Initially, the introduction of the Inotec 

technology in light metal casting applications 

was purely ecologically motivated. 

The market launch resulted 

in other valuable technological, economic, 

and ecological advantages. Today, 

ten years after the introduction 

in large-scale processes of light metal 

foundries, the Inotec technology from 

ASK Chemicals, Hilden, Germany, has 

become established as a productive 


core manufacturing process. This technology is mainly used 

in low-pressure die and die gravity casting to produce AI cylinder 

heads and crankcases as well as chassis components. 

Also in cast iron applications, inorganic binder systems 

have a huge potential as an emission-free system alternative 

to organic core sand binders. Due to political and legislative 

measures, the provisions of TA Luft (Technical Instructions 

on Air Quality Control) in Germany have already been 

tightened and in the future will also be subjected to further 

restrictions. The use of emission-reduced or emission-free 

processes will be affected by this. However, there is still no 

large-scale application for this technology, since the transfer 

from light metal to cast iron is generally associated with 

fundamental challenges. The sand systems and processes 

are significantly more complex and the casting temperature 

is about twice as high, which is inevitably associated with 

higher mechanical and thermal strain of the binder system. 

Nevertheless, inorganic binder systems offer significant 

advantages. Primarily, no harmful and volatile compounds 

are released during the core production, core storage, or 

casting processes. As a result, no complex and cost-intensive 

air treatment systems are necessary. In addition, the risk 

of traditional casting errors, such as gas bubbles or veining, 

is reduced through the use of inorganic binders, which eliminates 

post-processing steps of castings and potentially reduces 

scrap rates. The economic, ecological and technological 

benefits are offset by an initial investment volume for the 

core shooting machines and heatable core tools. 

Special requirements for inorganic binding 

systems in iron casting 

Various feasibility studies on the use of inorganic binder 

systems in cast iron applications have been carried out for 

about a decade. One example is the study on the manufacture 

of a ventilated GJL (flake-graphite cast iron) brake disc, 

which describes the complexity of this project in detail [3]. 

The incompatibility of inorganic bound sand cores with water-based 

coatings, insufficient thermal stability and poor 

decoring properties are material-specific weaknesses of inorganic 

binder systems that previously limited their use in 

iron casting. In addition, there are process-related problems 

that must be clarified prior to implementation in series production. 

These include greensand compatibility, the handling 

of alkaline used sand and ensuring a productivity that 

is comparable to cold box technology. 

Coating stability 

Feasibility studies of inorganic binder systems in iron casting 

have shown that the coating of inorganic bound cores 

is one of the biggest challenges. Countless efforts to coat filigree 

cores have failed, almost all of them resulted in core 

breakage. The Inotec binder coating system was systematically 

developed with the aim of coating even the most complex 

and filigree core geometries, such as water jackets, in a 

process-reliable manner. 

In the coating-drying process, the sand core is exposed 

to an aggressive climate with high humidity after the ap- 

Giesserei_DE_EN_1_2_SeiteHoch.indd 1 20.08.2018 12:05:57

COREMAKING 

100 

relative core strength in % 

80 

60 

40 

development 

coating system 

20 

0 

development 

binder system 

basic binder system optimized binder system optimized coating 

cold strength 

uncoated 

oven curing 

cold strength 

coated 

Figure 1: Development concept of the binder-coating system: Strength profile (coating stability of the binder system) in the drying 

process (Graphics: ASK Chemicals) 

basic 

binder system 

basic 

optimized 

coating 

optimized 

Figure 2: Two-stage optimization step of the binder-coating system facilitates a process-reliable drying process without core breakage 

of the delicate water jacket frame core 

plication of a water-based coating 

and with the heat of a drying oven, 

which favors the back-reaction of 

the network formation by splitting 

the silicate framework. The sand 

core thus increasingly loses strength 

and is susceptible to deformation or 

core breakage when passing through 

a strength minimum. If it survives 

these critical phases, the sand core 

reaches a considerable strength level 

again in the further course of the drying 

process, but in particular in the 

cold strengths. 

The optimization of the binder-coating 

system can be divided into two 

main steps (Figure 1). In a first step, 

the coating stability was improved 


y chemically modifying the binder. 

During the oven drying, significantly 

higher core strength can then be 

ensured throughout the entire drying 

process. In a second development 

step, a new coating was designed that 

was specifically tailored to the characteristics 

of inorganic cores. By an optimal 

combination of both components, 

an inorganic binder system and 

a water-based coating, the core is only 

slightly weakened during the drying 

process. 

The coating formulation is basically 

targeted to a certain application type, 

such as dipping or flood application. 

It is sought after to develop a coating 

that does not unnecessarily stress the 

binding system already during application. 

In the case of an optimal coating-drying 

process, the inorganic sand 

core is only slightly stressed resulting 

in a high mechanical stability with 

a simultaneously low residual moisture. 

The risk of casting errors (scabs, 

gas bubbles, penetrations) can thus be 

significantly reduced and a process-reliable 

moisture level of the coated cores 

can be ensured. The use of a compatible 

binder-coating system first made it 

possible to coat even filigree core geometries 

such as a water jacket frame 

core, in a process-reliable manner 

without core breakage (Figure 2). 

Thermal deformation 

Complex components with low wall 

thicknesses (e.g. water jacket) require 

a high degree of thermal-mechanical 

resistance of the binder system during 

casting. [2] Due to the thermoplastic 

properties of inorganic binder systems, 

the sand core can deform under 

the influence of temperature and pressure 

from the iron smelt, which results 

in a significant dimensional deviation 

of the raw casting. Thereby, the thermal 

stability of the binder system describes 

its ability to withstand the thermal 

strain for a certain period of time 

without deforming. The thermal stability 

is defined by the softening point 

of the binder system, which is empirically 

determined using the hot stage 

microscope (Figure 3a). 

Optimizing the binder system can 

increase the thermal stability and ensure 

the dimensional accuracy of the 

castings (Figure 3b). 

The use of special water-based coatings 

offers another way to counteract 

thermal deformation. In the coating 

formulation, the specific thermal 

conductivity can be specifically controlled 

through a defined selection of 

suitable refractory components and 

through the rheological system. Protected 

by the application of a coating 

layer on the sand core, the binder system 

withstands the thermal and mechanical 

loads during casting, which 

significantly reduces the degree of 

thermal deformation and also improves 

the surface quality of the unfinished 

casting. 

105 Years 

of Excellence 

1913-2018 

Dross 

Momometer Ad_186_128.indd 1 07.05.15 08:26 

Casting Plant & Technology 3/2018 15

COREMAKING 

100 

optimized wall thickness 

90 

area in % 

80 

70 

For example, the compatibility of 

inorganic bound used sands with bentonite-bound 

molding sand (greensand 

compatibility) is a decisive criterion 

for the series application of 

inorganic binder systems in iron casting. 

In every process cycle, inorganic 

bound used sand gradually accumulates 

in the bentonite-bound molding 

sand. However, initial studies have 

shown that a core sand concentration 

of up to 25 % is considered non-critical. 

However, this should be individubasic 

binder system optimized binder system 

60 

400 600 800 1000 1200 

temperature in °C 

basic binder system optimized binder system 

Figure 3: a) Hot stage microscope investigations of the thermal stability of inorganic binder systems. b) Increasing the dimensional 

accuracy of the casting through the targeted adjustment of the thermoplastic properties of the Inotec binder system 

Decoring in % 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

optimized binder system 

basic binder system 

0 

1 2 3 4 5 

6 7 

Pressure in bar 

Shake-out behavior and decoring 

capability 

The occasional poorer shake-out behavior 

of inorganic cores in iron casting 

results from the chemical nature 

of waterglas-based systems. Unlike 

organic binder systems that pyrolyze 

during the casting process, the inorganic 

binder system softens and vitrifies 

into the state of a supercooled glass 

melt during slow cooling. Taking into 

consideration additional sintering and 

sand expansion effects, this results in 

the poor shake-out behavior of the inorganic 

bound sand core. This is particularly 

pronounced in the filigree core 

geometries with an unfavorable sandiron 

ratio. 

While organic additives are used in 

traditional waterglas-ester or CO 2 

systems 

to optimize the shake-out (such 

as by adding molasses), new inorganic 

materials were identified in the course 

of continued development, which significantly 

increase the decoring behavior, 

even with a low energy input 

( Figure 4). 

The application of coatings also 

makes a significant contribution to 

increasing the decoring capability. 

When uncoated, the liquid iron penetrates 

into the sand core, whereby additional 

sintering processes negatively 

affect the shake-out behavior. A coating 

layer can prevent smelting and sintering 

processes resulting in a smooth 

casting surface, whereby the core can 

be more easily removed from the raw 

casting. 

Process engineering challenges 

A technological change to inorganic 

binder systems also includes process 

engineering challenges, as already indicated. 

Greensand compatibility, economic 

cycle times and the process engineering 

handling of alkaline used 

sands are examples. 

Increase in energy input per decoring interval 

Figure 4: Decoring Study of Inotec-bound sand cores after casting (GJL: 1420 °C) – Increasing 

the decoring capability by inorganic core sand additives. 


ally validated for the greensand system of each foundry. 

When designing the core production processes, an 

economic cycle time of the entire process is very relevant. 

The chemical and physical curing mechanism results 

in a significantly higher overall cycle time in the 

core production in the case of very large core cross-sections 

or high core weights. 

In addition, “inorganic used sands” have a high pH 

value, which drastically reduces the processing time of 

sand mixtures when using cold box binder systems. Inorganic 

used sands are therefore not compatible with 

a cold box production, i.e. a separation of inorganic 

sands from the cold box sand cycle is required. 

Summary 

The initial feasibility studies and customer projects on 

real component geometries highlight the basic potential 

of inorganic binder systems of the Inotec technology 

in cast iron applications. Already today voluminous 

cores and molds with moderate thermal strain 

can be used as a partial replacement in a cold box 

core package. A big challenge, however, remains the 

technological transfer of the inorganic binder system 

to the entire core package, whereby the first material-specific 

hurdles were already overcome through the 

gradual development of an optimized binder-coating 

system. 

For a series-ready application of inorganic binder systems 

in iron casting, the technological findings from 

the laboratory must be transferred into practical operational 

sequences in order to evaluate and estimate the 

overall potential of the current developments. Strong 

partnerships between industry and research facilities 

are essential for this purpose. Increasing regulations 

in the field of environment (market pull) as well as the 

progressive development of inorganic binder systems 

(market push) should be drivers of corresponding development 

projects. 

Maximize 

your profit 

with 3D printed 

cores & molds. 

Our experts 

will be pleased 

to advise you! 

Dr. Felix Mück, Laboratory Head Inorganics Iron & Steel, 

Dr. Christian Appelt, Global Incubator Business Manager Inorganics, 

ASK Chemicals Hilden, Germany 

www.ask-chemicals.com 

References: 


Daimlerstr. 22 • 86368 Gersthofen 

+49 (0) 821 650 630 

ExOne.com • europe@exone.com 


MOLDMAKING 

Model of a thermal sand-conditioning plant (Photos: Omega Foundry Machinery) 

Stefan Ermert, Fesco Gießereimaschinen GmbH, Bad Laasphe, und 

Chris Wilding, Omega Foundry Machinery, Peterborough 

Thermal sand reclamation 

for foundries 

Today’s modern foundry using one of the many chemically 

bonded sand systems available is under increasing pressure to 

reduce costs, reduce its impact on the environment but at the 

same time improve and maintain its casting quality. One of the 

ways of meeting these requirements is to invest in sand reclamation. 

Whilst most foundries now have mechanical reclamation, 

many are looking to further reduce costs and invest in 

thermal reclamation. 

temperatures of between 670 °C and 

720 °C depending on the type of binder 

used. The sizes on offer from Omega 

Foundry Machinery, Peterborough, 

UK, range from 250 kg/h up to 12 t/h. 

The patented “Dead Bed” system 

from Omega ensures total heat insulation 

and therefore lower running 

costs but also a longer life for the ceramic 

fibre insulation. This is due to 

the “Dead Bed” providing protection 

for the insulation from sand erosion 

caused by the moving processed sand. 

Low running costs are achieved 

through a combination of the excellent 

insulation of the furnace with the 

“Dead Bed” system as well as a heat recovery 

module after the furnace that 

takes the heat from the hot sand as 

it leaves the furnace and reintroduces 

that heat as warm air into the fluid 

bed section of the furnace. This 

means that the fluidizing air is always 

warm, leading to lower gas consumption 

( Figure 1). 

Safety is also of prime concern so 

multiple safety systems are employed 

to monitor fluid bed ignition, temperatures 

for every component (including 

dust collector) and level of 

sand available for processing. Also, a 

full touchscreen HMI with status and 

fault finding indications is provided 

(Figure 2). 

Emissions from the thermal plant 

(Figure 3) is guaranteed to be lower 

than the local regulations permit as 

Omega has sufficient temperature and 

retention of gasses in the furnace hood 

to ensure that the air leaving the furnace 

is clean. 

For the Alkaline Phenolic system, a 

special inhibitor must be pre-mixed 

with the sand to prevent the Alkaline 

salts causing low temperature fusing of 

sand grains. 

Thermal reclamation 

The ultimate in sand reclamation is of 

course thermal, whereby 100 % of all 

binder and other organic material are 

removed. 

Firstly, the sand from the mechanical 

reclamation plant will pass through 

a cleaning tower which basically removes 

any metallic particles prior to 

entry into the furnace. The furnace itself 

is a fluidized bed design with a gas 

and air mixture providing the fluidizing 

medium and igniting on the sand 

bed surface via pilot gas nozzles. 

Typically a thermal unit will run 

on natural gas or LPG and operate at 

Thermal recovery for green 

sand 

It is also now possible to thermally 

reclaim Green Sand for re-use in the 

core shop. A mechanical scrubbing 

system is employed before and after 

the furnace to ensure that all clay is 

removed, but essentially the thermal 

reclamation is the same as the nobake 

system. 


Figure 1: Functional diagram 

of the system 

Conclusion 

Thermal reclamation has been around 

for many years but it has now reached 

a point where it is cost effective, economic, 

reliable and therefore viable for 

most foundries to consider. 

www.ofml.net 

Figure 2: Screen view for monitoring status and error displays 

Figure 3: Overview of all components of 

the sand-conditioning plant 


The two-metre-long grey cast iron pipes are manufactured in a horizontal centrifugal casting process 

Klaus Seeger and Martin Vorrath, Hüttenes-Albertus, Hannover 

Structured liners from Bergmann 

Automotive 

Usually, no foundry wants a casting with a rough surface. At Bergmann Automotive GmbH 

however, this is precisely one of its specialities. The company manufactures structured cylinder 

liners using the centrifugal casting process. The structured liners, which have been tried and 

tested by many car engine manufacturers, form a strong bond with the surrounding casting 

material when they are cast into the engine block. Precise process parameters are decisive for 

the production of this product. And a special permanent mold coating from Hüttenes-Albertus 

(HA) also plays an important role. 

Founded in 1956 by Alfred Tewes under 

the name ATE on the site of a former 

coal mine, Bergmann Automotive 

has gone on to become the market 

leader for cylinder liners in Europe. 

The foundry located in Barsinghausen 

near Hannover, Germany, uses stateof-the-art 

production technology to 

reliably meet customer specifications 

and achieve high productivity. 

Cylinder liners provide 

stiffness 

Cylinder liners must be able to withstand 

high loads. After all, they are exposed 

to extreme temperatures, changing 

pressures and permanent friction. 

Cast into the thin-walled aluminium 

engine block, they provide the required 

stiffness. Extremely high demands 

are placed on the mechanical 

properties and wear resistance of this 

component. Therefore, good dimensional 

stability and excellent metal- 



NEW 

multiPulse 

160 °C. 

Figure 1: Quality control: Measuring the topography of the surface structure 

lurgical properties in terms of microstructure 

formation and hardness are 

crucial (Figure 1). 

Technically sophisticated 

casting process 

The starting product for the cylinder 

liners are two-metre-long grey cast 

iron tubes, which are manufactured 

in a horizontal centrifugal casting 

process. The melt, which is precisely 

adjusted according to customer specifications, 

is filled into a metal mold 

that rotates around its central axis 

via a casting channel and pressed 

against the mold wall by centrifugal 

force. The liquid iron solidifies under 

the effect of the centrifugal forces 

and forms a very pure and highly 

compressed structure. No cores are required 

to create the cavity during centrifugal 

casting. Under the influence 

of centrifugal force, a cylindrical hollow 

body is formed whose wall thickness 

is determined by the quantity of 

metal fed in. After solidification, the 

blanks produced in this way are removed 

from the die and transferred 

for further machining. 

Heavy duty bond 

The structured liners, which many customers 

have already come to appreciate 

the benefits of, are a special feature 

of Bergmann’s product portfolio. 

The liner’s outer wall has a rough surface 

structure, which is created during 

the casting process and does not require 

any further machining. The 

structure features depths between 0.3 

and 1.1 mm – with or without undercuts, 

depending on customer specifications. 

During the production of aluminium 

engine blocks, structured 

liners are cast in directly using the 

die casting process. The molten metal 

flows around the textured surface, 

filling cavities and undercuts, so that 

the materials of both components – 

engine block and liner – form an extremely 

strong and resilient bond. Another 

advantage of the structured liner 

is its larger surface area: It ensures better 

heat conductivity from the combustion 

chamber to the water jacket 

in the engine (Figure 2). 

Partners for joint 

development 

Obtaining the desired outer wall structure 

during the casting process requires 

very special expertise, which 

Bergmann has accumulated over many 

years of development work. “The formation 

of the structure is adjusted via 

the process parameters”, says Wolfgang 

Jörns, Foundry Manager at Bergmann 

Automotive. “In addition to 

these process parameters, the right 

mold coating is also important”.


Figure 2: This cross-section shows the 

boundary line of the cast-in cylinder liner 

made of grey cast iron and cast into the 

engine block. Due to their structure, the 

two materials are very firmly interlocked 

Figure 3: Only the inner and end faces 

are machined after casting the structured 

liner 

Figure 4: The coating is applied with a 

spray lance 

When it comes to coating, the company 

works closely with HA’s coating 

specialists. For the centrifugal casting 

process, Hüttenes-Albertus, Düsseldorf, 

Germany, offers different 

types of mold coatings under the Centrikoat 

brand. As there was no off-theshelf 

product for such a specialized application, 

the solution was developed 

step-by-step in cooperation with HA’s 

experienced chemists and foundry specialists 

– from the first trials through to 

series production. 

As the coating is applied in the rotating 

die, the spray pattern remains invisible 

in the “black box” and cannot 

be analyzed immediately. That’s why 

experiments were conducted with various 

additives and viscosities until the 

desired results were achieved. Combined 

expertise and innovative ideas 

finally led to the development of special 

Centrikoat variants, which are used 

in the production of the structured liners 

that are now well established on the 

market. Nevertheless, the development 

is still ongoing, because with increasing 

demands, the process window becomes 

smaller and smaller (Figure 3). 

Requirements for a centrifugal 

casting coating 

The requirements for centrifugal casting 

coatings are described below: 

Insulating effect 

The insulating effect of the coating 

is an important factor for the microstructure 

and the hardness profile 

– and thus for the later mechanical 

load-bearing capacity of the liner. 

It ensures a slower heat transfer from 

the molten metal to the mold, thus 

contributing to the control of solidification 

and cooling. The insulation 

effect is influenced by the layer thickness. 

Solids content, viscosity and rheological 

properties must be balanced 

in such a way that, on the one hand, 

the desired layer thickness is achieved, 

while at the same time, the coating 

can be sprayed well and applied evenly. 

Since the coating is a dispersion 

that can segregate during storage, appropriate 

treatment is necessary before 

application. By determining the 

density by a baumé-stick or the efflux 

time by a flow cup, the coating is adjusted 

on-site to achieve the desired 

processing viscosity (Figure 4). 

Drying speed 

The process parameters play an important 

role when applying the coating 

in the spraying process. In order 

to create a textured surface, the coating 

is sprayed at a lower rotation speed 

than usual. In order to achieve short 

cycle times – and thus high productivity 

– in production, the coating must 

dry quickly. Bergmann is planning a 

new production line with a fully automatic 

casting rotation table for the 

production of structured liners in order 

to achieve even greater economic 

Figure 5: The coating adheres to the pipe and is pulled out of the die as completely as 

possible 


DROSS 

TO METAL 

Innovation for metal recovery 

with the JOEST Recycling Plant 

Figure 6: A continuous coating layer contributes to cleanliness in the workplace 

efficiency. In future, this will place additional 

demands on the drying time 

of the coating. 

Gas absorption capacity 

Since the metallic permanent mold in 

centrifugal casting is impermeable to 

gas, the die coating plays an important 

role in “gas management”. In order 

to avoid gas defects such as pinholes, 

the coating must have a certain porosity 

and be able to absorb decomposition 

gases. At the same time, the gas 

production of the coating itself should 

be as low as possible, which requires a 

low organic content, measurable in 

the loss on ignition. 

Extraction behaviour 

In terms of work processes, extraction 

behaviour is an important property. 

When the tube is pulled out of the die 

after solidification, the coating should 

adhere to it and ideally be completely 

removed from the die. For the cleanliness 

of the workplace, it is desirable to 

have a continuous coating layer on the 

pipe that produces as little dust as possible. 

When the coating is blasted in 

the next step, it must be easy to remove 

– even from the undercuts of the structure. 

For health and safety reasons, the 

coating must not contain crystalline 

quartz silica (Figures 5 and 6). 

One-stop solutions 

In addition to the die coating tailored 

for structured liners, Bergmann opts 

for further solutions from Hüttenes-Albertus. 

For example, HA also supplies 

a coating for the production of cylinder 

liners with smooth surfaces, which 

have mechanically processed outer 

surfaces. As an effective release agent 

for all surfaces that come into contact 

with molten iron, i.e. casting pots, barrels, 

ladles and gutters, the company 

uses the HA coating Nekropal, a water-based 

graphite coating. 

Integrating coating expertise into 

process development 

When it comes to manufacturing rotationally 

symmetrical components, 

centrifugal casting is a proven, technically 

sophisticated casting process. 

The production of cylinder liners at 

Bergmann Automotive is an example 

of how close cooperation between the 

foundry and its suppliers leads to the 

development of innovative solutions. 

From the automotive, chemical and 

paper industries; from pipes and rollers 

to liners: there are many fields of 

application with very specific requirements. 

The casting result can be specifically 

influenced by selecting the correct 

coating as well as the appropriate 

machine and process parameters. For 

this reason, foundries would do well 

to draw on the expertise of an experienced 

coating provider when developing 

processes for centrifugal casting 

applications at an early stage. 

www.huettenes-albertus.com 

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JÖST_Anzeige_CPT_2018_03.indd 1 05.09.2018 09:24:32


Mold friability is a decisive factor for the quality and economy of a casting (Photos and graphics: Imerys Metalcasting Germany) 

Oleg Podobed, Maximilian Eilhard, Sandra Böhnke, Jens Brune, Imerys Metalcasting Germany GmbH, Marl 

Friability tester for 

molding materials 

The friability tester is a highly promising tool for examining and adjusting the composition of 

molding sand systems in order to achieve a stable mold and prevent the wash-out of sands. This 

tool has recently been rediscovered in Europe after it had disappeared for a long time 

( Figure 1). In combination with classic laboratory tests, such as compactability, moisture and 

sand temperature measurements, the friability tester quickly provides information as to the 

moldability and the resistance to “mechanical” erosion 

Requirements on molding 

sands 

Bentonite-bonded molding sands have 

to cope with ever new and ever more 

demanding challenges because molding 

lines operate at shorter cycle times 

and higher compaction pressures, the 

patterns become more complex all the 

time and flask utilization is constantly 

being maximized, section thicknesses 

become thinner and casting temperatures 

higher, sand recirculation processes 

run very fast resulting in the 

molding materials being subjected to 

varying stress. Ultimately, the mold is 

expected to be stable and suitable to 

produce a flawless and economic casting. 

Molding sand has proved to be and 

will continue to be appreciated as a robust 

and extremely resilient material. 

However, it needs more attention to 

make available its full potential. 

This article focuses on less frequently 

studied criteria for the assessment 

of the molding material quality, such 

as plasticity, moldability and friabili- 


Figure 1: Friability tester by Simpson Technologies GmbH 

Foundry A B C D E 

Fmax [N] 439.2 317.4 348.7 387.0 338.5 

smax [N] 0.5 0.8 0.5 0.50 0.73 

Young’s modulus [N/mm²] 1006.0 502.2 790.5 938.3 504.1 

Strain energy [N*mm] 127.3 145.1 91.5 100.5 136.1 

Compressive strength [N/cm²] 22.4 15.2 17.8 19.7 16.2 

Shear strength [N/cm²] 4.5 3.7 3.9 3.9 

Moisture [%] 3.9 4.48 3.64 3.08 3.02 

Com [%] 31 32 33 35 27 

Active clay [%] 9.6 9 8.3 8.4 7.3 

Fines content [%] 12.4 14.7 11.6 9.9 9.6 

Table 1: Measuring results. F max 

: force; s max 

: deformation; Com: compactability 

ty, in order to establish a relationship 

between the molding sand quality and 

potential molding and casting defects 

and to define precise recommendations 

as to how process-safe working 

ranges can be defined for such criteria. 

The authors’ impression is that in 

the foundries the above mentioned 

parameters are not or only sporadically 

measured. Such measurements are 

typically performed at universities or 

by suppliers and instrument manufacturers. 

This is often for the simple 

reasons that the necessary equipment 

is not available or there are no clear 

guidelines, instructions or recommendations 

as to how these tests have to 

be performed and their results evaluated. 

During the last few years, these 

aspects have largely been neglected 

within the European foundry industry, 

although the topic as such is not 

new. In the German-speaking world, it 

was already discussed, for example, by 

Boenisch und Ruhland [1]. 

The examinations described in this 

article were performed using compactabi 

lity testers, the ramming device, 

high-speed dryers, equipment for determining 

the shatter index (a parameter 

indicating the plastic behaviour 

of molding materials under dynamic 

stress) and the moldability limit. The 

examinations were mainly performed 

Increasing compactability 

Increasing 

moisture 

Oversize 

castings 

Shrinks 

Blows 

Pin holes 

Supervoids on 

vertical faces 

Poor finish 

Gas, rough 

surface 

Expansion 

defects 

Shake-out 

problems 

Decreasing compactability 

Decreasing 

moisture 

Cuts and washes 

Friable, 

broken edges 

Hard to lift 

pockets 

Cope downs 

Crushes 

Penetration 

Burn-on 

Figure 2: Effect of the compactability on the behaviour of the molding material and on casting defects caused by the molding 

material [5] 



Friability, % 

20 

16 

12 

8 

4 

0 

3,49 

17,8 

3,44 

Moisture, % 3,4 

14,3 

9,9 

Friability, % 10,3 10,3 

3,3 

3,23 

44 43 41 38 37 

Compactability, % 

Figure 3: Friability vs. compactability 

54 °C (WG 3.62/VD 35) 

67 °C (WG 3.82/VD 36) 

50 

47 °C (WG 3.89/VD 34) 

58 °C (WG 3.21/VD 31) 

3,5 

3,4 

3,3 

3,2 

3,1 

Moisture (immediately), % 

with operating sands – both in foundries 

and in Imerys’ molding sand service 

lab. 

In order to examine the various 

stages of molding material preparation 

and mold making under realistic 

conditions, the experiments were 

conducted at time intervals, taking 

into account the applicable working 

instructions, i.e. measurements were 

taken at different times from the time 

of sample preparation. For horizontal 

molding lines the tests were conducted 

immediately, after 15 minutes and 

after 30 minutes, in order not to only 

simulate the “normal” operating situation 

but also incidents like, for example, 

a malfunction or an interruption 

of production. For vertical molding 

lines, in which the molds are closed 

after a very short time, the measurements 

were taken immediately, after 5 

minutes and after 15 minutes. 

Friability, % 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

immediately after 15 min. after 30 min. 

Figure 4: High temperatures increase friability losses, to the more the lower the compactability 

Friability, % 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

34,3 

27,3 

25,6 

23 

19,7 

18,9 

10,2 

9,67 

8,5 

without starch 0,20 % 0,25 % 

5 

immediately 15 

30 

Sample setting time, min 

Figure 5: Resistance to friability with starch added to the molding sand 

The shatter index does 

not provide meaningful 

information 

Determining the shatter index was discontinued 

due to the great volatility of 

the results and the low sensitivity of 

the index. The reliability of the results 

depends largely on the compactability. 

Seemingly, this method provides reliable 

plasticity information about the 

molding sand (good or less good) only 

for the higher compactability range (40 

to 50 %). This may make this method 

suitable only for semiautomatic single 

molding machines. However, foundries 

operating these machines hardly 

ever have a laboratory or the suitable 

testing equipment for molding sand 

testing. 

The literature states the following: 

Too low or too high an index - in other 

words too dry or too moist - is deleterious 

to molding sand. “Too moist” 

and consequently “too plastic” molding 

sands are difficult to compact. The 

castings made with such molding 

sands are susceptible to dimensional 

inaccuracies (expansion defects) and 

the sands may cause shake-out problems. 

In contrast to this, “dry” molding 

sands flow much better. But they 

are more prone to cracking, broken 

edges, and cuts and washes, which 


may lead to inclusions of sand in the 

castings (Figure 2). 

Abrasion resistance 

According to instrument manufacturer 

Simpson, based in Aurora, USA, “a friability 

value above 11 % can indicate a 

tendency to produce dirt defects and 

loss of casting surface quality”. Initially, 

it does not become clear why the 

critical value should be 11% (and not 

10%, 12 %, etc.). However, the formulation 

“can indicate a tendency” is very 

interesting. According to the authors, 

with values below 12 %, molding sands 

generally ensure a good result, provided 

that the molding line or the patterns to 

not have any significant deficits. When 

the molds are assembled quickly and 

pouring takes place without delay, good 

casting results can be expected. 

On the other hand, the results become 

distinctly worse, for example, 

when the sand temperatures are high 

(> 45°C) or the compactability is too 

low. The same happens when the mixing 

times are too short, the molding material 

has to be transported a long way 

to the molding line or the produced 

molds are left open for too long before 

the pouring takes place (Figure 3). 

Interestingly, the results determined 

in the laboratory experiments are very 

much the same as those measured in 

the foundries. It seems that the sand 

temperature has a greater influence 

than the compactability variations 

due to the transport effects (Figure 4). 

The moisture was identical in most 

cases, due to the fact that the samples 

were sealed all the time. The method 

can also be used, for example, to provide 

quantitative proof of the positive 

effects of starch, glues or cereal binders 

(Figure 5). Also here it can be observed 

that the effect of these additives 

decreases with time (i.e. with the setting 

time of the samples or molds). 

Higher mold compaction leads to 

lower friability – if the mold properties 

remain the same (Figure 6). The reasons 

being higher strengths and the 

coherent surface. However, it has to be 

noted that excessive compaction may 

cause breaking of sand cods, gas-induced 

defects and explosive penetration. 

Void in casting, after 

machining, seen with a 

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Friability, % 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

3 Ramming strokes 9 Ramming strokes 

immediately after 15 min. after 30 min. 

Figure 6: Compaction vs. friability resistance 

Figure 7: Instrument for determining the deformation behaviour 

Standard force, N 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

0 

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 

The investigations were complemented 

by the additional use of state-of-theart 

instruments ( Figure 7) in order to 

measure the plastic behaviour of the 

production sands ( Figure 8). The readings 

are listed in Table 1. The research 

Compression, mm 

Figure 8: Resulting compression stress-strain curves 

1,2 

1 

into the relationship between molding 

and casting issues and the quantitative 

formulation of evaluation criteria is 

planned to be continued. Corresponding 

research activities are already under 

way, for example, at the Austrian Foundry 

Institute under the responsibility of 

Hubert Kerber. 

However, the root causes of erosions 

and washes are often very complex and 

versatile. They may result from an inappropriate 

gating system, large quantities 

or high flow rates of metal, long 

casting times above the ingate, damage 

of the mold during assembling or core 

setting, or insufficient mold properties 

due to higher sand temperatures. Even 

reactions between bentonite-bonded 

molding sand and individual inoculants 

have been reported which can be 

similar to sand or slag inclusions 

The methodology is not able to simulate 

the thermal behaviour of the 

molding material. A “modified” version 

of the friability tester, as used at 

the Technical University of Freiberg, 

may help here. The modified tester 

measures the friability losses at room 

temperature and under a heating lamp. 

However, a comparison of both has not 

been made yet. Notwithstanding the 

above, in order to provide direct quantitative 

information about the susceptibility 

to casting defects or about the 

quantities of lost molding material and 

scrap casting, it is essential to conduct 

a comprehensive on-site analysis at the 

foundry because the interaction between 

the molding material (bentonite, 

lustrous carbon agents, auxiliary 

materials), the metallurgy and the gating 

system and, above all, the quality 

requirements of the foundry have to be 

taken into account. 

The authors are committed to develop 

a comprehensive expert system for 

the analysis of molding sands for product 

development and for foundry use, 

employing state-of-the-art analytical 

methods and latest measuring devices. 

References: 


Dr.-Ing. Oleg Podobed, Head of Application 

Technology; Maximilian Eilhard, M.Sc., Account 

Manager; Dipl.-Geol. Sandra Böhnke, 

Science & Technology; Dipl.-Geol. Jens 

Brune, Head of Laboratory Activities, Imerys 

Metalcasting Germany GmbH, Marl 

www.imerys-additives 

formetallurgy.com 


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The profitability of a die casting foundry can be sustainably improved by a systematic analysis of all influencing factors 

(Photos & Graphics: Bühler AG) 

Marc Fuchs, Bühler AG, Uzwil, Switzerland 

Process optimization of a 

die casting cell 

Efficient processes are key to the commercial success of die casting foundries. As a result, producers 

are continuously trying to optimize their processes in order to increase the quality of the 

products as well as the profit. However, many factors influence the production process and the 

number of targeted measures varies accordingly. A systematic approach is recommended for 

sustainable process optimization 

Established and reliable information 

about the current status of the particular 

plant provides the foundation for 

every process optimization. In practice, 

looking at the overall equipment 

effectiveness (OEE) has proven to be 

beneficial. The three most important 

factors for this key figure are the number 

of rejects, the degree of utilization 

of the machine and the amount of 

downtime incurred as well as the productivity 

of the die casting cell itself 

(Figure 1). The OEE is directly reflected 

in the cost efficiency of a die casting 

foundry. The OEE is a specific measure 

for checking the efficiency and cost effectiveness 

of a plant. It also helps to 

identify measures required to increase 

effectiveness. Experience has shown 

that the OEE should be above 65 % for 

die casting plants. 


other hand, internal errors such as 

pores, cavities or inclusions as well as 

surface flaws such as cracks, cold shuts 

and burr formation must be taken into 

account. Depending on the error – 

which might also appear in combination 

with other errors – specific corrective 

measures are taken. As a rule, this 

would include adjusting the parameters 

of the die casting machine and the 

peripheral devices, as well as modifying 

the casting die. In some cases, this 

is not enough and more changes have 

to be made to the design of the die. 

However, this step tends to be more 

time-consuming and costly. 

Figure 1: An example of how to calculate the OEE. The key figure is calculated using 

the product taken from the degree of utilization, the output ratio and the degree of 

quality of the die casting cell 

A systematic approach 

For the systematic process optimization, 

it has to be analyzed at first which 

factor affects the OEE the most. Depending 

on the component produced 

and the conditions in the foundry, 

some deterioration in performance 

and quality as well as varying degrees 

of downtime might be found. If 

a high number of rejects are produced 

in a particular plant, the focus is first 

placed on the quality of the castings 

during optimization. In this case, it is 

not expedient to spend a lot of time at 

first thinking about improving the cycle 

time or the degree of utilization. 

The degree of utilization and the stability 

of the process are examined in 

a second step, and then end by taking 

measures to improve the cycle time. 

Possible control variables that have a 

direct influence on these three factors 

include the machine, the available die, 

but also the person (Figure 2). Since it 

takes great effort to modify the die, 

fine-tuning on the machine results in 

improvements very quickly. The efficiency 

of a die casting cell can also 

be increased through instruction and 

well-instructed personnel. 

are clearly identified. This refers to a 

physical process error that might cause 

some malfunction on the component. 

On the one hand, these include misshaping 

such as deformation, warping 

or displacement of dies. On the 

Improving productivity 

In order to show the discrepancy between 

possible and actual production 

time, a well-founded evaluation of the 

downtimes is needed. Downtime may 

be caused by maintenance and service, 

technical failures and repairs as well as 

organizational coasting due to operating 

errors, a lack of material and personnel. 

Automatic evaluation of downtime 

and reasons for that are provided 

Increasing quality, minimizing 

rejects 

Measures taken to improve quality will 

only reach their goal if casting errors 

Figure 2: Quality, efficiency and cycle time determine the OEE. They are influenced by 

the machine and peripheral equipment, as well as by die casting and stamping dies, 

and by people involved in the process 

Casting Plant & Technology 3 /2018 31


Figure 3: Specialized software solutions such as the Bühler Event Analyzer allow for the precise analysis of reasons and duration of 

downtimes 

Figure 4: Consistency of the process is an important variable as regards productivity. In unsatisfactory cases (Foundry A), production 

is interrupted every 21 minutes on average. In cases where production is balanced (Foundry B), the average time is 72 minutes. 

These values can be increased considerably 


Figure 5: By comparing the reasons for downtime over time, corrective actions are checked in terms of their effectiveness 

by special software tools such as the 

“Event-Analyzer” by die casting machine 

manufacturer Bühler from Uzwil 

in Switzerland, which is installed on the 

machine control system. It generates a 

LOG File that is submitted to Bühler’s 

team of experts and which can be evaluated 

by them. These evaluations and 

statistics are returned to the foundry 

which is then able to derive concrete 

measures for improving productivity 

together with Bühler (Figure 3). 

If the data collected from various 

foundries is compared, surprising results 

can be seen. While casting plants 

with balanced production hardly 

ever register interruptions and operate 

for up to 100 minutes in automatic 

mode, plants with instable processes 

register up to 200 interruptions per 

day. Sometimes they operate for less 

than 10 minutes in automatic mode 

( Figure 4). Based on these data, it is not 

difficult to recognize which potential 

for increasing productivity has been 

neglected. By consistently searching 

for causes and adjusting measures to 

Figure 6: Average values of a cycle time analysis of various castings and machine sizes: 

Around 66 % of the cycle time is used for spraying and cooling the die until the correct 

temperature for extraction is reached. Substantial savings can be achieved at this point 

if conformal cooling is used 

be taken, the degree of utilization of 

a die casting plant is increased with a 

lasting effect. The results are also interesting 

when one looks at the reasons 



of or prepared. Currently there are already 

technologies for cooling the die 

efficiently and quickly from the inside, 

even for complex components. However, 

concrete ideas are needed already 

during the die designing phase, e.g. regarding 

where it would be possible and 

useful for die tempering. 

Figure 7: Example of a component optimized, conformal cooling structure as part of 

the research NeuroTemp project (Source: Hofmann Innovation Group) 

for the downtime over a longer period 

of time. The results of measures for improvement 

can then be clearly evaluated 

(Figure 5). 

Efficient changes in 

production 

Observations made in die casting 

plants have also shown that an efficient 

change of die provide an enormous 

contribution to increasing the 

productivity of the machine. An instrument 

used to optimize productivity 

of a casting cell is called SMED (Single 

Minute Exchange of Die). SMED 

is an approach which can be used to 

make the change of production more 

efficient and faster. The time it takes 

to change the die is reduced by using 

standardized procedures and dies, 

such as quick-coupling, and the plant 

is ready for production much sooner. 

Improving cycle time 

Optimizing the cycle time leads directly 

to an increase in the rate of production. 

In other words: the number of good 

parts that have been produced within 

a given period of time increases. With 

the currently commonly used die casting 

process, approximately 45 % of the 

time is used for the external output of 

energy during spraying (Figure 6). This 

can be problematic because long cycle 

times do not only decrease the productivity 

of the machine. They also lead to 

huge thermal loads and, therefore, to a 

shorter die life. Furthermore, approximately 

40 % of the cycle time is used 

for dosing and solidifying the aluminum. 

These figures clearly show that 

the seamless integration of the peripheral 

equipment in the die casting process 

as well as improvements of thermal 

management through conformal cooling 

and new processes such as minimum 

quantity spraying promise great 

potential. 

Thermal management 

The greatest potential for improving 

efficiency for aluminum die casting 

is found in the thermal management 

of the process. In particular, cooling 

the casting from the outside using 

the spraying process will be reduced. 

The real job of the spraying process is 

the application of die releasing agent 

which ensures that the molten aluminum 

does not react to the steel in the 

die and remain stuck. At the same time, 

the die is protected against corrosion. 

Using the spraying process for cooling 

takes a long time and uses up resources. 

A lot of the die releasing agent is 

required and then has to be disposed 

Conformal cooling 

These days, the use of additive manufacturing 

processes for making die inserts 

has already become widely used in 

injection molding technology. However, 

they are rarely used in die casting 

technology. Nevertheless, one has already 

seen that for a cast component 

the cooling time alone can be reduced 

by about half based on the correct setup 

of three-dimensional cooling structures 

on the die (Figure 7). At the same 

time, branching of the cooling channels 

allows for a more homogenous 

surface temperature and higher cooler 

flow rates. However, the design of the 

dies and the distribution of the cooling 

structures are complex and extremely 

challenging procedures. Nevertheless, 

the higher costs involved for the 

design and construction of the dies are 

more than offset in the overall account 

by the shorter cycle time and the lower 

consumption of resources. 

Minimum quantity spraying 

The minimum spraying technology 

together with an optimized, internal 

die cooling system is recommended. 

Since the die no longer has to be 

cooled during the spraying process, 

applying only a thin layer of die separating 

agent is sufficient. This allows 

for a massive reduction of the spraying 

time on the one hand and on the 

other hand, huge savings in spraying 

agent, compressed air and water consumption 

(Figure 8). This also reduces 

corrosion of the die, and the service 

life of the die is increased significantly. 

Parallel processes 

The cycle time is effectively reduced 

by having parallel processes. These 

days, the processes of the die casting 

machine and those of peripheral devices, 

such as the trim press, are handled 

separately. The reason for this is 


Sample calculation 1 

Component: Electronic housing 

Die: Quadruple 

Weight: 200 grams 

Annual volume: 1,500,000 pieces 

Machine locking force: 1,000 tons 

Cycle time: 45 seconds 

Figure 8: The cycle time can be reduced in the long term by using minimum spraying 

technology. 

that the casting process is monitored 

by the machine control system, but 

parts extraction and further treatment 

are monitored by the local robot 

control system. Thus, overall optimization 

is difficult and options are limited. 

However, there is huge potential 

for the future with higher-level, global 

cell management. Core processes with 

higher priority will continue to be given 

preference. Based on the complete 

integration and thus improved coordination 

of peripheral devices, synchronized 

movements, shorter startup 

phases and reduced cycle times can 

be attained. At the same time, it is possible 

to substantially increase the uptime 

of the casting cell. 

Profitable use 

In practice, this step-by-step approach 

to process optimization has proved 

successful. Regardless of whether the 

work is done under one’s own direction 

or if an external consultant is 

hired, impressive results are achieved. 

Besides improved quality of production, 

the foundry benefits from the 

increased efficiency of its systems. At 

the same time, it also works in a more 

ecologically sound manner since consumption 

of resources is significantly 

reduced. In future, an additional, notable 

increase in productivity will become 

possible through the introduction 

of cell management. 

Economic influence of optimizing 

the OEE 

Improving the OEE is synonymous 

with the increase of the output of good 

parts per time unit. This significantly 

increases the efficiency of a given die 

casting foundry. 

OEE improved by… 

»» 

5 % results in an annual savings of 

41,300 US-Dollars or 40,500 euros 

(equals 2 %) 

»» 



(equals 3.8 %) 

»» 




Sample calculation 2 

Component: Motor block, 4 cylinders 

Die: Single 

Weight: 12,000 grams 

Annual volume: 200,000 pieces 

Machine locking force: 2,800 tons 

Cycle time: 90 seconds 

OEE improved by… 

»» 




»» 




»» 




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COMPANY 

Robert Piterek, German Foundry Association, Düsseldorf 

On the peak of inventiveness 

The 100% Bosch-owned subsidiary Buderus Guss has won the German Innovation Award with 

a wear-optimized gray cast iron brake disc that offers enormous reductions in fine particle emissions, 

a long service life, and is corrosion-free. The environmentally friendly and sustainable 

foundry product could contribute towards solving the current problem with fine particles – and 

is a good reason to believe in the future potential of cast iron 

Driving restrictions for diesel vehicles 

are being discussed in many of Germany’s 

cities. This is because of the high 

nitrogen oxide and fine particle levels 

on the most travelled roads of major 

conurbations. As regards fine particles, 

a classic foundry product now 

promises a way out of this complicated 

situation: the new iDisc* produced 

by Bosch subsidiary Buderus Guss. 

The brake discs, made of cast iron with 

lamellar graphite (gray cast iron) and a 

tungsten-carbide hard-metal coating, 

is the right answer to the current debate 

and to demands made of brakes in 

the dawning age of e-mobility. 

Fully automatic coating cells for brake discs in Ludwigshütte. Robots coat the brake 

discs with tungsten-carbide using the flame spraying process 

Excellent marketing potential 

In addition to a performance that 

comes close to the ceramic brakes 

used in racing, the brake discs reduce 

the fine particle pollution caused by 

friction by up to 90 percent. Wear itself 

is also decreased by about the 

same amount, while scoring and rust 

are now things of the past. The corrosion 

resistance of the brake discs is 

particularly important for e-vehicles, 

because this advantage ensures immediate 

readiness for use and thus prevents 

“the effect of sleeping brakes,” 

as Gerhard Pfeifer, Managing Director 

of Buderus Guss, stresses. “For us, 

as a brake disc producer, e-mobility 

is therefore not a disruptive development 

– it promises even more new 

business,” he adds proudly. 

The iDisc is an enormous step forward 

for his company and for the sector: 

it gives mass-produced brake discs 

a unique selling point with excellent 

marketing potential. The pioneering 

36 Casting Plant & Technology 3 / 2018 

* Patented product

Ludwigshütte in Biedenkopf now accommodates the Development Department of 

Buderus Guss. Most of the coating of the brake discs to produce the iDisc takes place 

here 

brake components also show that innovations 

are still possible even with 

classic foundry products. Gerhard 

Pfeifer has led Buderus Guss since early 

2016 and can look back at almost 30 

years in the Bosch Group. 

The iDisc is a top-class 

invention 

Having reached serial maturity of the 

technology in 2017, the iDisc underwent 

extremely rapid development. 

It was initially presented on a Porsche 

Cayenne Turbo at the IAA in September 

last year, where it was called the Porsche 

Surface-Coated Brake (PSCB). Then it 

won the Bosch Innovation Award in 

December – which is a real feat given 

that the technology group has more 

than 400,000 employees worldwide. 

And, finally, the iDisc was lifted to the 

peak of inventiveness when it won the 

German Innovation Award in the SME 

category in April 2018. For the first 

time one could mention a brake disc in 

the same breath as current top inventions. 

The iDisc shared the public spotlight 

of this year’s German Innovation 

Awards with revolutionary new developments 

such as the cable-free lift from 

thyssenkrupp Elevators or the so-called 

Speedfactory from Adidas, a fully automated 

and individual sports shoe production, 

that manufactures the soles of 

the shoes with a 3-D printer. 

Is the iDisc a game-changer? 

“We have developed the right product 

at the right time,” Thomas Pfeiffer, 

Head of Development of the iDisc, is 

convinced. The brake expert has driven 

forward and successfully completed 

development of the iDisc during 

the last three-and-a-half years in a 

project involving numerous employees, 

including some coating experts. 

Work on a wear-optimized brake disc 

has already been going on for almost 

ten years. The aim has been to transfer 

the properties of hard-metal coated 

tools to brake discs. The cost of the 

project: in the significant double-digit 

millions. 

It is strange that the public debate 

on fine particles implies that the diesel 

combustion engine is principally 

responsible for the high level of fine 

particle pollution. During conversations 

with the Head of Development, 

however, it becomes clear that the 

combustion engine itself only leads 

to five percent of particle emissions, 

while the abrasion of tires and brakes 

are each responsible for 15 percent of 

such emissions. The remaining 65 percent 

is due to, among other things, the 

whirling up of road wear. 

Logically, then, an almost complete 

prevention of brake-related fine particle 

pollution would have a greater 

effect in German cities than a driving 

ban for diesel engines – a fact that 

would appear to be a game-changer in 

the current debate on fine particles, if 

only it would finally be carried out objectively 

in public! 

Highly automated interlinked 

processes 

The sacred halls of new innovation are 

located in Ludwigshütte in Biedenkopf 

(in central Hessen). Here, in the 

Buderus Guss Managing Director Gerhard Pfeifer (left), Head of Development Thomas 

Pfeiffer (center), and CP+T-Editor Robert Piterek (right) during a research visit to Biedenkopf 


COMPANY 

The surface of the brake disc is roughened during the structuring 

processing step, decisively contributing towards stability of 

the coating 

Processing cell for the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel coating process 

so-called ‘Iron Valley’ along the River 

Lahn, Buderus Guss still produces 

and processes cast iron at its Breidenbach, 

Lollar and Ludwigshütte sites – 

now mainly for the automotive industry. 

Buderus Guss was founded nearly 

300 years ago in 1731. The workforce 

today comprises around 800 employees, 

who produce around 20 million 

castings per year. 

The Ludwigshütte mill used to employ 

about 900 casters. Now the Development 

Department of Buderus 

Guss and the processing center for 

hard-metal coating of brake discs 

are located here. Their actual production 

takes place in Breidenbach, 

where 750 employees work. The discs, 

weighing up to 18 kg, are then processed 

to create iDiscs in highly automated 

interlinked processes in Ludwigshütte. 

A sizeable machine park has been 

gathered in the processing hall. The 

hard-metal coating applied here is so 

stable that it meets maximum thermal 

as well as mechanical demands 

and does not crumble, as Managing 

Director Gerhard Pfeifer explains. 

“The brake discs must still be functional 

even if they are red hot,” as the 

qualified industrial engineer and father 

of three children describes it vividly. 

“The discs start glowing at about 

800°C,” adds Head of Development 

Thomas Pfeiffer. 

The coating process starts: removal of an uncoated brake disc from a container 

Coating with one of the 

world’s hardest materials 

The core process is so-called High Velocity 

Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coating, a 

common flame spraying process. The 

coating is carried out in a fully automatic 

cell with robots. In the HVOF 

process, tungsten-carbide powder is 

mixed with oxygen as a driver and 

ethene as a catalyst to burn and melt 

the powder – to create one of the hardest 

materials in the world. During the 

high-speed flame spraying process, 

tungsten-carbide particles hit the disc 

at supersonic speed and momentarily 

envelop it in an aura of light. 

The layer is only 100 μm thick at the 

end but lasts for about 100,000 kilometers. 

A maintenance-free braking system 

that would reach the average lifetime 

of a vehicle is conceivable with 

a layer thickness of 300 μm – the customer, 

however, makes the decision regarding 

the thickness of the layer, and 

this may be affected by strategic considerations 

regarding after-sales business. 

In addition to the positive effects 

on the environment and service life, 

the coated brake discs also offer further 

potential for light construction. 

This is because the massively reduced 


wear makes the so-called ‘wear allowance’ 

unnecessary. Abandoning this 

makes it possible to achieve astonishing 

weight reductions for the discs and 

brake caliper: “We are talking here of 

weight savings of four to six kilograms 

per vehicle,” explains Pfeifer and adds 

that “This directly improves fuel consumption!” 

During the subsequent grinding 

process, the coated brake discs are 

ground down and are then as smooth 

as glass. “The discs even look the same 

after 10,000, 20,000 or more kilometers,” 

stresses the Managing Director. 

The wheel rims always remain clean 

as a consequence. The iDisc is now installed 

in the Porsche Cayenne Turbo as 

standard. And in order to clearly show 

which brakes are installed in which vehicle 

Porsche produces the brake calipers 

of the different brake variants in 

differing colors. iDisc brakes have been 

installed if the view of the brake calipers 

through the wheel rims show that 

they are white. 

Increased production 

expected 

Painting and marking with a Data Matrix 

Code (DMC) are carried out during 

the final two work steps, then the 

wear-optimized brake discs are ready 

for dispatch. 

Up to now, annual production has 

still been relatively limited, particularly 

when compared with the company’s 

annual total production of 18 million 

brake discs. After completion of 

current negotiations with “numerous 

well-known customers”, however, the 

quantity will rise rapidly. Investment 

capital has already been set aside for 

this purpose. 

Despite all the refinement of the 

coating process, the brake discs predominantly 

consist of gray cast iron. 

“This is the ideal material for brake 

discs and we do not currently see any 

alternative,” Managing Director Pfeifer 

makes clear. And for a good reason: 

“The decision regarding this material 

can be traced back to the main functions 

of brake discs: firstly, because of 

brake torque transmission, for which 

the disc provides the structure. And, 

secondly, it is a heat reservoir for intermediate 

storage of the brake energy,” 

says Head of Development Pfeiffer. 

Competitive price 

The brake discs basically remain a mass 

product made up of proven and recyclable 

cast iron. And that plays a role in the 

price, which is more than that of conventional 

brake discs but is highly competitive 

compared to ceramic brakes offering 

the same performance. The discs, 

however, no longer brake in a largely 

abrasive manner, but mostly act adhesively. 

“It is a force of attraction between 

molecules,” brake expert Pfeiffer explains 

the braking effect. “One can compare 

it with a wet eraser on a mirror.” 

Different brake linings are required for 

the new braking principle. So development 

partner Porsche had to completely 

redesign the braking system with the 

iDisc in the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo. 

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Kurtz Foundry Machines 

www.foundrymachines.com 


COMPANY 

Flame spraying pistols just before use: both the lower and upper sides of the brake discs are coated 

The brake disc casters on the banks 

of the River Lahn have recognized that 

this is an opportunity for safeguarding 

their business in the long term – 

their plans meanwhile also extend beyond 

sales in Europe. “We see a very 

good future for the iDisc and opportunities 

with customers who have previously 

not been approachable, on other 

continents for example,” according 

to Gerhard Pfeifer. “Brake disc business 

has so far been regional, and they are 

not normally shipped overseas, but 

this can change,” he describes his vision 

for global expansion. With 260 

sites in 50 countries, Bosch’s good infrastructure 

can also play a role in this: 

“The fact that Bosch has such a good 

worldwide presence gives us the opportunity 

to make plans within existing 

Bosch structures.” Pfeifer also sees 

possible customers for the iDisc in the 

USA and Asia. 

Politicians are also showing 

interest 

Pfeifer recently had a visit from a 

high-ranking politician. There is 

At Porsche, the development partner of 

Buderus Guss, the brake system is called 

the Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB). 

The white brake caliper shows that an 

iDisc is installed here 

great interest in this environmentally 

friendly product, though there has 

not been any political commitment to 

introduce the iDisc extensively to reduce 

fine particle levels. “Up to now, 

demand is more strongly influenced by 

performance than by the environmental 

contribution of the brake discs,” admits 

Pfeifer. 

Development of the iDisc gives gray 

cast iron brake discs a future orientation 

because the new coating technology 

enables the optimized brake 

components to outlast the upcoming 

development in mobility from combustion, 

through hybrid drive, to electric 

motor. The iDisc, however, also offers 

the chance to contribute towards 

solving current environmental problems. 

Politics can also help here – if the 

statements of its representatives about 

wanting to comply with fine particle 

limit values are not simply paying lip 

service to the topic! 

www.buderus-guss.de 


Reports and 

product news on 

GIFA 2019 

in CASTING PLANT & 

TECHNOLOGY (CP+T) 

It’s time again in Düsseldorf, 

from 25 - 29 June 2019: the foundry 

sector once more presents itself as 

a high-tech industry. 

We look forward to your press releases and 

specialist reports for GIFA 2019! 

PHOTO: FOTOLIA 

e-mail address: redaktion@bdguss.de 

We would be pleased to receive 

questions by phone: 

Contact: Robert Piterek 

e-mail: robert.piterek@bdguss.de 

Tel.: +49 (0)211 6871-358 

More than 2,000 exhibitors from over 30 countries are expected 

at the 14th GIFA international foundry trade fair with 

WFO Technical Forum. In the News section, among other places, 

the editorial staff at CP+T will report on innovations, new products 

and new technical processes in advance of GIFA. Please 

send press releases and specialist reports for GIFA 2019 to the 

editorial office via e-mail under the heading “GIFA 2019”.


The parent factory of the Kutes Metal foundry in Çorlu from above (Photo: Kutes Metal) 

Klaus Vollrath, Aarwangen, Switzerland 

A modern new iron foundry 

for Kutes Metal 

Joint project with leading German foundry equippers 

Turkey has achieved very high economic 

growth during recent decades, 

and its technical level in many sectors 

is now at a level comparable to 

that of producers in advanced industrial 

nations. This also applies for key 

industrial sectors such as automotive 

and machine construction – and their 

suppliers, including the foundry industry. 

The investment level is also 

high, thanks to the thriving economy 

and policies that identify growth as a 

public service for the population. Cutting-edge 

technologies are considered 

very important when selecting suppliers 

for capital goods, so German producers 

are highly esteemed. 

Kutes Metal is an SME (Small to Medium 

Enterprise) iron foundry in Çorlu, 

Turkey, with current net annual 

production of about 21,000 tonnes. 

A wide range of cast iron types with 

lamellar (GJL) or spheroidal graphite 

(GJS) is used within a weight range of 

1.5 to 85 kg, whereby the ratio is about 

60 % GJL to 40 % GJS. The new investments 

detailed below will increase 

annual production to about 45,000 

tonnes of castings per year. 

The company complies with modern 

industrial standards and is TÜV-certified 

with ISO/TS 16949:2009, ISO 

9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004, as well 

as having approvals from Lloyds Register 

and Germany’s national railway 

company Deutsche Bahn. Customers 

come from numerous sectors, such as 

automotive, pump and railway equipment 

producers; the construction in- 


Complete view of the new foundry plant: Key 1. Molding sand mixer, 2. Ready-to-use 

molding sand with sand silo above molding machine, 3. SEIATSU molding machine 

with mold line, 4. Separate upper and lower box line, 5. (Optional) automatic casting 

machine, 6. Transfer trolley with pusher unit, 7. Cooling line, 8. Ejector, 9. Discharge 

channel, 10. Casting cooler, 11. Sorting and transfer channel, 12. Return sand transport 

system, 13. Bucket elevator, 14. Polygonal sieve, 15. Return sand cooler, 16. Return 

sand silos, 17. Discharge and dosing belt conveyors (Graphics: HWS) 

The EFA-SD Seiatsu mold plant from HWS (Photo: HWS) 

dustry; the agricultural sector; and mechanical 

engineering in general. There 

are currently about 40 major customers, 

for whom a range of more than 

800 cast components are actively produced. 

Joint project with German 

foundry plant producers 

Kutes Metal will have completed a new 

state-of-the-art foundry in Çorlu (in 

the province of Tekirdag) by late 2018, 

if all goes as planned. This is expected 

to more than double current capacity, 

and will enable expansion of the product 

portfolio. 

Initial concepts were already discussed 

at the Ankiros trade fair (an international 

trade fair for iron, steel & 

foundry technology, machinery and 

products) in October 2016, where German 

foundry equippers routinely hold 

discussions with customers. The finalization 

phase started in February 2017 

following a range of intermediate stages. 

The concept required various adaptations 

for technical reasons, and there 

were several visits to user foundries 

with a corresponding reputation in 

Germany and Turkey – allowing maturation 

of the layout until reaching the 

configuration that was finally ordered. 

The following machine and plant producers 

for the foundry sector were involved: 

Heinrich Wagner Sinto (HWS) 

in Bad Laasphe (molding plant), Eirich 

in Hardtheim (sand processing), 

VHV in Hörstel (conveyor belts), and 

Jöst in Dülmen (cast/sand separation 

and cooling of the castings). The ultimate 

requirement specifications were 

contractually finalized in March 2017. 

HWS: molding plant 

The centerpiece is an EFA-SD greensand 

molding line from Heinrich Wagner 

Sinto Maschinenfabrik. The flask 

molding plant works with the familiar 

two-stage Seiatsu compaction process 

that achieves excellent and even 

compaction of the molding material, 

even in critical areas with large projections 

or closely arranged ribs. In order 

to enhance the result of the Seiatsu 

flow of air during the first stage, the 

compaction process is furthered using 

a so-called multi-anvil press. This 

combined technology is particularly 

recommended for jobbing foundries, 

because they can use the system for 

molding very complex pattern geometries 

with great accuracy, and they can 

ensure that the forming material has 

a high level of compaction (and thus 

strength) even with difficult batches. 

The molding box dimensions are 

900 x 700 x 300/300 mm³; plant performance 

is 120 complete molds per 

hour. After detailed consulting, Kutes 

Metal decided to use the Seiatsu plus 



RV24 molding sand mixer from Eirich with an effective volume of 3,000 liters for 78 m³ 

of molding sand per hour (Photos: Eirich) 

QualiMaster AT 1 online molding sand inspection device 

process. The ‘plus’ variant includes 

an auto-level frame as supplementary 

equipment, improving compaction of 

the pattern sides. This substantially increases 

mold strength, particularly at 

the mold’s edges. 

The molding plant is equipped with 

a system for automatic pattern exchange 

which increases flexibility by 

speeding up product changes for short 

production runs. The pouring line has 

been designed to accomodate an automatic 

casting machine at a later date. 

In addition to the molding plant, 

the Kutes foundry has invested in a fully 

automatic Type P 10S pouring machine 

from HWS Heinrich Wagner Sinto 

Maschinenfabrik. 

The pouring automat has a ladle volume 

of up to 1,400 kg and is equipped 

with two independently operating inoculating 

systems, enabling treatment 

of the melt during the pouring process. 

The pouring automat travels alongside 

the box as it moves along the casting 

line. This ensures that the casting process 

can be carried out independently 

of the molding plant cycle. The pouring 

automat, constructed on weighing 

cells, has automatic pouring control – 

which regulates the pouring process 

via pouring parameters that are specifically 

adjusted for each pattern. Constant 

weighing, and monitoring of the 

pouring process via cameras (which, 

among other things, monitor the filling 

level of the pouring funnel) support 

optimum mold filling. 

Use of the pouring machine ensures 

that modern demands regarding quality 

and repeat accuracy are met while 

maintaining compliance with safety 

aspects. All process-relevant data can 

be assigned to the individual casting 

process and, if required, transferred 

to a higher-ranking IT system. In addition 

to displaying current status information, 

the pouring control system 

offers users a range of statistical functions, 

as well as analyses of problems 

and downtimes. 

Eirich: preparation and mixing 

of the molding material 

Optimum preparation of the bentonite-bonded 

forming material is one of 

the most important factors for pro- 


ducing high-quality castings in sand 

molds. Eirich has been a technological 

leader in this field for many decades. 

The mixing system developed by Eirich 

guarantees reproducible mold material 

quality at the highest level. The particularly 

thorough intermixing of the 

molding material leads to an even distribution 

and homogenization of all 

input materials, including the added 

water. An intensive wet-mixing phase 

ensures optimum conditioning of 

the bentonite and complete envelopment 

of the sand grains. As a result of 

this thorough preparation, the molding 

material offers the best prerequisites 

for the production of high-quality 

castings. 

Eirich supplied an RV24 molding 

sand mixer with a volume of 3,000 liters 

for the new Kutes Metal foundry. 

The throughput volume of prepared 

molding sand is 78 m³/h (about 68 tonnes/h). 

Three weighing systems (for reclaimed 

sand, additive and water), an 

FS5 molding sand aerator, and a complete 

control system for the plant (including 

the reclaimed and ready-touse 

sand lines) were also included in 

the delivery. 

The AT1 Qualimaster online testing 

device has also been integrated in the 

production monitoring and control 

system. It automatically takes samples 

of every mold material mixture and 

monitors the important properties of 

compressibility and shearing strength. 

These values are fed into the plant control 

system and used to automatically 

correct the input of additive and water. 

This guarantees high reproducibility of 

the required mold material values. 

Eirich has delivered several molding 

sand preparation plants in Turkey 

in recent years. In addition to improving 

the quality of the castings, another 

crucial factor for customers is the 

high availability of the plant due to the 

comparatively low wear of the mixing 

tools. 

Jöst: cast/sand separation and 

cooling of the castings 

Jöst supplied the entire vibrating machine 

arrangement between the ejector 

of the HWS molding plant and the 

hanger-type or continuous blasting 

machines. The arrangement consists 

of a separating channel, casting cooler, 

primary and secondary channels, 

as well as the corresponding control 

system. During design, particular attention 

was paid to optimized flexibility 

of material flow, workplace ergonomy, 

and the prevention of damage to 

the castings. 

At the separating channel, both the 

angle and frequency of vibration can 

be adjusted from the control center to 

optimally adapt the vibration parameters 

to the specific properties of the 

various castings. Grid perforations are 

trapezoidal, oriented in the direction 

of transport, and open downwards to 

prevent blockage of the holes or the 

castings becoming jammed. The in- 

PRODUCTIVITY IN 3D 

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Silo from VHV (Photos: VHV) 

PS150x3 polygonal sieve for filtering lumps from the return sand 

terface to the sand cod removal system 

was thoroughly coordinated with 

HWS to eliminate unnecessary height 

differences. 

A sand discharge channel, which 

evens out the pulsation of the mass 

flow caused by the plant cycles and facilitates 

the horizontal arrangement 

of sharp downfalling air pipes, is located 

directly below the separating 

channel. It also protects and props up 

the downstream belt conveyor made 

by VHV. 

The casting cooler is designed to 

minimize the transmission of dynamic 

forces to the floor. The active mass 

elements used for this purpose consist 

of solid steel. This prevents the familiar 

risks of fatigue fracture of concrete-filled 

elements. 

In flow and thermodynamic terms, 

the casting cooler is designed as a real 

counterflow heat exchanger. This principle 

offers the maximum physically 

possible effectiveness and has the 

major advantage that pre-heated air is 

blown onto the castings as they enter 

the cooler. This reliably prevents the 

formation of undesirable inner stresses 

due to direct contact of the initially 

still very hot castings with cold air. 

Such problems can occur, for example, 

in the case of casting coolers in which 

cold air is blown in directly onto the 

casting from above via several jets. Residual 

sand that comes loose in the 

casting cooler during the cooling process 

is sieved off at the end of the cooling 

section and fed back to the sand 

reclamation system. 

Like the casting cooler, the downstream 

breaking and sorting channels 

are in the form of mass-compensated 

resonance conveyors. Long-lived, abrasive-resistant 

manganese steel troughs 

as used here, too. The material flow 

constellation can be adapted to the 

particular casting type thanks to the 

use of several possible ejection methods. 

VHV: sand transport and 

conveyor technology 

VHV Anlagenbau delivered all the belt 

conveyor technology, the overhead 

magnetic iron removal plants, and the 

polygonal screen for sand preparation. 

The return sand, as well as sand trickling 

out beneath the molding plant 

and from the vibrating machine, is collected 

and transported from the cellar 

to a bucket elevator using a belt conveyor. 

Overhead magnet belts in two 

locations take iron out of the sand. 

The return sand is transported via the 

bucket elevator to the PS150x3 polygonal 

screen from VHV for removal of 

the lumps. A reversible belt conveyor 

below the polygonal screen distributes 

the material to two sand silos. One silo 

is used to discharge return sand and 

lumps. Ejection takes place by means 

of a discharge belt conveyor below the 

silo. 

The second silo stores the material 

before it reaches the sand cooler. 

From this silo, the material is discharged 

onto a reversible belt conveyor 

that transports it to the cooler or, as a 

bypass, directly to the downstream 

bucket elevator. After the bucket elevator, 

the return sand is distributed – 

via a belt conveyor with plough scrapers 

that can be lowered – to two return 

sand silos for storage. There is a discharge 

belt conveyor at each of the silos’ 

outlets to transport the material 

to the return sand weighing system. 

There is a VHV silo with a discharge 

belt conveyor below the mixer for the 

molding sand. Finally, the molding 

sand is transported to the molding 

sand silo above the molding machine 

via further conveyor belt systems. A 

material sampler is located on one of 

the belt conveyors. The molding sand 

is removed with a discharge belt conveyor 

and transported to the molding 

boxes in batches. 


NEWS 

For the aluminum trade fair, which is attended also by numerous foundry companies, around 27,000 visitors from 100 nations are 

expected to come to Düsseldorf this year (PHOTO: ALUMINUM 2018) 

ALUMINIUM 2019 

World’s largest aluminium trade fair continues to grow 

The transport sector and the energy 

transition are driving demand of aluminium. 

The lightweight construction 

megatrend ensures excellent 

growth opportunities for aluminium 

as an industrial material. All around 

the world, the industry is making new 

investments to gear up for an economy 

that continues to boom. This positive 

mood is felt as well at the ALUMINIUM 

World Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

From 9 to 11 October 2018, the Exhibition 

Centre on the Rhine will again 

become the global marketplace of the 

aluminium industry. Some 1,000 exhibitors 

from around the world will be 

in Düsseldorf, the exhibition area will 

grow to 80,000 square metres – a clear 

indication of the current momentum 

in the aluminium industry. 

Spread across six exhibition halls, 

global players, specialists and young 

The official programme for the 

ALUMINIUM 2018 Conference is also 

complete. Under the heading „Aluminium 

- Material for the Future“ a 

total of 40 presentations are planned 

for the three-day period of the trade 

fair in the sessions Aluminium Markets, 

Automotive, Surface, Recycling 

Technologies and Plant, Processes, 

Digitalisation. 

Current program of the 

ALUMINIUM Conference 

https://bit.ly/2Pq5S4o 

innovative companies will showcase 

the industry’s complete range – from 

aluminium production to machines 

and plants for processing to semi-finished 

and finished goods and recycling. 

Besides the aluminium key industry, 

the trade show and its exhibitors will 

focus on processes and products for the 

main aluminium application industries: 

automotive, engineering, building 

and construction, aerospace, electronics, 

packaging and railway. 

Special areas such as the innovation 

areas and guided theme tours are intended 

to provide visitors from application 

areas such as automotive engineering, 

mechanical engineering, aviation 

or the construction sector with better 

orientation. The well-known theme pavilions 

will serve as points of contact to 

lead visitors through the structured exhibition 

halls, including the Competence 

Centre Surface Technology, the 

Foundry Pavilion, the Primary Pavilion, 

the Welding & Joining Pavilion, the Recycling 

Pavilion and the Magnesium 

Area. 

In the new special exhibition area 

Digital Manufacturing, visitors will experience 

what Industry 4.0 means for 

the aluminium industry and what 

kinds of productivity benefits can already 

be achieved today by deploying 

high-performance IT solutions in production. 


Another new exhibition area dubbed 

“Environmental Engineering” will 

cover water treatment, air filtration 

systems and oil/oil mist-vacuuming 

systems – and show how the aluminium 

industry is leading the way when 

it comes to emerging topics such as energy 

and resource conservation in 

one’s own production chain. 

ALUMINIUM is much more than 

just the world’s most important trading 

centre. Above all, it’s a major 

knowledge hub: expert presenters 

from industry and science at the 

ALUMINIUM 2018 Conference and 

the ALUMINIUM Forum will discuss 

the principles, trends and innovations 

of the aluminium sector. 

At the ALUMINIUM 2018 Conference 

with its motto ‘Aluminium – Material 

for the Future’, the various applications 

of aluminium currently used 

will be presented together with possible 

further developments that will 

make products in the future even lighter, 

nicer and more resource efficient. 

The congress is planned and organized 

by the GDA, the German Aluminium 

Association. Together with representatives 

from the different sections of the 

industry, manufacturers of semi-finished 

products, refiners, remelters and 

subsuppliers, the latest innovative and 

future-looking solutions will be presented 

and discussed. The five sessions 

and nearly 40 lectures will focus on aluminium 

markets, plant / processes / 

digitalization, surface, recycling and 

automotive. 

Exhibitors themselves will take the 

podium at the ALUMINIUM Forum, 

which is part of the trade fair’s supporting 

programme. Over the course 

of the three-day lecture event, companies 

will introduce their innovations 

and successful projects in the fields of 

lightweight design, digitization, surface 

technologies, sustainability and 

recycling. The admission is free for 

trade show visitors. 

The trade show is the leading industry 

get-together for producers, processers, 

technology suppliers, designers 

and engineers from the industries that 

use aluminium. The event is organised 

by Reed Exhibitions with valuable contributions 

by GDA – the German Confederation 

of the Aluminium Industry 

– and the European industry association 

European Aluminium. 

About 27,000 visitors from 100 nations 

are expected to attend the trade 

fair. The exhibitor side is similarly international: 

Nearly 70 % of the altogether 

1,000 exhibitors will travel from 

abroad to take part in the industry 

meeting in Düsseldorf. Among the 

largest of the 54 exhibitor nations this 

year (behind Germany) will be Italy 

followed by China, Turkey, Austria and 

Spain. Other European countries as 

well as North America and Asia will 

again be represented in numbers at 

ALUMINIUM, as well. 

ww.aluminium-messe.com 

Pneumatic conveying 

technology 

For dry, free-flowing, 

abrasive and abrasion 

-sensitive material 

Core sand preparation 

technology 

For organic and inorganic 

processes, turn-key systems 

including sand, binder 

and additive dosing 

and core sand distribution 

Reclamation 

technology 

Reclamation systems for 

no-bake sand and core sand, 

CLUSTREG for inorganically 

bonded core sands 

DE-CORING HAMMERS FOR GRAVITY, LOW 

PRESSURE AND LOST WAX PROCESS 

-DIFFERENT MODELS 

-EASILY CARRIED 

-HIGH PERFORMANCES 

- WORLDWIDE PRESENCE 

- CUSTOMER CARE 

- REPAIR SERVICE 

KLEIN Anlagenbau AG 

Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 200 · 57572 Niederfischbach 

Fon +49 2734 501 301 · Fax +49 2734 501 327 

info@klein-ag.de · www.klein-ag.de 

O.M.LER SRL 

Via Don Orione, 198/E -198/F 12042 Bandito-BRA (CN), ITALY 

Tel. +39 0172/457256 omlersrl@gmail.com www.omlersrl.com 


NEWS 

VDMA METALLURGY/THERMO PROCESS TECHNOLOGY 

Turnaround for the world market leader in 2017 

German thermo process equipment 

manu facturers increased their sales by 

10 % on annual average in 2017 

(Photo: Fotolia_57800333). 

2017 saw a turnaround for German 

thermo process equipment manufacturers. 

This was already apparent at the 

beginning of 2017. Over the course of 

the year, there was a further slight fall 

in orders from countries outside the Eurozone. 

However, strong investments 

in the Eurozone resulted in a sales increase 

of 10 % on annual average compared 

with the previous year. In 2017, 

the production volume of this sector in 

Germany recovered by almost 8 %. 

The majority of participants in the 

current economic situation survey of 

the specialist association expect growth 

in sales in the current year. On average, 

growth could exceed 10 %. On the basis 

of the average figure stated by respondents, 

further growth in orders received 

in the high single-digit range is also expected 

in the course of the year. 

In 2017, world trade in thermo process 

equipment rose by about 4 %*. 

However, at 9.1 billion euro, the volume 

was still 500 million euro below the value 

of 2015. Apart from the USA, the 

largest delivery countries – China, Germany, 

Italy and Japan – all reported rises 

in exports again. Exports from Germany 

and China recovered by almost 

6 % and 4 % respectively to 1.8 billion 

euro and 1.4 billion euro respectively. 

Deliveries from Italy and Japan rose by 

12 and 11 % to an export volume of 1.3 

billion euro and 0.5 billion euro respectively. 

Germany remained the world 

market leader and was able to increase 

its market share to about 20 %. 

Higher deliveries from Germany 

were largely accounted for by customers 

in China (plus 27 %). Business with 

EU countries rose slightly to a value of 

about 650 million euro. There were 

positive developments in exports to 

Russia (up 51 %) and Turkey (up 56 %). 

Growth was also recorded in business 

with Mexico (up 17 %) and Switzerland 

(up 7 %). Deliveries to the USA, the second-largest 

export market for thermo 

process equipment from Germany, fell 

by 7 % in 2017 compared with the previous 

year, following three years of 

growth. However, Germany remains 

the largest supplier for the USA. 

The ifo business confidence index 

for the respondent group “industrial 

furnaces and burners” improved successively 

over the course of the year. 

However, at the beginning of 2018, 

scepticism concerning existing geopolitical 

risks led to a relatively subdued 

assessment of the situation. 

“Following the turnaround which 

has been achieved, the persistent geopolitical 

risks also form part of the 

overall picture, despite general optimism. 

The thermo process equipment 

sector faces challenges and opportunities 

as a result of continuing automation, 

networking and the expansion of 

service business,” said Dr. Timo Würz, 

Managing Director of the VDMA Metallurgy 

specialist association. 

*Estimate – worldwide export data for 2017 are not 

yet available in full. 


ELKEM 

Introduction of new high-aluminium inoculant for grey-iron production 

A new high-aluminium foundry inoculant 

that maximizes chill reduction and 

increases tensile strength in grey-iron 

castings has been developed by Elkem 

Foundry Products, Oslo, Norway, a major 

producer of specialty additions for 

grey and ductile iron. The new alloy also 

minimizes the amount of slag formed 

during inoculation, reducing slag buildup 

and the possibility of casting defects 

at foundries using pouring units. 

Called Superseed Extra Al Inoculant, 

the new product contains a specially 

formulated combination of aluminium, 

strontium, and zirconium that essentially 

eliminates chilled white iron in 

thin sections and corners, increasing 

the machinability of grey-iron castings. 

The extra aluminium allows foundries 

to use a single alloy to increase the aluminium 

content of iron to more than 

0.010 %, a level that helps eliminate 

chill. The strontium and zirconium contents 

of this alloy enhance chill reduction 

and strength. 

At the same time, the new inoculant 

achieves strong chill reduction without 

relying on calcium, as in other inoculation 

practices. As a result, this low-calcium 

inoculant generates very little 

slag, reducing the slag build-up in iron 

being transferred to pouring equipment 

and increasing the life of pouring-box 

refractories compared to other foundry 

inoculants. The unique combination of 

elements in Superseed Extra Al Inoculant 

also lengthens the time it generally 

takes for inoculation to fade after additions 

are made. 

“We developed Superseed Extra Al Inoculant 

in response to a grey-iron customer 

who asked us for an alloy that 

maximizes chill reduction without 

building up slag in the pouring ladle,” 

Superseed Extra Al Inoculant minimizes 

slag and slag build-up. This reduces the 

possibility of casting defects at foundries 

using pouring units (Photo: Elkem). 

said Matthew Liptak, Elkem’s Sales 

Manager who invented the alloy and 

has applied for a patent. ” 

Superior chill reduction and less slag 

build-up in the pouring box was obtained 

when the inoculant was tested 

in production foundries. 

www.elkem.com/foundry 

8 

ALUMINIUM 2018 

12th World Trade Fair & Conference 

9 – 11 October 2018 

Messe Düsseldorf, Germany 

www.aluminium-messe.com 

Organised by 

Partners

NEWS 

JUNG INSTRUMENTS 

Quick digital bentonite testing reduces casting defects 

The sand is heated for approx. 35 seconds. Then the test ring is lifted from the tube 

causing the specimen to break (Photo: Jung Instruments) 

The new WJ1 tester from Jung Instruments, 

Viersen, Germany, automatically 

measures the wet tensile strength 

of molding sands and displays the 

measured results as digital readings in 

N/cm 2 within a minute. These measurements 

increase process security before 

the casting process starts, reducing 

overall reworking and scrap. 

The wet tensile strength of molding 

sands largely depends on their content 

of active bentonite. Too little bentonite 

may lead to cracks or spalling in the 

sand mold, resulting in casting defects, 

such as scabbing. With the new WJ1 

tester, foundrymen can measure the 

wet tensile strength and adjust the 

bentonite content as required. 

The innovative system is the world’s 

first to operate fully electronically, using 

a calibrated load cell, a digital display 

for the measured results and, as an 

option, an interface for data transfer. 

Carsten Jung, Manager Developments 

at Jung Instruments, sees clear 

advantages for his customers: “As the 

measurements take place fully automatically, 

they are in no way influenced by 

subjective factors, as for example the 

skills of the operator. And the instrument 

is very easy to use: All the operator 

has to do is push a button for the 

measurement to start and take the readings. 

The instrument does not have to 

be attended as it performs the measurement. 

This saves time and money, as 

the operator can perform other tasks 

while the measurement is going on.” 

The tester measures the tensile force 

at which a standard test specimen 

breaks in a tensile test. The specimens 

are produced by filling sand into a testing 

tube and pressing in a liftable ring 

at the top end of the tube. The tube 

with the specimen is placed into the 

instrument and heated at approximately 

300 °C. The heating is continued 

until the fracture area that will result 

from the imminent breakage will 

have reached the top rim of the specimen 

tube. According to practical experience, 

this will take approximately 

35 seconds. By this heating procedure, 

a condensation zone is generated in 

the specimen which in sand casting is 

a critical parameter for the avoidance 

of scabbing. 

Upon reaching the end of the heating 

time, the ring is automatically 

pulled upwards causing the specimen 

to break. The tensile force measured 

during the breaking process is equal to 

the wet tensile strength. It is indicated 

on the digital display in N/m 2 . 

The entire procedure takes place fully 

automatically. The operator starts 

the measurement by the push of a button 

and can take the readings within a 

minute. 

www.jung-instruments.de/start-en. 

html 


CONVITEC 

A foundry invests in an integrated solution 

ConviTec GmbH based in Offenbach, 

Germany, will deliver an integrated 

solution for a foundry in the south of 

Europe. This foundry reaffirms its confidence 

in Convitec not least because 

the equipment previously delivered has 

been operated most reliably for many 

years. The really big challenge for this 

project is to insert the new plant components 

into the already existing plant. 

The plant consists of three modules 

and ensures an automatic run-through 

of the casts from cooling to blasting. 

The first module is the separation of 

cast and sand, the second one the cast 

post-treatment and as third module a 

modern sand recycling system is installed. 

In the first plant section, the 

hot cast-sand mixture is fed by means 

of an ascending conveyor to a shakeout 

feeder after a rotary drum. Controlled 

cooling of the cast is reliably ensured 

by a casting cooler. After that, 

the cast and recycled material can be 

separated and sorted by hand. 

The connection between sorting 

feeder and blast machine is provided 

by means of a belt conveyor and the altitude 

gain required for inflow into the 

blast machine is created. 

The vibratory equipment of the blast 

machine consists of a loading conveyor, 

an unloading conveyor with steps 

and a return chute with screening of 

the blasting abrasive. 

Here it was especially important to 

establish a constructive cooperation of 

the two project teams during project 

processing. The delivered feeders and 

conveyors were designed, made and installed 

exactly in accordance with the 

Integrated plant solution for a foundry in southern Europe (Graphics: Convitec) 

requirements of the blast machine. 

The onward transport of the blasted 

casts is enabled by an eccentric conveyor, 

which is specifically designed as required 

for sorting the cast. 

The new sand conditioning system 

is integrated and technically incorporated 

in the already existing plant. In 

addition to a polygonal screen and 

flow-bed sand cooler, some other conveyor 

components will be delivered 

here. They include conveyor belts and 

belt-and-bucket elevators. Using the 

flow-bed sand cooler, the operator obtains 

a reliably high sand quality in 

terms of temperature and moisture so 

that the cast quality and efficiency of 

the foundry is sustainably ensured. 

The mixing times are shorter due to 

the very good homogenization of the 

sand through the vibrating fluid bed. 

Furthermore, the sand is not subject to 

mechanical stress, which results in 

high efficiency and low operation costs 

with high availability and a long service 

life. Compared to a mixer cooler a 

ConviTec sand cooler only needs one 

third of the electric connected load, 

and mixers do not only show higher 

ventilator power but also a considerably 

higher power for the drive. 

ConviTec’s scope of delivery also includes 

the new electrical switch and 

control system which meets the modern 

requirements of future-proof 

equipment such as e.g. a ProfiNet connection 

to other plant components. 

This project represents an example 

for a complete solution covering everything 

from planning to manufacture, 

assembly and commissioning and 

shows ConviTec’s competence in the 

foundry industry. 

www.convitec.net 

HÜTTENES-ALBERTUS 

Chemex and Eurokern become Chemex Foundry Solutions 

With the aim of further simplifying 

the organizational structure within 

the HA Group, Eurokern Gießereitechnik 

GmbH, Baddeckenstedt, has been 

renamed into Chemex Foundry Solutions 

GmbH with effect from 20 June 

2018. At the same time, the former Chemex 

GmbH, Delligsen (both Germany) 

has gone over into the new Chemex 

Foundry Solutions GmbH with its 

main office now in Delligsen. 

“With this merger the HA Group aims 

at strengthening its brand presence and 

simplifying its structures”, says Martin 

Lauter, Managing Director of Chemex 

Foundry Solutions GmbH. “Apart from 

the change of name, the taken steps 

have no impact on our existing business 

relationships. Our cooperation with 

customers and suppliers will continue.” 

www.huettenes-albertus.com 


NEWS 

MONOMETER 

Melting and refining rotary furnaces 

Specification copper ingot production 

from Monometer rotary furnace (Photo: 

Monometer) 

A new copper melting rotary furnace 

by Monometer Holdings Ltd, Leighon-Sea, 

UK, is scheduled to be installed 

in Africa this Autumn. Facilities at the 

plant will equip the installation to 

meet European standards for emissions 

abatement, and the furnace technology 

will enable the client to cast specification 

ingot from all grades of scrap while 

melting with low-cost reclaimed oil. 

The furnace will be one from the 

Monometer range of economical units 

with capacity between 1 and 2 tonne 

designed for thermal and metallurgical 

efficiency where smaller batch production 

is preferred. 

Monometer equipment in the UK 

continues to provide foundries with 

the competitive versatility to produce 

a range of specification product from 

all grades of scrap material. For example, 

the popular Monometer 5 to 

7 tonne capacity rotary furnace cycles 

in around 3 hours 30 minutes with a 

lining life in the region of 220 heats. 

Alloys commonly produced range 

from LG1, LG2 through to the higher 

grades CT1 and the phosphor bronzes. 

Further products and high purity copper 

is obtainable from the furnace’s 

Monometer refining technology. 

For refining, the furnace is equipped 

with programmable gas diffusion refining 

technology, and variable chemistry 

main burner. The variable flame 

chemistry is designed also to protect 

the molten bath from oxidation, so to 

allow effective protection with minimal 

slag volume production and in the 

absence of any slag covering. 

Various rotary melting processes 

have incorporated Monometer refining 

equipment, including iron, copper 

and lead, performing significantly 

above traditional methods in terms of 

increased yield, thermal efficiency and 

furnace productivity. 

For example, in copper refining from 

Birch-Cliff to high purity copper, a 

6-tonne capacity Monometer tilting 

rotary furnace will typically cycle in 4 

- 6 hours; 3 tonnes of scrap iron may be 

melted, alloyed and tapped in under 

120 minutes, and 10 tonnes lead battery 

scrap may be processed through 

the furnace in under 5 hours. Monometer 

designs and supply includes the 

furnace charging system, gas diffusion 

technology for the refining process, 

slag systems, oxy-fuel burner system, 

and exhaust filter complete with settler, 

as well as the fluxing agents injector, 

and consumable spare parts. 

Monometer offers comprehensive 

onsite support, ranging from turnkey 

management or installation support, to 

short training packages targeting metallurgical 

training or general furnace 

performance. All Monometer clients 

benefit from being kept up to date with 

the latest equipment software updates 

and full engineering on site support. 

www.monometer.co.u 

FILL 

A quarter of power now supplied by solar energy 

One of Upper Austria’s largest photovoltaic 

systems has been in operation 

at foundry maschine manufacturer Fill 

in Gurten since the beginning of July 

2018. Implementation of this project 

shows how consistently the internationally 

successful machine engineering 

experts are implementing their policy 

of resource-conserving production. 

The new photovoltaic system will reduce 

CO 2 

emissions by some 500 metric 

tons per year. “Minimizing resource 

use, reducing emissions, and protecting 

ground, water, and air are very important 

to us,” explains CEO Andreas Fill. 

In around four weeks, ten fitters assembled 

and installed more than 3,000 

5,000 m 2 photovoltaic system supplies Fill 

Machine Engineering with environmentally 

friendly energy (Photo: Fill) 

individual modules on the roofs of the 

production halls completed in spring 

2018. In total, the system covers an 

area of 5,000 m 2 . The aluminum substructure 

represented one of the biggest 

challenges in the installation process. 

Countless individual parts had to 

be fitted properly and thousands of 

meters of cables laid. All the more astonishing 

is the short period in which 

the new system was completed and 

commissioned. 

The generated power is largely used 

on the company premises. Surplus energy 

is only fed into the local grid – at 

a pre-determined tariff – at weekends 

and in the late afternoon. The new system 

meets around 25 % of the energy 

requirements of Fill Machine Engineering. 

In addition, employees can recharge 

their vehicles free of charge at 

10 electric charging stations. 

www.fill.co.at 


REICHMANN 

Robot cutting and grinding of steel and high-alloyed castings 

Automated casting finishing is becoming 

increasingly important in 

foundries in order to further increase 

efficiency and quality. That is why 

foundries around the world rely on 

automatic cutting and grinding machines 

by Reichmann, Weißenhorn, 

Germany. The Robot Fettling Center 

unites the flexibility of a robot with the 

high performance of the grinding and 

cutting processes as well as the robust 

machine design, for which Reichmann 

is known all over the world. 

Reichmann Casting Finishing has 

been developing robot solutions for 

years, which are adapted to the individual 

needs of the customers. From 

castings in the automotive and aerospace 

industries to medical technology 

– the Reichmann Robot Center can 

handle a wide variety of castings with 

high cutting and grinding quality. Depending 

on the requirements, the separating 

unit, grinding or belt grinding 

unit can be combined. 

The use of a workpiece guided robot 

makes it possible to align the casting 

exactly on the cutting or grinding 

wheel. Due to the high performance 

As a leading supplier of automatic fettling solutions, Reichmann cutting and grinding 

systems are in use worldwide (Photo: Reichmann) 

of the separating and grinding units 

in the Fettling Center, almost no process 

heat is transferred to the casting 

and tool. In this way, feeders and 

sprue residues on all required sides are 

removed in short time and the socalled 

“blue cut” can be avoided. This 

means a consistent grinding quality 

without cracks and microstructural 

changes in the component. The low 

heat development also guarantees a 

long service life of the tools. For 

foundries that like to machine a wider 

range of castings in smaller batch sizes, 

tool-guided robot solutions can 

also be implemented. 

With automated processes, foundries 

benefit from productivity gains, saving 

time and money. In addition, the use of 

robots facilitates the work of the staff 

and thus contributes to the humanization 

of the foundry workplaces and an 

increased safety standard. 

www.reichmann.com 

GRIEVE CORPORATION 

Heavy-duty furnace for heat treatment 

No. 1042 is a 2,000 °F (1,093 °C), gasfired 

heavy-duty furnace from Grieve 

Corporation, Round Lake, USA, currently 

used for heat treating at a customer’s 

facility. Workspace dimensions 

of this furnace measure 30” (76.2 cm) 

W x 60” (152.4 cm) D x 30” (76.2 

cm) H. 750,000 BTU/HR (219.8 kW) 

are installed in four modu lating natural 

gas burners with a floor mounted 

combustion air blower. Burners fire below 

hearth, with 9” (22.86 cm) thick 

insulated walls comprising 5” (12.7) 

thick 2,300 ° F (1260 °C) ceramic fiber, 

4” (10.16 cm) 1,900 ° F (1037.8 °C) block 

insulation and 8 1/2” (21.59 cm) floor 

insulation made from 4 ½” (11.43 cm) 

of 2,300 °F (1,260 °C) firebrick and 4” 

(10.16 cm) of 1,900 °F (1,037.8 °C) block 

insulation. 

This Grieve furnace has two lanes of 

roller rails supported by firebrick piers 

and an air-operated platform with roller 

rails to bridge from loading table to 

workspace. Features include a ¼” 

(0.64 cm) plate steel exterior reinforced 

with structural steel, ½” (1,27 

cm) steel faceplate at doorway and an 

air-operated vertical lift door. 

Other features include safety equipment 

required by IRI, FM and National 

Fire Protection Association Standard 

86 for gas-heated equipment plus a 

free-standing 390 CFM high-pressure 

combustion blower.Controls on the 

No. 1042 include a digital indicating 

Grieve furnace No. 1042 (Photo: Grieve Corp) 

temperature controller and manual reset 

excess temperature controller with 

separate contactors. 

www.grievecorp.com 


BROCHURES 

Center of Competence 

8 pages, English 

A brochure describing the Center of Competence of HA (Hüttenes-Albertus Chemische 

Werke). The HA CoC has about 8,000 m 2 of pilot and industrial facilities and replicates 

almost all stages of the foundry process. Production processes can be tested in practice, 

without disrupting the processes of the customers. 

www.ha-coc.com 

Inorganic binder technology 


A detailed brochure featuring the INOTEC inorganic binder system developed and 

patented by ASK Chemicals. It sets out the technological potential, the economic and 

environmental benefits as well as the portfolio of products, including both binders and 

promoters. 

www.ask-chemicals.com 

Sleeves 


In this brochure, SQ Group has summarized its range of sleeve products for foundry 

operations. These include a great number of insulating riser and direct pouring sleeve 

series for different sleeve shapes, such as cylindrical, oval, neck-down and domed, or 

flexible boards for large steel and iron castings. 

www.shengquan.com 

Simulation-based design 


In this brochure, ESI explains its approach to simulation-based design and the associated 

potential to shorten a product’s time-to-market. ESI offers an extensive suite of coherent, 

industry-oriented applications for virtual prototyping, eliminating the need for 

physical prototypes during product development. 

www.esi-group.com 


Lightweight solutions 


A brochure setting out the competence of Nemak as manufacturers of highly complex 

aluminium lightweight castings for vehicles, including power train components such as 

cylinder heads, engine blocks and transmission cases, castings for vehicle structures and 

e-mobility components. 

www.nemak.com 

Vibration technology for the foundry industry 

4 pages, English, German 

In this brochure, Joest provides an overview of its vibration products and systems for 

foundry processes such as green sand moulding, no-bake moulding, lost foam and 

melting processes. The company’s product range also includes core sand transport and 

recycling systems 

www.joest.com 

Aluminium melting systems 


This brochure features aluminium melting systems manufactured by Andritz Metals 

summarized under the name HI T.E.Q. This technology range covers a great variety of 

equipment, including gas and electric crucibles, low-energy holders, mini-melter furnaces, 

dosing furnaces, reverb furnaces, gas stack melters, heated launder systems, fully 

integrated systems, etc. 

www.andritz.om 

Sand preparation equipment 


A brochure providing a concise overview of sand preparation equipment supplied by 

JML, including sand aerators, which loosen the sand, sand conveying equipment such 

as Archimedes screws, and sand V-plough diverters for separating the flow of sand on 

converter belts. 

www.jml-industrie.com 


INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND CONGRESSES 

Fairs and Congresses 

Euroguss Asia Pacific 2018 

September, 19-21, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand 

www.euroguss.de/en/international 

73rd World Foundry Congress 

September, 23-27, 2018, Krakow, Poland 

www.73wfc.com 

Metal 2018 

September, 25-27, 2018, Kielce, Poland 

www.targikielce.pl/en/ 

FOND-EX - 17th International Foundry Fair 2018 

October, 1-5, 2018, Brno, Czech Republic 

www.bvv.cz/en/fond-ex 

ALUMINIUM 2018 

October, 9-11, 2018, Düsseldorf, Germany 

www.aluminium-messe.com/en 

Die Casting Congress 

October, 15-17, 2018, Indianapolis, USA 

www.diecasting.org 

Indometal 2018 

October, 17-19, 2018, Jakarta, Indonesia 

www.indometal.net 

Die Casting Expo 2019 

October, 17-18, 2018, Queretaro, Mexico 

http://diecastingexpo.mx 

FUNDIEXPO 2018 

October, 24-26, 2018, Guadalajara, Mexico 

http://fundiexpo2018.com/en 

EUROGUSS MEXICO 

October, 24-26, 2018, Guadalajara, Mexico 

www.euroguss.de/en/international 

Ankiros and 10th International Foundry Congress 

October, 25-27, 2018, Istanbul, Turkey 

www.ankiros.com 

7th International Foundry Congress & Exhibition (IFCE) 

November, 14-15, 2018, Lahore, Pakistan 

www.pfa.org.pk/info/7th-IFCE/21/0 

China Cast 

November, 15-17, 2018, Suzhou, China 

www.chinacastexpo.com/en/ 

ALUCAST 2018 

December, 6-8, 2018, New Delhi, India 

www.alucastexpo.com 

Advertisers´ Index CPT 3/2018 

Admar Group, Ocala, FL/USA 27 

AGTOS Gesellschaft für technische Oberflächensysteme 

mbH, Emsdetten/Germany 9 

ASK Chemicals GmbH, Hilden/Germany 

IFC 

Christian Bürkert GmbH & Co. KG, 

Ingelfingen/Germany 11 

ConviTec GmbH, Offenbach/Germany 35 

Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH, 

Hardheim/Germany13 

ExOne GmbH, Gersthofen/Germany 17 

Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcilik A.S., 

Cankaya, Ankara/Turkey 47 

Hüttenes-Albertus Chemische Werke GmbH, 

Düsseldorf/GermanyBC 

Jöst GmbH & Co. KG, Dülmen/Germany 23 

KLEIN Anlagenbau AG, Niederfischbach/Germany 49 

Kurtz GmbH, Kreuzwertheim/Germany 39 

Monometer Group Manufacturing Company Ltd., 

Leight-on-Sea, Essex/Great Britain 15 

O.M.LER SRL, Bandito-BRA (CN), Italy 49 

Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH, 

Düsseldorf/Germany51 

Regloplas AG, St. Gallen/Switzerland 21 

voxeljet AG, Friedberg/Germany 45 

HEINRICH WAGNER SINTO Maschinenfabrik GmbH, 

Bad Laasphe/Germany 29 


PREVIEW / IMPRINT 

Preview of the next issue 

Publication date: December 2018 

The swing arm that has become 

Casting of the Year is a component 

for the Lightning LS-218 

motorcycle. 3-D software design 

company Autodesk commissioned 

Tooling Equipment International 

(TEI) to produce the 

prototype (Photo: AFS) 

Selection of topics: 

S. Wetzel: TEI swing arm wins Casting of the Year 

The uniquely shaped part portrays the possibilities and opportunities available when combining additive manufacturing, 

simulation and innovative design 

H. Nelissen: “The foundryman will face new challenges and solve the problems” 

Heinz Nelissen, President GIFA and NEWCAST 2019, Managing Director Vesuvius GmbH, Foseco Foundry Division, Borken, 

Germany, in an interview with CASTING, Plant & Technology 

A. Pretzell: Magmasoft 5.4 – Autonomous Engineering 

With the upcoming version Magmasoft 5.4, MAGMA Gießereitechnologie GmbH, Aachen, Germany, presents a toolbox 

of new possibilities for the optimization of casting design, casting technology and robust manufacturing technology 

Imprint 

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ISSN 0935-7262

CPT International 03/2018

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