CPT International 04/2021

www.cpt-international.com 

WITH SUPPLIERS GUIDE 

Dezember 

2021 

CASTING 

PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY 

INTERNATIONAL 

4 

Nuremberg, Germany // 18 –20.1. 2022 

International Trade Fair for Die Casting: 

Technology, Processes, Products 

Detecting trends, getting inspired, 

sharing ideas –trade fairs are all that 

and more. Come and discover 

EUROGUSS and its possibilities on site. 

#ReExperienceLive 

euroguss.com 

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VDD Verband 

Deutscher 

Druckgießereien 

CEMAFON 

The European Foundry 

Equipment Suppliers Association

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This is DieCast iQ. Intelligent die casting solutions from Quaker Houghton. 

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EDITORIAL 

Iron casting faces major 

challenges 

It is well known that it takes alot of energy to melt iron.Thisruns counter 

to decarbonization when carried out with fossil fuels, as in Germany for 

example. Those countries that have already made agood start with green 

electricity will have advantages.Thus the new iron foundry at truck and 

bus producer Scania is designedtoachieve CO 2 

-neutral production. 

Photo: BDG 

Martin Vogt 

Editor-in-chief 

e-mail: martin.vogt@bdguss.de 

More than 100 iron casters met 

for the Iron Melting Conference 

afew weeks ago in the 

German town of Saarbrucken –astate 

capital, by the way, that used to be 

highly reliant on coal mining and steel 

production. The conference mainly considered 

technical details, of course, such 

as bio-coke in cupola furnaces, operation 

with hydrogen, sample invoices, 

which solution costs how much, and 

whether it would perhaps be worth 

installing one’s own wind turbines on 

company grounds. 

Recently, however, the talk has been 

of climate and decarbonization. Electricity 

is expensive – CO 2 

in Germany has 

carried yet another price label since 

early 2021, and the corresponding levies 

burden castings made in Germany. We 

now have our own research projects on 

the topic of hydrogen. The current situation 

is depressing: the green electricity 

generated here is by no means enough 

to cover demand. The challenges, many 

of which are discussed at such specialist 

conferences, are enormous, especially 

for iron casters. After all, the EU has 

declared that it wants to be climateneutral 

by 2050. 

Youmay see this from adifferent perspective 

because the conditions in your 

region are somewhat different. And one 

need not travel far from Germany to 

experience an alternative situation. A 

journey to Södertälje, in Sweden, is sufficient. 

There are two well-known companies 

in this town of about 70,000 inhabitants, 

southwest of Stockholm and 

barely an hour away by train. The Anglo- 

Swedish pharmaceutical group Astra- 

Zeneca (which recently became afamiliar 

name thanks to its coronavirus vaccine), 

and Scania which is headquartered here. 

The truck and bus producer also develops 

and manufactures its vehicles in Södertälje. 

And, in 2017, it decided to build a 

completely new iron foundry. This alone 

would be worth areport as iron casting 

faces particular challenges due to its 

energy consumption. But the Swedes 

also support the process because the special 

conditions in this country of forests 

and lakes are somewhat different from 

those in Germany: the foundry can produce 

65,000 tonnes ayear, achieved with 

optimized energy efficiency and reduced 

waste flows. And it is to be CO 2 

-neutral 

–thanks to the Swedish electricity mix. 

Youcan read the story about the plant in 

this issue. 

Have agood read! 

CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 4/2021 3


VDD Verband 

Deutscher 


CEMAFON 

The European Foundry 

Equipment Suppliers Association 

CONTENTS 

FEATURES 

6 INTERVIEW 

„Innovations are called for now“ 

We examine how the machine constructor provides 

technical support to asector undergoing change 

in an interview with Stephan Eirich, Managing 

Director in the fifth generation. Robert Piterek 

10 COMPANY 

Light construction for the e-bike boom 

50 years after its topping-out ceremony, Stihl 

Magnesium Druckguss profits from athriving gardening 

sector as well as high demand for light 

e-bike motors. Robert Piterek 

16 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 

Newly manufacturing process of atungsten 

alloy 

Anew manufacturing process for the tungsten 

alloys WNiFe and WNiCu was developed to enable 

the use of tungsten for more demanding geometries. 

Sandra Walz 

CASTING 

Ariane 5Rocket 

currently hosts 25 GF 

components. 

COMPANY 

The New Foundry 

built by Scania 

in Södertälje, Sweden. 

20 COREMAKING 

No Fear of Challenges 

For the special geometry of aductile cast iron component, 

Livar in Slovenia performed acore shooting 

simulation with Magma C+M to virtually optimize a 

core geometry. Pia Sonntag 


November 

WITH SUPPLIERS GUIDE 2021 

CASTING 

4 

PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY 

INTERNATIONAL 

Nuremberg, Germany // 18 –20.1. 2022 



Detecting trends, getting inspired, 

sharing ideas –trade fairs are all that 

and more. Come and discover 

EUROGUSS and its possibilities on site. 


euroguss.com 

Cover-Photo: 

NürnbergMesse GmbH 

Messezentrum, 90471 Nürnberg 

info@nuernbergmesse.de 

www.nuernbergmesse.de/en 

ADDITIVE 

MANUFACTURING 

Such precise and 

curves shapes are 

possible with anewly 

manufacturing 

process of atungsten 

alloy. 

NürnbergMesse is one of the 15 largest exhibition companies 

in the world and organises trade fairs at the Nuremberg 

Exhibition Centre and worldwide. 

4

CONTENTS 

INTERVIEW 

with Stephan Eirich, 

Managing Director. 

24 CASTING 

Complex Casting Solutions and their 

orbit journeys 

With casting solutions for rocket engines, 

GF Casting Solutions is also active in the aerospace 

industry. Patrick Costantini 

26 CASTING 

Fastcast concept enables new casting 

applications and designs 

Engineers succeeded in building an industrial-scale 

levitation melting system. Tatjana Elisabeth 

Avendaño 

30 DIE CASTING 

Detection and control of local hotspots 

Modern aluminum high pressure die casting (HPDC) 

is faced with increasingly complex challenges. 

Torben Disselhoff, Sebastian Biehl 

34 COREMAKING 

Towards amore sustainable core 

production process 

The Clustreg process is reclaiming inorganicbonded 

foundry sand, based on amechanically 

adsorptive process. Vincent Haanappel, Thomas 

Linke, Markus Jendrock, Enno Schulte 

40 PROCESS 

Increased efficiency through foundry 

process restructuring 

The BLANK-Group has restructured the casting 

processes using three approaches. Manuela Schmid 

COMPANY 

New high-bay 

warehouse 

at Stihl Weinsheim. 

44 COMPANY 

Scania builds zero C0 2 

foundry in Sweden 

It features acapacity of 65,000 tons ofgood castings 

per year and CO 2 

-neutrality. Gemco Engineers 

PROCESS 

The BLANK-Group 

presents three 

approaches for 

process restructuring. 

COLUMNS 

3 EDITORIAL 

50 NEWS IN BRIEF 

58 SUPPLIERS GUIDE 

65 FAIRS AND CONGRESSES/AD INDEX 

66 PREVIEW/IMPRINT 


INTERVIEW 

Stephan Eirich 

is the 5th generation to head 

the Gustav Eirich machine factory. 

The 46-year-old believes 

in the transformation power of 

the foundry industry, including 

innovations from Eirich. 

Photos: Eirich

In the Evactherm 

process, sand 

preparation takes 

place under 

vacuum. Sand 

and additives are 

moistened with 

steam. 

Interview with Stephan Eirich 

„Innovations are called for now“ 

Molding material plays adecisive role in the foundry sector. The long-established 

company Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich has long been delivering the machinery and 

technology with which the input material is used and reused inthe production of 

castings. We examine how the machine constructor provides technical support to a 

sector undergoing change in an interview with Stephan Eirich, Managing Director in 

the fifth generation. 

Mr. Eirich, your company has been an 

important supplier of molding sand 

preparation equipment for the foundry 

industry for decades. The sector is 

undergoing change. How do you perceive 

this? 

It is always remarkable where the customers 

who are interested in new technologies 

come from. The main focus 

here has shifted from regions like Germany 

and France to Turkey, China or 

Southeast Asia. These are very significant 

markets, where there is alot of 

activity. 

But the demands have also changed 

greatly. There are nolonger the many 

smaller foundries with the experts on 

board, but considerably larger companies 

that focus more strongly on the 

topics of sustainability, automation, 

Industry 4.0 or digitalization. At the 

same time, there is greater regulation 

–anexternal influencing factor that 

worries everyone. Another factor is the 

rise of e-mobility, which particularly 

affects the automotive casters. 

An investment backlog –which, to 

some extent, is now resolving itself 

again –built up due to the coronavirus 

pandemic. We are now seeing that the 

need to catch up is being counteracted 

with concrete projects. With regional 

differences, investment is now gaining 

pace again in, for example, the truck 

segment, agricultural technology, infrastructure, 

rail vehicle construction, or 

the production of manhole covers. 

Regarding sustainability: molding material 

is acirculatory material. How do 

you see its sustainability potentials? 

Sand circulation works well because it 

can function in aclosed system. But there 

is still arelatively large quantity that is 

removed from the material flow and disposed 

of at dumps. There is certainly still 

potential for future improvement 

through the use of recycling and better 

recycling plants. But there are also possibilities 

for retaining more sand in the system 

with existing plants, and not unnecessarily 

removing sand from the 

system due to exhaust air de-dusting. 

Do you have afigure for how much of 

the sand that is used is recycled and 

how much ends up at dumps? 

That’s difficult to say because it very 

much depends on the use of the core 

sand. One must consider what the sand/ 

cast ratio is, the temperature load on 

the sand, and how great the system friction 

is, or the proportion of fine sand. 

Eirich has ahigh-end application on the 

market –the Qualimaster AT1. How 

important is this in your product range? 

The AT1plays acentral role for us. You 

can have the best mixer in the world, 

but it is difficult to control the sand correctly 

if it does not know what it is supposed 

to do with the next batch, or 

what external changes are going to 

bombard it during the day. What the 

AT1does used to be found in the classic 

laboratory. Most people who now use a 

more modern AT1from Eirich have 

almost completely phased out laboratory 

work because the AT1can measure a 

whole range of values such as, among 

others, compactability, compressive 

strength, shear strength, gas permeability, 

and springback –providing it with 

optimum control of the sand system. 

Once the sand has been prepared, alot 

of subsequent parameters (such as reject 

rates and finishing work) depend 

directly on the preparation. 

The device ensures consistent sand 

quality. The system remains extremely 


INTERVIEW 

stable –whether starting up cold on 

Monday morning, or with heavy rain on 

Friday afternoon causing humidity to 

increase alot. Mold changes, such as a 

different sand/cast ratio, are automatically 

laid down in the system. The molding 

plant then reports that it needs 

sand now. And the AT1then regulates 

the entire sand preparation process. 

This reduces the defect rate –which is 

currently the largest cost driver in 

foundries. 

Are there actually any figures about 

what the AT1can achieve compared to 

asystem without it? 

We don’t have these empirical data. But 

you could well reduce the reject rate by 

up to 25% if, for example, the AT1were 

installed in combination with an 

Evactherm system to replace adifferent 

classic system. If one previously had a 

reject rate of 4%, for example, it would 

then become 3%. Youalso save on 

additive, and can reduce total energy 

costs by 10% with such an Evactherm 

system. Finishing work can also be 

reduced by up to 50%. These are follow-up 

costs that are not directly 

related to the sand system itself. But 

constant sand quality leads to all these 

improvements. 

How isbusiness with the AT1? 

The AT1 is an aggregate that people are 

quite happy to retrofit, and it can considerably 

improve the sand system with 

little effort. It is, in fact, afixed element 

of almost every plant. We recently presented 

the latest design, with many 

additional features, at GIFA 2019 –also 

as astand-alone unit. So if you have a 

complete third-party plant, the AT1can 

be used as acontrol system, digitally 

networked with other plants. 

We are also thinking about collaborating 

with other machine suppliers in 

this area so that jointly determined 

data can beused. Sand plants, sand 

preparation systems and furnaces all 

provide data, and the reject rate 

depends on these three large data volumes. 

When we combine all of this we 

can see what the optimum is for the 

caster. 

This collaboration towards digitalization 

sounds very promising. When will 

it bear fruit? 

Up to now, we have held talks with 

machine construction colleagues and 

each of them, of course, has already 

developed their own solutions. But it is 

an interface topic. Developing such a 

system will undoubtedly involve collaboration 

between different sectors. Ultimately, 

joint standards are also important. 

Germany’s Mechanical Engineering 

Industry Association (VDMA) is asignificant 

player here, taking everyone by 

the hand and creating uniform standards, 

such as the interface standard 

OPC UA. There are also considerations 

about setting standards that are competition-independent, 

particularly in the 

foundry sector. 

Which producers are you working with 

on joint data acquisition? 

HWS is one example of the suppliers 

with whom we are currently collaborating. 

And afurnace producer. And this is 

also important because, ultimately, we 

all have tosurvive against competition 

from Asia –regardless of whether in 

Europe or in Asia. We have to work 

together, for example under the 

umbrella of the VDMA or on aEuropean 

level. We will only achieve this 

together with other colleagues, particularly 

when topics such as climate neutrality 

are involved. 

Inorganic binders have long been on 

offer for molding material in foundries. 

This, however, cannot simply be recycled 

without further processing. Are 

there opportunities here infuture? 

That is an important question for the 

topics of sustainability and sand recycling. 

We can easily recycle green sand. 

It is, after all, our core business. The situation 

becomes considerably more difficult 

as soon as one looks at core sands, 

particularly inorganic ones. There are 

currently avariety of processes, particularly 

thermal and mechanical. And combined 

ones. None of them, however, 

operate really efficiently or with ahigh 

yield. And one also needs relatively solvent 

customers to install such aplant 

nowadays. So Isee alot of potential 

here in future, because everything that 

we currently drive to the dump could 

remain in the system, or at least be recycled 

in such away that it could be 

re-used as construction material, for 

example. Eirich is also looking at this 

topic. We already supply various 

machines for recycling sands with inorganic 

binding agents. We are currently 

trying acompletely different approach, 

however. But it is still too early to say 

more about that here. We are still in a 

very early research phase. 

What is Eirich’s current market position 

worldwide? 

We have aworldwide presence with our 

own companies in all the important 

markets: from Brazil, the USA, and 

South Africa; to India, China and Japan. 

At the moment, the major industrialized 

nations play the greatest role, at least 

until the other countries have recovered 

from the shock of the coronavirus pandemic. 

We are sure that India, above all, 

will play agreater role. And China also 

remains very strong. 

Youmentioned automotive foundries 

that have been unsettled by the trend 

towards e-mobility. What exactly do 

you observe here? 

The major influencing factors are currently 

e-mobility and changes in internal 

combustion engines caused by downsizing 

–atrend that was already making 

its presence felt. Eight cylinders became 

six and then four in combination with, 

for example, aturbocharger –which 

also brought automotive casters new 

business with cast housings. The gears, 

of course, are changing with the use of 

stronger electric motors in vehicles. 

Some of them will also fall victim to 

downsizing. But the entire braking system, 

the form of the vehicle’s brakes, is 

also changing. They may have smaller 

brake calipers, smaller brake disks, 

because there is less need for braking 

due to recuperation. But there is uncertainty 

because nobody knows where the 

journey will take them in the medium 

term. The situation, however, may also 

offer opportunities for new composite 

STEPHAN EIRICH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF 

MASCHINENFABRIK GUSTAV EIRICH 

Stephan Eirich –who studied machine construction at RWTH Aachen and specialized 

in process technology –leads the traditional company (founded in 1863) in 

the fifth generation. He rounded out his university education with an international 

MBA. The 46-year-old joined Eirich in 2006 and took over management of it 

in 2012 –initially for the machine factory and then for the entire group with its 

1100 -1200 employees. He focuses on technology, product development and 

machines. Ralf Rohmann co-manages the company. 

8

Eirich is familiar in the sector for its 

machine technology for molding material. 

But you also serve other sectors. 

Which ones? 

In addition to the foundry sector, weare 

mainly active in metallurgy, sinter and 

pellets, recycling, technical ceramics, 

refractory materials, chemistry (including 

battery development), as well as 

building materials and glass. 

The Qualimaster AT1measures compactability, compressive strength, shear strength, gas 

permeability, spring back and temperature and can thus control the sand system. 

casting materials and, of course, possibilities 

for casters –such as battery and 

motor housings. 

And how can Eirich support foundries 

during this transformation phase? 

Despite all the ups and downs in the 

foundry industry, weare confident that 

the sector will cope with these challenges 

well. But innovations are called 

for now. How can Igenerate decisive 

competitive advantages? Do Iinvest in 

automation or do more about digitalization 

to improve my reject rate and 

energy use? And which systems do I 

want to use to achieve this? And, 

because Idon’t know exactly what 

tomorrow will bring, should Iperhaps 

position my foundry abit more flexibly? 

We offer customer-specific solutions for 

all these questions. 

Let’s move on to the currently omnipresent 

topic of climate neutrality. The 

European Union should become climate-neutral 

by 2050, other countries 

will follow in the subsequent two 

decades. How can the sector approach 

this challenge? 

We definitely have to take this topic 

very seriously. Energy and resource efficiency 

are already matters for every 

foundry. They need high temperatures, 

they need moving mechanisms, they 

use materials. All this should be optimized 

so that foundries need as little 

of them as possible to produce the best 

possible product. We have customers 

who want precisely this, but at the 

same time they also want the cleanest 

workplaces with the lowest noise and 

odor emissions –amodern foundry for 

modern jobs. 

Our Evactherm process offers assistance 

here. Evactherm does not mean 

sand preparation under avacuum and 

no longer having an upstream cooler 

–regardless of whether aconveyor belt 

or mixing cooler –but having the complete 

preparation take place in aclosed 

mixing system. This means that our system 

first adds the additive to the sand, 

and then over-dampens it appropriately. 

This excess moisture is much better 

at activating the bentonite as a 

binding agent in the system. 

And you also reduce the boiling 

point of the water by building up a 

vacuum in the machine. It already starts 

bubbling at 70, 60 or 50 degrees, 

depending on how great avacuum you 

set up. Youcan then accurately define, 

via the vacuum, that the foundry sand 

will always leave the system at 41°C – 

and the damp interior atmosphere helps 

moisten the sand and additive components. 

Steam distributes water better 

than any other moistening method. 

In addition, the air is sucked out of 

the system and the next batch of sand 

inserted. Nothing gets into the exhaust 

system and filter, which can therefore 

also be designed up to 50% smaller. You 

also do not need the large number of 

old sand silos. The use of additive can be 

cut by20%, and energy consumption by 

10%. Youcan also make the machine 

much thinner by using servomotors. 

So then the logical final question is 

always where isyour journey taking 

you, what revolutionary technologies 

are being developed? Can you tell me 

something about this? 

We are considering the megatrends, 

such as e-mobility. Wherever there is a 

risk that aparticular business field could 

weaken, we examine where we could 

compensate for it. For some years now 

we have been involved in developing 

new products for lithium-ion batteries 

where, interestingly, Evactherm technology 

also plays amajor role. And 

then, in parallel, we are also weighing 

up getting into the hygiene industry, 

where our mixing technology –with all 

its advantages –isstill unfamiliar. We 

think that there are major opportunities 

there. And then, of course, there 

are all the topics regarding digitalization. 

All the current opportunities and 

possibilities of artificial intelligence are 

incredibly exciting. How can apreparation 

plant that we supply to acustomer 

today always move within an optimum 

range, as asystem, without the customer 

have to make use of experienced 

experts, which are becoming more and 

more difficult to find? The machine supplier 

should perhaps implement this 

knowledge in the plant. We see great 

opportunities here, and we also think 

that we have aresponsibility here to 

our customers. How do we exploit the 

huge quantity of data? They need to be 

intelligently analyzed and tapped to 

find out where the change is, or where 

effects can be predicted. The systems 

that offer real benefits similar to the 

AT1are growing. It has always been 

important for us to think outside the 

box when it came to developments. 

Thus, for example, the Evactherm process 

came from battery production for 

classic lead-acid batteries in the foundry 

industry. And now it is moving from 

there to lithium-ion batteries, in which 

we are researching. This technology 

transfer between the sectors is 

undoubtedly one of our company’s 

greatest strengths. 

www.eirich.de 


COMPANY 

50 Years of Stihl in Weinsheim 

The machine park in Weinsheim has grown greatly during 

recent years. The most efficient hot-chamber die-casting 

machines with clamping forces of 300 -1000 tonnes are 

located here. 

Light construction 

for the e-bike boom 

Stihl Magnesium Druckguss comes out of the recent crisis strengthened –neither the 

coronavirus pandemic nor the flooding innearby Prüm could change that. 50 years after 

its topping-out ceremony, the company profits from athriving gardening sector aswell as 

high demand for light e-bike motors. Inthe medium term, however, the volatile magnesium 

supply chain could still threaten Stihl’s booming business in magnesium die casting. 

by Robert Piterek, Düsseldorf 

Photos: Andreas Bednareck 

Everywhere one looks business is 

booming in Weinsheim and the 

area around the nearby small town 

of Prüm in the Eifel region: whether at 

door producer Prüm Türenwerke, the 

Arla dairy plant constructor, oratTesla 

Automation (previously Grohmann 

Engineering) who make equipment for 

automating Tesla production. The companies 

are growing, investing, expanding, 

and waking up the formerly structurally 

weak region from its pandemicrelated 

slumber of the last one-and-ahalf 

years. 

Double-digit growth 

Despite the fact that specialists, in particular, 

are gradually becoming rare in 

the region, the company has had a 

noteworthy growth spurt: Stihl Magnesium 

Druckguss, the largest hot-chamber 

die-casting foundry in Germany, and 

probably in Europe, is also celebrating 

its 50th birthday this year. The workforce 

here grew by more than 100 

between Christmas 2020 and now – 

to its present level of 924 employees. 

The parent company is the Stihl 

Group, based in Waiblingen, with 

almost 20,000 employees worldwide. 

During the first eight months of the 

year the family-run company achieved 

remarkable year-on-year growth of 11.7 

10

percent, with sales of about 3.5 billion 

euros. Stihl Magnesium Druckguss, the 

Group’s engine room for component 

construction, made an important contribution 

towards these dream figures. 

The machines in Weinsheim operate 

at full utilization capacity, and the 

amount of machinery is growing 

because Stihl products have been in 

greater worldwide demand than ever 

for some time now. Firstly, this is due to 

the good growth of vegetation in the 

last two years, which always brings 

more business for the manufacturer of 

power tools for gardening, landscaping, 

forestry and construction. Secondly, 

sales increased because of the coronavirus 

pandemic driving many DIY enthusiasts 

and horticulturalists to give their 

best. Another important reason for the 

massive growth in Weinsheim, however, 

is the consistently increasing jobbing 

work for e-bike components made of 

cast magnesium, namely gear and 

motor housings for e-drives. The segment 

has reported record growth due 

to the trend towards e-mobility and the 

rise of cycling activities during the coronavirus 

crisis. The e-bike segment, 

according toforecasts, isset to undergo 

almost double-digit growth until 2030 

–every year. 

23-year-old tool 

mechanic Michael 

Breuer repairs 

amold with two 

cavities. 

Millions invested in jobbing work 

“That is aremarkable market,” rejoices 

Hartmut Fischer, Managing Director of 

Stihl Magnesium Druckguss. 17 million 

euros have been invested in the promising 

field of jobbing work, contrary to 

usual practice at the family-run company. 

Further expansion is likely. 

Whereby e-bike components for a 

major Stuttgart-based automotive and, 

now, also e-bike supplier already make 

up more than half of the jobbing castings 

–and this proportion is rising. The 

benchmark for e-bikes is the 3 kg 

motor. “And they can only achieve this 

with magnesium,” according to Fischer. 

70 percent of current production in 

Weinsheim is for Stihl and 30 percent is 

jobbing castings. Jobbing work has 

therefore grown substantially during 

the last five years. 

Premium class in the 

hot-chamber segment 

Alot has changed at the works itself 

since Fischer took up his position in 

2015. The number of die-casting plants 

has risen from 20 to 26 –and another 

two have been ordered. Inaddition, a 

Multiple production is trumps: Stihl can produce up to 16 components with one shot of 

magnesium melt. 

new production logistics system was set 

up in 2019 with astate-of-the-art highbay 

warehouse. Fischer now uses 

machines with clamping forces of up to 

1,000 tonnes. “In the cold-chamber segment 

the top limit is currently the Tesla 

Giga Press with aclamping force of 

8,000 tonnes. In the hot-chamber segment 

1,000 tonne plants, two of which 

we are now operating, are the premium 

class,” Fischer compares the two 

die-casting technologies. The advantage 

is that the greater the clamping force, 

the more components can be produced 

per shot. In Weinsheim one load of 

magnesium melt is used to make up to 

16 castings. 

Ahigh level of automation contributes 

to the high efficiency of the production 

facilities: arobot within the 

fenced-in casting cells of the 1,000- 

tonne plants takes the casting cluster 

out of the machine, quenches it, and 

then removes the sprues and burrs 

using apunch press. The plant is fed 

magnesium ingots directly melted at 

the machine. In practice, the fully automated 

process is accompanied by 

hydraulic hissing sounds, the muffled 

thuds ofthe deburring press, and 

clouds of steam from the quenching of 

the clusters. Workers appear, when necessary, 

to examine the control panels or 

roll full component pallet cages out of 

the casting hall. 

The most varied of castings –such as 

crankcases and ventilator housings for 

brush cutters, jet sweepers and hedge 

trimmers –then pass through sometimes 

wide-ranging finishing processes 

involving blasting machines or five-axis 

machining centers. Numerous robots 

also work alongside the workforce, 

including two per processing cell to 

carry out work steps in parallel and save 

time. Modern visualization technology 


COMPANY 

is also used, so the metal comrades can 

take the components out of the pallet 

cages autonomously and further process 

them. 

AGVs in the die-casting works 

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are 

used for transport to the washing plant 

and todispatch. One of the three kneehigh 

vehicles that drive through the 

aisles with rubber antennae and green 

identification lamps is called Willy – 

controlled autonomously via wireless 

LAN. When abox in the mechanical 

processing area is full, the high-tech 

trolley receives atransport order, 

depending on its free capacity, that it 

then fulfils autonomously. Welcome to 

the future –even if alot of imagination 

is required to see Willy as an early predecessor 

of Star Wars’ R2D2. 

The autonomous Willy and his two 

companions should not, however, 

remain the tip of the digitalization iceberg 

at Stihl. Asystem is already operating 

at the works to keep an eye on the 

performance of the machines. “Two 

screens and one measurement device 

show us how the processes are progressing 

and where, specifically, we 

need to intervene toprevent the production 

of any rejects,” reports Fischer. 

The new MES system for evaluating the 

large volume of machine data acquired 

from the coming year onwards –which, 

when successfully implemented, will be 

introduced at many Stihl sites worldwide 

–will also be asignificant milestone 

onthe path to digitalization. 

Quality assurance using artificial intelligence 

is being considered, as is the 

topic ofpredictive maintenance. There 

is no shortage of ideas or the will to 

implement them atStihl. 

Producing magnesium castings 

economically 

But the process itself, in particular, is 

crucial for economical production. Time 

plays adecisive role here, and 

hot-chamber die casting is especially 

Automatic finishing 

of achainsaw component 

in one of the 

numerous machining 

halls containing, 

among other things, 

dry machining, 

cleaning, visual 

inspection and 

pre-assembly. 

1,000-tonne hot-chamber die-casting 

cell with integrated crucible, punch press, 

and robot handling from removal to 

deburring. 

helpful due to its short cycle times: the 

entire dosing unit is in the melt with 

this process. Although it is only possible 

to use material temperatures of below 

700°C and preferably produce small 

components, the melt feed is comparatively 

short –enabling rapid cycles. The 

closed circulatory system, through 

which the 650 °C magnesium melt is 

shot into the tool, offers further advantages: 

firstly, the almost complete 

absence of oxygen lowers the risk that 

12

must be taken into account for this 

light metal with its high tendency to 

oxidize. Secondly, fewer pores develop 

in the casting –animportant quality 

feature of hot-chamber die-casting 

technology. Cold-chamber machines – 

with their external, longer melt feed 

–are also suitable for larger parts and 

materials such as aluminum, whose 

melting point is about 750 °C. 

Aproduction area for aluminum 

gravity casting is also currently under 

construction. The site was chosen 

because of its competitiveness within 

the Stihl production alliance. Gravity 

casting offers considerable advantages 

compared to die casting because lighter 

and more complex structures are possible 

using undercuts and filigree 

designs, even if production is considerably 

more expensive given the longer 

cooling times required. The introduction 

of the new production technology 

in Weinheim is, however, worth the 

trouble because it ensures sales of the 

company’s particularly powerful chainsaws. 

Stihl at EUROGUSS 

In their core segment of magnesium die 

casting, Fischer and the developers in 

Weinsheim and Waiblingen approach 

the limits of what is technically possible 

to save weight, gain quality benefits or 

increase performance. One highlight of 

their work was the feather-light magnesium 

pistons for the Stihl MS 400 professional 

chainsaw that won first place 

in the Magnesium Die-Casting Competition 

at EUROGUSS in 2020. Although 

the pistons are difficult to cast and 

require higher temperatures they are 

produced with the work’s only coldchamber 

die-casting machine. The 

chainsaw now has amore powerful 

engine with the same weight of its predecessor 

model –animportant decision-making 

criterion for professionals, 

e.g. forestry workers. 

Fischer also hopes to win the competition 

again in early 2022 when EURO- 

GUSS opens its doors once more in 

Nuremberg –asatrade fair with faceto-face 

contacts. His company has 

entered the race with acomponent for 

acordless electric chainsaw that has 

many integrated functions and is produced 

with two molds per shot. In addition 

to representing his company at the 

leading European die-casting trade fair, 

the manager, who is also President of 

the Association of German Die-Casting 

Foundries (VDD), will speak about topics 

of urgent interest to the sector. 

Ventilator side of a 

chainsaw already 

pre-assembled in 

Weinsheim. The 

crankshaft and piston 

rod are then 

added in Waiblingen, 

where the 

engine is also put 

together. 

One of three autonomous 

transport 

robots that take 

components after 

finishing for washing, 

labelling, and 

dispatch. It is networked 

via wireless 

LAN to enable 

autonomous movement. 


COMPANY 

40 percent efficiency increase 

planned by 2030 

One of these may well be climate neutrality, 

which Germany wants to achieve 

by 2045, the European Union by 2050. 

In addition to the megatrends of e-mobility 

and digitalization, the energyintensive 

foundry sector faces another 

challenge. Stihl Magnesium Druckguss is 

already climate-neutral in the areas of 

Scope Iand Scope II of the Greenhouse 

Gas Protocol, which involves the energy 

used (e.g. electricity, gas, oil, heating 

oil) as well as the company’s vehicle 

fleet. “We buy green electricity and 

compensate with certificates according 

to the gold standard,” Fischer describes 

the corporate strategy. “This costs alot, 

but weare doing it with the clear goal 

of becoming considerably more efficient 

during coming years because it is 

important that the products, if possible, 

do not become more expensive – or 

only slightly more so,” Fischer describes 

the discrepancy between ambitious 

environmental objectives and competitive 

business. The die-caster intends to 

increase efficiency by another 40 percent 

by 2030. An ambitious goal when 

one considers that conventional efficiency 

increases using LED lighting or 

waste heat recovery have already been 

fully utilized. 

The fact that almost every week a 

sector company declares its climate 

neutrality makes him skeptical. 

Because, particularly in the case of climate 

neutrality including Scope III, the 

input materials for production must be 

included in the assessment, e.g. ore for 

steel or bauxite for aluminum. Supply 

chains that he believes could hardly 

have reduced their CO 2 

footprint to 

zero. 

Climate neutrality with 

green magnesium 

But time is short: customers such as 

Mercedes want to receive climate-neutral 

products by 2037. At present, however, 

green magnesium is more wishful 

thinking than reality. While the light 

metal is one of the ten most common 

elements in the earth’s crust, itisalmost 

entirely supplied by China. Although 

Stihl has proactively assured its own 

supply, other magnesium-processing 

works currently have great difficulty 

with the supply chain. The German 

Non-Ferrous Metal Association (WVM) 

even fears developments similar to those 

affecting semiconductors. The entire 

supply chain must become climateneutral 

for companies to also achieve a 

An employee visually 

inspecting a 

blasted customer 

casting. 

Scope III climate balance. Companies 

are already starting to exert pressure on 

their suppliers. An exercise, however, 

that will have little effect on economic 

giants like China. “We need green magnesium,” 

Hartmut Fischer stresses. And 

in China plants are also being built to 

produce magnesium with significantly 

lower CO 2 

emissions. For this purpose, 

magnesium chloride is obtained from 

salt lakes, as is currently happening in 

Israel and the USA. The crux of the matter 

is that these plants do not yet operate 

properly. Extensive internal recycling 

without long transport routes, 

however, offers the Weinsheim die-casters 

potential for using magnesium with 

alow CO 2 

footprint. 

14

New high-bay warehouse in the 

brand new logistics hall, for which 

Stihl invested 18 million euros in 

2019. 

Stihl celebrated the 

construction of the 

new magnesium 

die-casting works 

in front of unfinished 

administration 

and production 

halls in 1971. 

The prelude to 50 

years of successful 

production. 

Photo: Stihl 

50 YEARS OF STIHL MAGNESIUM DRUCKGUSS 

1971: Topping-out ceremony on 10 September 1971; production of castings 

started in November 1971. 

1975: Founding of the works fire brigade and opening of ateaching workshop 

that has trained 500 apprentices since 2013. 

1979: 50millionth casting produced. 

1981: 10years of Stihl Magnesium Druckguss, the foundry has about 800 

employees. 

1985-2014: Expansions with administration buildings, foundry halls and 

orks hall. 

2019: Groundbreaking ceremony for the new production logistics building 

which, with an investment of EUR 18 m., is Stihl’s greatest single investment 

at the Weinsheim site. 

2020: Winner of the Magnesium Die-Casting Competition at EUROGUSS for 

developing afeather-light die-cast piston. 

Hartmut Fischer has been Managing Director of Stihl Magnesium Druckguss since 2015. After 

studying mechanical engineering in Hanover, hestarted his career at Stihl and was also active 

for the family-run company in Brazil. Fischer, who is also President of the Association of German 

Die-Casting Foundries (VDD), is married with three children. 

And who will pay the bill for climate 

neutrality? The President of the German 

Foundry Association (BDG), Clemens 

Küpper, believes that the costs for 

foundries will amount to 5-10percent 

of sales every year –considerably higher 

than the sector’s average profit margin. 

“The die-casters alone will be unable to 

pay that,” Fischer is convinced. 

The Stihl manager developed the 

first chainsaw with acatalytic converter 

for his company and is proud of the fact 

that corresponding emission savings are 

now possible entirely without this 

device thanks to investments in the 

high triple-digit millions. “We want to 

work sustainably and achieve CO 2 

neutrality,” 

the Stihl manager stresses as a 

farewell. Whatever happens, his company 

will be apioneer in the foundry 

industry because Stihl’s course towards 

climate neutrality has been set – as 

early as next year, all production sites 

worldwide are to be converted. 

www.stihl.de 


ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 

Photos: Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH 

Such precise and sometimes curved shapes are impossible to form from the hard heavy metal, whose extremely high melting point is between 

3,387 and 3,422 °C, using conventional machining or forming processing techniques. 

Additive manufacturing of complex components 

Newly manufacturing 

process of atungsten alloy 

In order to enable the use of tungsten for more demanding geometries and thus to 

increase the efficiency and longevity of the components, Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH, 

which belongs to the Traunstein-based Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH, has 

developed anew manufacturing process for the tungsten alloys WNiFe and WNiCu. This 

is characterized by the fact that the multi-phase mixed crystal alloy is obtained in apowder 

form that is suitable as astarting material for 3-D printing and coating processes. 

By Sandra Walz, Munich 

16

Tungsten alloys (WNiFe /WNiCu) 

are used because of their corrosion 

resistance against molten 

metal and high thermal conductivity for 

chill-mold casting processing of aluminum. 

Yet, also in tool manufacture and 

for shielding from alpha and gamma 

radiation, the heavy metal with its density 

comparable to gold is indispensable. 

However, ataround 3,400 °C, 

tungsten has the highest melting point 

of all chemical elements and is therefore 

very difficult to work with, as well 

as due to its Mohs hardness of 7.5. As a 

result, components with more complex 

shapes, such as curves or conical bores, 

often have to be switched to hot-work 

tool steel, which is easier to form. 

“Due to its resistance to corrosion 

and erosion from molten metals as well 

as its excellent thermal conductivity, 

tungsten is the material of choice in the 

field of cast aluminum,” says Nabil 

Gdoura, research and development 

engineer at Bayerische Metallwerke 

GmbH, Dachau, Germany. “The very 

high density of 19.25 g/cm 3 in its pure 

form also makes itagood alternative to 

the harmful lead, which is still used for 

radiation shielding in medicine, for 

example.” 

In the case of casting molds, also 

known as chill-molds, used in aluminum 

processing, the aim is often to have 

long but atthe same time very thin and 

sometimes conically shaped cooling 

channels of less than 1mmindiameter 

in order toensure the most uniform 

and rapid heat dissipation possible. 

Otherwise, the material quality of the 

end product can be adversely affected 

by the formation of cracks. Such precise 

and sometimes curved shapes are 

impossible to model from the hard 

heavy metal, whose extremely high 

melting point is between 3,387 and 

3,422 °C, using conventional machining 

or forming processing techniques. 

Therefore, for these complex components 

for the purposes mentioned, it 

has so far been necessary to switch to 

hot-work steel, which can be brought 

into almost any desired shape with the 

help of 3-D printing techniques. 

Figure 1: In order to enable the use of 

tungsten for more demanding geometries, 

Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH 

developed anew manufacturing process 

for atungsten alloy and patented 

it in early 2021. 

New tungsten alloy in powder 

form suitable for 3-D printing 

After completing the two-year development 

phase, Bayerische Metallwerke 

applied for apatent for their new manufacturing 

process for atungsten alloy 

product (Figure 1)and its further use at 

the beginning of 2020, which was 

finally granted in January of this year. 

“The special feature of our tungsten-nickel-iron 

alloy is that we obtain 

it in the form of apre-alloyed powder,” 

(Figure 2)explains Dr.-Ing. Hany 

Gobran, research and development 

manager at Bayerische Metallwerke and 

inventor ofthe manufacturing technology. 

“This is suitable as astarting product 

for 3-D printing and coating processes.” 

In the absence of an 

alternative, only amixed powder has so 

far been used to make tungsten usable 

for components with complex geometries. 

The main disadvantage of such 

mixtures, however, results from the different 

melting points of tungsten 

(around 3,400 °C) and of nickel and 

iron, both of which change their physical 

state at around 1,500 °C. Asaresult, 

alarge part of the two added substances 

evaporates in an uncontrolled 

manner during the melting process in 

the further processing process. This is 

because the boiling points of nickel and 

iron are already around 2,700 °C and 

3,000 °C respectively. Thanks to the 

pre-alloying in the process developed 

by Gobran, on the other hand, all three 

elements are combined as amultiphase 

material in each individual powder particle 

(Figure 3), so that their composition 

and distribution in the end product 

can beprecisely controlled and no loss 

of the binder metals has to be accepted. 

According to the common standardized 

variants, the new alloy can be produced 

with 80 to 98.5 %(weight) tungsten, 

0.1 to 15 %(weight) nickel and 0.1 

to 10 %(weight) iron and/or copper. 

This achieves adensity of the end product 

of 17 to 18.8 g/cm 3 ,which is desirable 

for applications in the aluminum 

Figure 2: The special feature of the new tungsten-nickel-iron alloy is that it is obtained in the form of apre-alloyed powder. 

This is suitable as astarting product for 3-D printing and coating processes. 


ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 

behaviour and the grain size of the 

powder between 10 and 200 µm can 

also be determined (Figure 4). In this 

way, the alloy is individually prepared 

for the desired type of further processing 

–such as plasma coating processes 

or additive manufacturing. 

Figure 3: Thanks to the master alloy, the three elements tungsten, nickel and iron are combined 

as amulti-phase material in each individual powder particle, so that their composition 

and distribution in the end product can be precisely monitored and controlled and no loss of 

the binder metals has to be accepted. 

Anew manufacturing process 

enables materials to be upcycled 

If, for example, the hot-work steel previously 

used for thin and conical cooling 

channels in cast aluminum chill-molds is 

replaced by the tungsten alloy developed 

by Gobran, the application benefits 

not only from the heavy metal’s 

resistance to corrosion and erosion. 

Compared to steel, tungsten also has 

the advantage of much higher thermal 

conductivity, sothat the wear on the 

chill-molds can be massively reduced. 

Due to its higher density, the alloy 

product is also an alternative to poisonous 

lead, which is used not only for 

radiation shielding, but also as astabiliser 

–for example in the tool industry. 

“Another special feature of our alloy is 

that we can make the powder from 

scraps or chips,” adds Gdoura. “This is a 

big step forward from both an economic 

and environmental perspective, 

as it allows us to recycle and upcycle 

waste products from conventional processes.” 

www.wolfram-industrie.de 

Figure 4: During the comminution process as part of the manufacturing process, the flow 

behaviour and the grain size of the powder between 10 and 200 µm can also be determined. 

In this way, the alloy is individually prepared for the desired type of further processing. 

industry, tool manufacture and for 

alpha and gamma radiation shielding. 

“The higher the proportion of tungsten 

in the end product, the more resistant it 

is to molten aluminum and the better 

its thermal conductivity,” explains 

Gobran. “If, on the other hand, good 

ductility and mechanical machinability 

play agreater role, the proportion of 

tungsten in the alloy can also be 

reduced accordingly. The composition 

can therefore always be adapted to the 

specific application and the respective 

complexity of the shape.” During the 

comminution process as part of the 

manufacturing process, the flow 

GESELLSCHAFT FÜR WOLFRAM INDUSTRIE MBH 

Originally founded in 1911 in Berlin as Wolfram Drahtfabrik GmbH for the manufacturing 

and processing of tungsten and molybdenum by the grandfather of the 

current managing partner Marion Freifrau von Cetto, the company changed its 

name to the Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH in 1928. The company’s 

headquarters were moved to Traunstein in 1943, where additional production 

buildings were constructed in the 1950s. After the death of the shareholder 

Helga Freifrau von Cetto, her daughter Marion Freifrau von Cetto took over 

management of the company as the owner in 1974. In 1991, the Gesellschaft für 

Wolfram Industrie mbH acquired the competitor Bayerische Metallwerke GmbH 

in Dachau that had been active in the market since 1926, and thus expanded its 

product range. Both companies produce exclusively in Germany. There are currently 

57 employees at the Dachau location and 63 in Traunstein. In August 2018, 

the company opened another location in Winterthur, Switzerland, with Wolfram 

Industrie GmbH. 

18

Meet us at 

Euroguss 

in Nuremberg 

Hall 7-2120 

Start your digital 

journey today, with the 

Bühler digital 

services. 

Keep on top of your die-casting 

operations. 

The Bühler Insights Die Casting Dashboard 

displays real-time data, customized for 

you. With this you are able to keep an eye 

on your die-casting machine, foundry and 

plant. Supported by the right information, 

your operators, production managers and 

technologists will be able to better improve 

OEE. 

Our experienced team helps you set-up the 

Dashboard according to your needs. 

This is how your Die Casting Dashboard could look like. 

Want to discuss in detail? 

Get in touch on die-casting@buhlergroup.com 

Innovations for a better world.

COREMAKING 

Photos and Graphics: LIVAR/EXOTHERM-IT 

The perfect core. 

Core Shooting Simulation 

No Fear of Challenges 

For the special geometry of aductile cast iron component, Livar inSlovenia performed 

acore shooting simulation with Magma C+M to virtually optimize acore geometry. 

By Pia Sonntag, Aachen, Germany 

Livar is with 750 employees one of 

the biggest foundries in Slovenia. 

The grey and ductile iron foundry 

had to deal with asomewhat unusual 

project. They received arequest for 

manufacturing aductile iron casting. In 

order to be able to represent the special 

geometry, the foundry decided to first 

produce acore segment and then overshoot 

it in asecond core box (Figure 1). 

In the first cores produced, the surface 

of the inserted sand core was not completely 

filled with sand (Figure 2). Manually 

adding extra vents and flow paths 

Figure 1: Core segment inserted in the core box. 

Figure 2: Incompletely shot core. 

20

Nuremberg, Germany 

18 –20.1. 2022 



Detecting trends, getting inspired, sharing ideas – trade fairs are all that 

and more. Come and discover EUROGUSS and its possibilities on site. 



VDD Verband Deutscher 


CEMAFON 

The European Foundry Equipment 

Suppliers Association 

euroguss.com

COREMAKING 

Figure 3: Results for air pressure and sand density. 

did not improve the situation. As a 

Magmasoft user, Livar was familiar with 

the possibilities of the core shooting 

simulation and turned to its contact in 

Slovenia, the company Exotherm-IT, 

exclusive representative of Magma. 

Magma C+M was implemented to investigate 

and solve the problem. 

The first simulation was performed 

with standard data. However, inthe critical 

area, the results still showed too 

high sand densities. Therefore, it was 

decided to first calibrate the sand properties 

and shooting parameters. For this 

purpose, avirtual design of experiments 

was defined in Magma C+M, and atotal 

of 36 designs with different sand properties 

were tested. The results were 

compared in the critical zone with an 

evaluation area. Using the main effects 

diagram, which shows the influence of 

different sand and process conditions on 

the core density (Figure 3), optimized 

sand data for Livar could be determined. 

After calibrating the sand properties, 

it was possible to identify and systematically 

investigate the causes of the 

core defect occurred. With the help of 

the simulation results, Livar was able to 

show that the air pressure differences 

near the critical area were too small to 

transport the sand to the inserted core 

segment. Therefore, the sand initially 

flowed through narrow passages above 

the critical area and compacted, thus 

stopping the further transport of the 

sand. 

In order for the sand to reliably fill 

the critical areas, the pressure gradient 

should therefore be increased by closing 

shoot nozzles. For this purpose, 

another virtual design of experiments 

was carried out: Shoot nozzles were 

automatically switched off inpairs on 

each half of the core box, starting with 

the vents farthest from the critical area 

(Figure 4, Table 1). 

Figure 4: Virtual test plan for opening and closing the shoot nozzles. 

Table 1: Shoot nozzles (s. Figure 4)were automatically switched off inpairs. 

design vents no. 1 vents no. 2 vents no. 3 vents no. 4 vents no. 5 

d01 x o o o o 

d02 x x o o o 

d03 x x x o o 

d04 x x x x o 

d05 x x x x x 

d06 x x x x x 

Figure 5: Calculated core density depending on sand and process properties. 

22

Cut scrap by 

40% with 

Monitizer ® 

Figure 6: Calculated core density for the optimized solution. 

In the Assessment Perspective of Magma C+M, two 

objectives were analyzed: the average and the minimum 

sand density in the critical area of the core. From the six 

variants, version 4showed the best results (Figure 5). By 

systematically switching off four shoot nozzles, the pressure 

differences were significantly increased. This allowed 

the sand to be transported to the end of the critical area. 

The verification of this solution (Figure 6)inthe real 

core box immediately resulted in good core quality. The 

bottom line: The virtual optimization was successful, and, 

despite initial difficulties, Livar was able to reliably meet 

the customer‘s requirements. 

https://livar.si/en 

www.exotherm.si/en 

Pia Sonntag, Magma Gießereitechnologie GmbH, 

Aachen, Germany 

ABOUT LIVAR D.D. 

As one of the largest foundries in Slovenia, Livar employs 

over 750 people. The foundry produces high-quality grey 

and ductile iron castings. Livar has its own tooling and 

machining shop. The technology department is equipped 

with the latest technology, including Magmasoft. The 

casting process is constantly monitored by various control 

systems, ensuring comprehensive quality control of production, 

finishing, packaging and shipping. 

Monitizer ® is the tried and tested Industry 4.0 platform 

for foundries. It offers everything you need to collect, 

visualise and analyse your data –toreduce cost, scrap 

and downtime. 

Contact us to find out more: 

T: +4544505050 

E: disa.industries@disagroup.com 

www.disagroup.com

CASTING 

Photos: GF Casting Solutions 

Castings for Space Travel 

Ariane Rocket at Paris Air Show in 2019. 

Ariane 5currently hosts 25 GF components. 

Complex Casting Solutions 

and their orbit journeys 

With casting solutions for rocket engines, GF Casting Solutions is–next to its more 

popular role as automotive supplier –also active in the aerospace industry and travels 

far away over our heads in orbit. Read what the casting industry offers for fascinating 

space industry. 

By Patrick Costantini, Schaffhausen, Switzerland 

To make itshort, tradition meets 

innovation when casting technology 

isapplied in rockets because 

there hardly is another manufacturing 

technology that was longer tested – 

casting being one of the oldest manufacturing 

processes invented by humans. 

And still, material as well as component 

properties are perfect for the high level 

of requirements set for rocket engines. 

As long-standing supplier, GFCasting 

Solutions produces highly complex precision 

casting parts for Ariane Group, of 

which already more than 25 components 

per launch travelled to space. 

The Ariane 5rocket currently hosts 

25 GF components. The extremely high 

requirements for rocket engines are 

achieved by accurately defined materials 

and further developments of the 

component design –realized in the precision 

casting process. In GF components 

for rocket engines, special heat-resistant 

and strong Chromium/Nickel based 

alloys are in use that deliver extremely 

strong protection against corrosion, 

high strength and that are at the same 

time easy to weld. 

To face the extreme conditions in the 

rocket engine, the components need to 

24

Figure 1: Aerospace engine demonstrator by 

GF Casting Solutions. The foundry group 

delivers components for the Ariane engines 

Vulcain 2and Vinci. 

be extremely resistant against high temperatures. 

But to achieve all these high 

properties, it does not have to be casting 

all alone! The experience especially 

with smaller series of components has 

shown that the metal 3-D printing process 

can perfectly complement the casting 

process. 

This is why GF offers metal additive 

manufacturing with precision casting 

Figure 2: Additively manufactured turbocharger 

demonstrator. GFalso produces metal-3- 

D-parts for rocket engines. 

combined with the same specialized 

processes and post processing entirely 

certified for the aerospace industry. GF‘s 

many years of casting experience and 

process know-how are thus complemented 

by state-of-the-art technology. 

GF’s space components for Ariane 

Group can be found in the engines Vulcain 

2and Vinci which were both successfully 

tested and qualified in years 

2018 and 2019. The first start of Ariane 

6rocket is scheduled for December 2022 

from Guiana Space Center and will 

bring the James Webb Space Telescope 

(Webb) to space. Further GF cast components 

will be part of Ariane 6, the successor 

of Ariane 5. 

In year 2018, GF Casting Solutions 

announced the acquisition of aprecision 

casting specialist and achieved to diversify 

its business fields. From aspecialist 

for iron casting and high-pressure die 

casting, the company developed to a 

casting specialist with four technologies 

in-house offering solutions for six different 

market segments. With its precision 

casting competence at two locations in 

Ticino, Switzerland, and in the north of 

Romania, GF offers highly complex casting 

solutions as well as metal additive 

manufacturing for industrial and commercial 

aerospace industry. 

Patrick Costantini, GF Casting Solutions 

AG, Schaffhausen, Switzerland 

Competence in 

Shot Blast Technology 

20 Years 

As afull-range supplier,wedesign 

andmanufactureshot blasting 

machines including filter and 

transporttechnology. 

We placeparticularvalue to service. 

➜ New shot blasting machines 

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AGTOS 

Gesellschaftfür technische 

Oberflächensysteme mbH 

Gutenbergstraße 14 

D-48282 Emsdetten 

Tel. +49(0)2572 96026-0 

info@agtos.de 

www.agtos.com 

288-01/21-4c-GB 


CASTING 

Up to this point, almost 

all relevant titanium-based 

alloys as well as aluminum 

and super alloys were cast 

successfully with the pilot 

plant. 

Levitation melting in 

investment casting 

Fastcast concept enables new 

casting applications and designs 

Engineers succeeded in building anindustrial-scale levitation melting system: Aspecial 

design now allows the high purity casting ofvarious reactive metals and alloys with up 

to 500 grams as well as short cycle times. 

By Tatjana Elisabeth Avendaño, Munich, Germany 

Photos and Graphics: ALD Vacuum Technologies GMBH 

Various crucible melting methods 

are used up to date for metal 

melting in investment casting. 

Although widely used, they have some 

disadvantages. For most (non-reactive) 

materials ceramic crucibles are used 

which can result in impurities or 

ceramic inclusions affecting the quality 

of the cast part. Reactive metals, e.g. 

Titanium alloys, are melted in cold wall 

crucibles. The low superheat and high 

power consumption in the cold wall 

sealing process is aprice for acleaner 

melting process. 

For the first time, non-contact levitation 

melting can be used as an alternative 

on an industrial scale, as ALD 

Vacuum Technologies GmbH, Hanau, 

Germany, has succeeded inincreasing 

the previous limited weight quantity of 

only 50 grams to unprecedented 500 

grams. Using numerical modelling the 

melting experts have devised anew system 

design that works with two alternating 

magnetic fields, which allows 

these higher weight quantities to be 

kept in levitation. Now with FastCast 

various metals and alloys like titanium, 

aluminum, or super alloys can be 

melted reliable in anon-contact levitation 

process without contamination 

and subsequently casted in amold. The 

process allows agentle, less turbulent 

filling process of the mold, which is 

favored by ahigh-speed take-off ofthe 

mold and therefore the low relative 

velocity between free-falling melt and 

sinking mold. The special and extensively 

patented design allows strong 

superheating with comparatively low 

power input which favors “defect”-free 

casting resulting in economic benefits 

and lower mold preheating temperatures. 

The integrated mold centrifuge 

coupled with the high superheat 

enables the casting of highly complex 

and filigree investment castings made 

of reactive titanium alloys. 

26

Ceramic crucibles are widely used 

for casting nickel-based or iron-based 

alloys. They are cost-efficient and to a 

certain extent allow superheating, i.e. 

raising the temperature above the 

liquidus temperature of the alloy. However, 

these crucibles are rather unsuitable 

for melting extremely reactive 

materials at high temperatures, as this 

leads to an inadmissible contamination 

of the melt. This prevents the manufacturing 

of high purity, near net-shape 

casting parts made of metals and alloys 

such as titanium. By comparison, the 

competitive cold wall casting technique 

is more suitable for such materials but 

requires high amount of power for 

melting the material in water-cooled 

copper crucibles. Furthermore, overheating 

is not very feasible with this 

method, because most of the power 

required flows directly into the cooling 

water ofthe crucible and is, so to 

speak, dissipated. Therefore, amelting 

process without the material coming 

into contact with the crucible (non-contact) 

would be desirable. ALD Vacuum 

Technologies had set itself the goal of 

converting this principle into afully 

functional plant fit for industrial use. 

Figure 1: The Lorentz force established by the electromagnetic fields holds the melt in suspension 

and prevents it from leaking. 

Figure 2: During the FastCast levitation melting, the square ingot (500 g)floats in the electromagnetic 

field and begins to melt after 15 seconds in contact-less condition. 

How toincrease weight in 

levitation melting 

“One process fairly suitable to start 

with was the so-called levitation melting,” 

reports Dr. Sergejs Spitans, R&D 

Process Engineer, Physicist &Simulation 

Expert at ALD Vacuum Technologies. “A 

‘conventional’ levitation melting uses 

an axisymmetric coil to create amagnetic 

field in which metallic samples 

can be contact-free confined and 

melted. The problem is that Lorentz 

force confinement vanishes on the symmetry 

axis and the melt leakage is prevented 

in this lowest point of alevitated 

melt only by the surface tension. 

Therefore, only small molten metal 

samples up to 50 grams can be levitated 

in this ‘conventional’ way.” 

As part of his dissertation work and 

under the supervision of Prof. Dr.-Ing. 

(Doctor of Engineering) Egbert Baake 

from the Institute of Electrotechnology 

(ETP) atLeibniz University Hannover, 

Dr. Sergejs Spitans from ALD used 

numerical models and various experiments 

to find away to significantly 

increase the melt weight. Together 

with engineers from ALD, apilot plant 

was developed where numerous aluminum-, 

nickel- and titanium- (Ti-6Al-4V) 

alloys upto500 grams were successfully 

melted in high purity without inclusions. 

The method applies two horizontal 

and orthogonal electromagnetic 

fields ofdifferent frequencies in order 

to exert aLorentz force also at the bottom 

ofthe levitated sample. Therefore, 

the weight of the charge can be increased 

and the charge can be melted 

drip- and leakage-free. Levitation melting 

prevents contamination of the molten 

metal with the crucible material 

and results in significantly higher alloy 

purity. Inaddition, heat losses from the 

liquid metal are limited to radiation 

and evaporation only, which allows 

much higher superheat temperatures 

to be achieved. The high superheat 

opens up new avenues for mold design 

and thus for thin-walled and complex 

castings such as medical or aerospace 

applications. 

From concept work to 

industrial-scale pilot plant 

After an extensive series of simulation-aided 

design iterations, the optimized 

process was transferred into a 

functional plant including feeder, preheating 

furnace and casing. “The final 

scale-up configuration has amodular 

levitation assembly group that consists 

of four ferrite poles and four inductors, 

each is water-cooled and protected by 

heat shields,” describes Spitans. The 

opposing inductors form apair that 

operates at the same frequency and 

produces an instantaneous magnetic 

field in the same direction. The orthogonal 

orientation allows to compensate 

the regions of the zero Lorentz force 

that occurs if only one field is activated. 

“Levitation melting is only slightly more 


CASTING 

the next cycle can start. All in all, the 

cycle times are rather short, with less 

than 60 seconds, making the process 

very economical. 

Figure 3: To ensure the suitability and efficiency of the system, common investment casting 

components such as turbocharger wheels have been casted using the plant. 

Figure 4: Based on this design, ALD is going to develop avariant in cooperation with interested 

users, specifically for the needs of their own production and in terms of feeding and 

mold number (adapted to the mold shell). 

Plants available for test runs 

Up to this point, almost all relevant titanium- 

and aluminum-based alloys as 

well as super alloys were cast successfully 

using the pilot plant. To ensure the 

suitability and efficiency of the system, 

common investment casting components 

such as turbocharger wheels were 

cast using the plant. Based on this 

design, ALD is going to develop aproduction 

FastCast system in cooperation 

with interested users, specifically for the 

needs of their own production. 

Feeding and mold number (adapted 

to the mold shell) in particular will be 

taken into account. Therefore, the 

demonstrator can be used for test runs. 

Although the actual plant is semi-automated, 

aspecial department at ALD is 

working on more features that meet 

the requirements of Industry 4.0. For 

example, adigital twin of each casting 

part can be generated to ensure highest 

quality control. Since they are individual 

casts, each part can be tracked down to 

defects that may show up before or 

after the casting. “The high purity, 

excellent reproducibility, and continuous 

and automated single batch production 

line favors avery high casting 

quality, making non-contact levitation 

melting particularly suitable for investment 

casting parts in demanding sectors 

such as aerospace and medical 

technology. Wecan’t wait tomove this 

process to the next level together with 

industry partners,” Spitans sums up. 

www.ald-vt.com 

efficient than the cold wall crucible, 

however, the advantages like predefined 

melt purity, absence of the skull 

scrap, fast melting speed and tremendous 

superheat up to 250 °C at the 

moment of mold filling makes the process 

extremely attractive for complex 

castings,” Spitans adds. 

To meet the demands of industrial 

production, the pilot plant offers a 

semi-automated process chain with up 

to 10 molds. The upper housing contains 

avertical feeding unit of the 

pre-alloyed metal electrode to be 

melted. The lift moves the mold to the 

upper position right below the melting 

zone. The melting starts as the lower 

end ofthe vertically oriented Ti-alloy 

electrode is immersed in the region of 

two-frequency horizontal and orthogonal 

electromagnetic (EM) fields. EM 

fields rapidly melt up to 500 grams of 

material from the tip of the electrode 

and simultaneously confine the liquid 

metal in alevitation condition. The 

electrode is moved up and detached, 

the levitated melt can be superheated. 

After that the melt is released by retracting 

poles and it falls down under 

gravity in the awaiting preheated mold. 

Instantly the mold is accelerated vertically 

down to reduce the relative velocity 

and to catch the melt without 

splashing. Further mold deceleration to 

afull stop and consequent spinning 

completes the smooth and qualitative 

mold filling. After that, the form exits 

through the unloading chamber and 

THE ALD VACUUM TECHNO- 

LOGIES GMBH 

is based in Germany near Frankfurt/ 

Main and supplies equipment and 

systems for thermal and thermochemical 

treatment of metallic materials in 

solid and liquid form. The company’s 

competence consists of its mastery in 

vacuum process technology and of its 

know-how in designing custom-tailored 

system solutions for use in these 

fields. As one of the world’s leading 

manufacturers of vacuum equipment 

for vacuum metallurgy and heat 

treatment, ALD employs approx. 900 

people in 10 countries. 

28

www.ifcindia2022.com

CASTING 

Photos and Graphics: University of Duisburg-Essen 

High pressure die casting 

Targeted control of mold temperature 

control for an energy-efficient 

die casting process. 

Detection and control 

of local hotspots 

Modern aluminum high pressure die casting (HPDC) is faced with increasingly complex 

challenges. These include the economic and ecological challenges facing industry, the 

energy and mobility revolution and the reduction of CO 2 

emissions. On the other hand, 

there are the demands on the increasingly complex castings, which can only be cast to 

ahigh quality with the latest technology. In addition, HPDC machines require ahigh 

amount ofenergy for the production of castings. The temperature control of the casting 

tools plays adecisive role here because asignificant amount ofthe required energy is 

attributed to the tempering or the thermal management of ahigh pressure die casting 

machine [1][2][3]. 

By Torben Disselhoff, Duisburg und Sebastian Biehl, Gladbeck 

30

a 

b 

DoubleSpot 

BigSpot 

1 

2 

3 

MiddleSpot 

Process drift 

Figure 1: a) Model tool with which b) different cooling concepts can be investigated. 

The research project is being realized 

in cooperation with the company 

thermobiehl Apparatebau 

GmbH, Gladbeck. The temperature control 

of HPDC tools is an important qualitative 

aspect within the production of 

castings. For highly complex high pressure 

die casting components, the entire 

temperature control of the tool must be 

matched to the casting and the (local) 

cooling conditions. This is achieved by 

using temperature control units, component-specific 

cooling concepts and 

expert process knowledge. [4] 

a 

Termography camera 

Procedurestamp 

Sprayingunit 

Base body 

b 

Figure 2: a) Test rig for 

setting and evaluating 

different temperature 

control variants; b) video 

demonstration. 

The tool itself also has an influence on 

the production and temperature control 

of the castings. Therefore, atool 

can be divided into three condition 

levels during production. 

> Condition level 1: Starting up the 

tool 

> Condition level 2: Production with 

slightly worn tool 

> Condition level 3: Production with 

(highly) worn tool 

Process drift 

Within the first two levels, only afew 

deviations of the process window occur 

and reproducible production takes 

place. During condition level 3, there 

are more deviations from the specifically 

set process window, the so-called 

process drifts. These lead to areduced 

quality of the castings and apoorly 

running process. Often the defects are 

only discovered in the further course of 

the process chain or during the inspection 

of the castings and are remedied 

with adelayed reaction. During this 

period, production takes place outside 

the previously defined process window. 

This can lead to areduced output of 

the machines as well as to defective or 

low-quality castings. 

It should be noted that the process 

knowledge of the individual phases is 

incomplete due to the complexity of 

the process and tool. This process 

knowledge is continuously expanded 

through analyses of the casting defects. 

Machine learning methods (ML) are 

rarely or never used in the analyses 

mentioned. The great advantage of 

machine learning methods is that they 

are able to identify complex correlations 

that are not revealed by classical 

analysis methods. The process as well as 

tempering data of the HPDC process 

should therefore be examined with ML 

to investigate these hidden dependencies. 

At the same time, the causes of 

process drifts can be better analysed, 

understood and, atbest, eliminated. 

This research aims to achieve the following 

objectives: 

> Reduction of the ramp up time of 

die casting tools 

> Avoidance of thermally induced 

defects within condition level 3 

> Introduction of data analyses by 

using ML 

> Analyses should be possible without 

large investments: Reaching SMEs 

Theoretical consideration 

To realize the aims, amodel tool was 

first designed, with which it is possible 

to investigate different cooling con- 


CASTING 

a b c d 

DoubleSpot BigSpot MiddleSpot 

Processdrift 

Figure 3: The theoretical considerations (top) on the influence of the different cooling variants (a-d) on the formation of hotspots in the 

casting are well illustrated by the real conditions measured with the thermography camera (bottom). 

cepts. The entire experimental setup is 

to be designed realistically so that the 

results can be transferred to practice. 

The base unit offers the possibility 

to adjust and test avariety of cooling 

settings. The model tool (Figure 1b) and 

some of the possible cooling variants 

(Figure 1a) can be seen in Figure 1.Due 

to the different cooling variants, the 

local heat centres are created at different 

locations. These are indicated here 

by red markings at their theoretical 

point ofappearance. The change in the 

local heat centre of apossible process 

drift (Fig. 1a), which can be caused by 

e.g. calcination or leakage, is also taken 

into account. The process drift is generated 

here by areduced cooling capacity 

of the second cooling channel. 

With the help of the base unit, the 

aim istocheck whether heat centres 

can be specifically adjusted and shifted. 

At the same time, the generation of 

process drifts is to be controlled. 

Proof of concept 

Following the theoretical considerations, 

atest stand was designed. Apartial 

section can be seen in Figure 2. In 

addition to the base unit (see Figure 1), 

the test stand contains asprayer, athermal 

imaging camera for recording and 

evaluating the surface temperatures, a 

stamping tool that can be heated and 

pressed onto the die surface in specific 

programmes and atemperature control 

unit for setting the temperature control 

parameters. For ademonstration, follow 

the QR code in Figure 2, where you 

will find avideo showing the test stand 

in operation. 

The thermal reactions of the base 

body to different cooling variations are 

recorded and measured with the thermographic 

camera. Figure 3shows the 

resulting thermographic images. 

This clearly shows that the previous 

theoretical considerations have to be 

implemented in the real process. This 

means that different heat centres have 

to be generated and controlled in atargeted 

manner. Another important 

aspect is that process drifts can be 

experimentally simulated and investigated. 

This is shown bythe comparison 

of the images „Middle Spot“ and „Process 

drift“. It can be clearly seen that 

the cooling is strongly impaired by the 

reduced performance of the cooling 

channel and no longer has the same 

properties as in aflawless process (cf. 

Middle Spot). Based on the recorded 

process data, this difference can also be 

seen. 

Data analysis 

The analyses of the data show that it is 

possible to qualitatively represent a 

process drift. Aregion of interest (ROI) 

was defined on the base unit and measured 

using athermographic camera. 

The temperature data plotted over time 

and the ROI can be seen in Figure 4. 

It can be clearly seen that the cooling 

starts at alater point in time during 

the process drift and thus has areduced 

cooling capacity over time. After 

approx. 40 scooling time, atemperature 

difference of about 10 °C is present. 

If such aprocess drift occurs in temperature 

critical areas, such atemperature 

difference can influence the quality of 

the casting. 

Thus, the temperature data can be 

used to make an initial assessment of 

the cooling effect. The analyses so far 

have shown that both the image 

recordings and the temperature data 

provide essential insights into the 

cooling behaviour of the base body. 

However, the cause or the course of 

occurrence of this reduced cooling performance 

can only be represented with 

great difficulty or not at all. In this 

respect, the use of machine learning 

methods should make adecisive contribution. 

32

130 

Surface Temperature in °C 

120 

110 

100 

90 

80 

70 

0 20 40 60 80 100 

Time in s 

Temperature "Middle Spot" 

Temperature "Processdrift" 

Figure 4: Temperature profile in the ROI area. During the process drift, cooling starts at alater point in time. After approx. 40 scooling 

time, atemperature difference of approx. 10 °C is present. 

For this purpose, the entire data set, 

consisting of 180 data rows and 46 data 

columns, was used. The selected functionally 

dependent variable water flow 

channel 2istobepredicted from the 

remaining 45 functionally independent 

variables with the help of the machine 

learning algorithms. Since the numerical 

values of the variable water flow 

channel 2are known tothe system, this 

is referred to as supervised machine 

learning. With the learned prediction 

function, it is possible to predict the 

flow values of the second cooling channel 

taking into account new process 

data. 

Figure 5shows the graphical representation 

of the comparison of the real 

measured values and the predicted values, 

i.e. the results of the prediction 

function of the test. The high agreement 

of the values (good approximation 

of the 45° axis) indicates apromising 

use of machine learning methods 

now. 

What´s next 

In the further course of the research 

project, further and more complex 

shapes and cooling variants are to be 

tested. For this purpose, new model 

tools must be constructed, with which it 

is possible, for example, to record cooling 

close to the contour or also the 

influence of contours in general. 

In addition, the generated data will 

be examined with machine learning 

methods. This can become particularly 

Flow rate inl/min predicted values 

15 

14 

13 

12 

11 

10 

important for the aspect of reduced 

ramp up time. Because with ahigh prediction 

quality, adetailed analysis of 

the process can be made possible. This 

process knowledge can then beused for 

the corresponding process optimization. 

The algorithms can also bring decisive 

advantages regarding the questions of 

how aprocess drift can be controlled 

and where aprocess drift comes from. 

For verification, the results are to be 

transferred to areal process to test the 

developed methodology and adapt it to 

foundry operations. At the same time, 

this solution offers the foundry industry 

the basic implementation of machine 

learning methods. 

R² = 0,9601 

9 

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

Flow rate in l/min measured values 

Figure 5: Comparison of the real measured and the predicted values. There isgood 

agreement. 

https://thermobiehl.de/en 

https://www.uni-due.de/mfi/index_en 

Torben Disselhoff, M. Sc., research associate, 

Institute for Technologies of Metals 

(ITM), University Duisburg-Essen, 

Germany, and Sebastian Biehl, Managing 

Director, thermobiehl Apparatebau 

GmbH, Gladbeck, Germany. 

References: 



COREMAKING 

Photos and Graphics: Foseco 

Reclamation of inorganic bonded sand 

Towards amore sustainable 

core production process 

The Clustreg process isaninnovative process for reclaiming inorganic-bonded foundry 

sand, based on amechanically adsorptive process. Results show that, even after 10 reclamation 

cycles, foundry sand derived from cores bonded with Solosil TX inorganic binder 

systems could be re-used, without detrimentally affecting the flowability of the sand 

mixture, or the mechanical properties and gas permeability of the manufactured cores. 

Although the pH value and conductivity did significantly increase after one reclamation 

cycle, this had no negative impact on the core quality of reclaimed sand. 

By Dr. Vincent Haanappel, Hengelo, Thomas Linke, Borken, Markus Jendrock and Dr. Enno Schulte, Freudenberg 

An increasing number of automotive 

aluminum foundries are 

replacing organic with inorganic 

binder systems in order to reduce emissions 

of volatile organic compounds and 

ensure amore sustainable production 

process. An efficient sand reclamation 

process for inorganic-bonded sand 

would provide further benefits in 

terms of reduced emissions and energy 

consumption. 

Introduction 

It is common knowledge that alarge 

number of castings are manufactured in 

clay-bonded molding materials [1]. For 

technical and economic reasons, the 

bentonite- or clay-bonded sand is now 

treated after use, with the result that 

most of the material can be re-used, 

reducing costs and environmental 

impact. This process is known as reclamation. 

Separate to the above-mentioned 

clay-bonded sand systems, there is a 

large variety of organic binder systems 

for core and mold production [2]. These 

34

Figure 1: The Clustreg process. 

materials can also be reclaimed, using 

mechanical and thermal processes. The 

resin- or organic-bonded sand undergoes 

thermal exposure during casting 

and cooling, before the core residue is 

removed using ashake-out process. 

Some of the binder bridges close to the 

casting surface are exposed to high 

temperatures and are almost completely 

decomposed, which makes the 

shake-out less complicated. During 

mechanical reclamation, the binder can 

be relatively easily removed from the 

surface of the sand grains, as the 

Figure 2: Rotareg process principle, KLEIN 

Anlagenbau AG. 

strength of the organic binder bridges 

is quite low. 

When using organic-bonded sand 

systems, emissions are mainly caused by 

burning off the organic binder components 

in the sand molds or cores during 

the casting process. An increasing number 

ofautomotive aluminium foundries 

are therefore replacing organic with 

inorganic binder systems to reduce 

emissions of these volatile organic compounds, 

and to ensure amore sustainable 

production process [3]. If an efficient 

sand reclamation process for 

inorganic-bonded (IOB) sand could be 

developed, it would reduce emissions 

and energy consumption further still. 

However, the reclamation process for 

inorganic-bonded sand is, from atechnical 

point of view, very different to 

that being developed for organicbonded 

sand systems. 

Aluminium automotive foundries 

use core packages consisting of base 

cores, inlet, outlet cores and waterjacket 

cores. The system is known as a 

mono-system, because only one binder 

system is used, with, if needed, two different 

grain sizes (distribution) of silica 

sand. During the foundry process, the 

core package faces mild thermal exposure 

only in certain areas, for example, 

the inlet, outlet cores and the waterjacket 

cores. As aresult of the low thermal 

impact, some areas in the core 

package remain at room temperature, 

while other parts undergo very short 

thermal exposure at 500 °C, before 

rapidly cooling to 200 °C within approximately 

30 minutes. 

When using inorganic binder systems, 

the binder bridges are generally 

more rigid, with higher mechanical 

resistance, compared to organic binder 

bridges; indeed, the hardness of the 

cured inorganic binder is close to the 

hardness of silica. Based on the higher 

abrasion resistance of the cured binder, 

sand reclamation processes that comprise 

only grinding of the grains are not 

recommended. 

This study focuses on the development 

of asand reclamation process for 

Solosil TX inorganic-bonded sand cores 

from an automotive foundry. After presenting 

the Clustreg sand reclamation 

process, results from 10 reclamation 

cycles will be highlighted, including 

sand characteristics (particle size [distribution], 

Limiting Oxygen Index, LOI in 

short, pH, conductivity), flowability of 

the sand mixture, bending strength values 

and gas permeability of the manufactured 

cores. 

Description of the process for 

reclaiming inorganic-bonded sand 

With the Clustreg process (Figure 1), 

Klein Anlagenbau AG, Freudenberg, 

Germany, has developed an innovative 

mechanically-adsorptive process for the 

reclamation of water glass-bonded 

foundry sand. The process comprises a 

sequence of three main steps. 

In the first step, the used sand is processed 

in aRotareg mechanical 

pre-cleaning unit (Figure 2). During this 

stage, the binder residues, additives and 

quartz dust (if present) are loosened 

from the sand grains and dedusted in a 


COREMAKING 

first dedusting stage. The used sand 

falls vertically from the top with a 

defined mass flow (10 t/h) to arapidly 

rotating turntable. This accelerates the 

sand outwards and shoots it almost 

radially into asand bed. The sand is 

cleaned by the impact and by rubbing 

the sand grains against each other. 

Depending on the desired degree of 

cleaning, the sand can circulate several 

times in the pre-cleaning unit. An initial 

pre-dedusting stage is integrated into 

the processing chamber. 

After this mechanical treatment 

step, the sand is again intensively 

dedusted in aclassifier. The main advantages 

of the Rotareg process are the 

gentle sand treatment, the robust and 

inexpensive plant technology and its 

ability toprocess many different binder 

systems, especially for water glassbonded 

foundry sands. 

In the innovative second step, the 

mechanically pre-treated sand is mixed 

with an adhesive agent and acarrier 

material in aspecific way in amaturator. 

Binder residues and dust particles 

are bound to the carrier material in the 

used sand-adhesive agent-carrier mixture. 

The grain surface is also cleaned of 

fine dust particles. After the mixture 

has passed through the maturator, it 

enters the third treatment stage, the 

splitter. 

In the splitter, the sand and the carrier 

material, now with the binder residues 

and dust components bound to it, 

are separated from each other. Todo 

so, the mixture is passed over afluidized 

bed, through which heated air 

(< 200°C) flows from below. Due to the 

fluidization and specific suction, as well 

as the low density of the carrier material 

compared to the sand, the carrier 

material, binder residues and dust particles 

are discharged upwards and 

removed. After the sand has passed 

through the splitter, the regeneration 

Table 1: Average particle size, pH, conductivity and LOI as afunction of the reclamation 

cycle. Foundry sand was always LA32. 

(cycli) Av. Part. Size (AFS) pH Conductivity LOI 

00 –Foundry sand 272 μm (51) 6.1 4μS/cm 0.18 % 

01 –EN1275 266 μm (52) 10.8 198 μS/cm 0.25 % 

02 –EN1305 260 μm (53) 10.8 358 μS/cm 0.22 % 

03 –EN1313 255 μm (54) 11.2 323 μS/cm 0.26 % 

04 –EN1317 254 μm (54) 11.0 326 μS/cm 0.28 % 

05 –EN1334 258 μm (54) 11.0 291 μS/cm 0.35 % 

06 –EN1478 262 μm (53) 11.4 372 μS/cm 0.34 % 

07 –EN1497 266 μm (52) 11.2 424 μS/cm 0.40 % 

08 –EN1531 263 μm (53) 11.6 438 μS/cm 0.41 % 

09 –EN1544 262 μm (53) 11.6 478 μS/cm 0.52 % 

10 –EN1578 253 μm (54) 11.0 417 μS/cm 0.42 % 

Table 2: Core weight, bending strength, flexural modulus and gas permeability as 

afunction of the reclamation cycle. Foundry sand was always LA32. 

Sample (cycli) Core weight Bending 

strength 

Flexural 

Modulus 

Gas Permeability 

00 –Foundry sand 145.6 ±0.3 g 477 ±7N/cm² 4.3 ±0.4 Mpa 140 ±1mD 

01 –EN1275 144.7 ±0.2 g 495 ±2N/cm² 5.4 ±0.1 Mpa 157 ±3mD 

02 –EN1305 144.7 ±0.2 g 531 ±12N/cm² 4.9 ±0.1 Mpa 147 ±2mD 

03 –EN1313 142.5 ±0.1 g 537 ±18N/cm² 4.7 ±0.1 Mpa 153 ±4mD 

04 –EN1317 142.6 ±0.1 g 505 ±11N/cm² 4.9 ±0.1 Mpa 159 ±2mD 

05 –EN1334 142.6 ±0.2 g 519 ±9N/cm² 5.1 ±0.2 Mpa 155 ±1mD 

06 –EN1478 143.9 ±0.2 g 504 ±11N/cm² 4.4 ±0.1 Mpa 142 ±1mD 

07 –EN1497 142.8 ±0.2 g 508 ±17N/cm² 4.1 ±0.2 Mpa 148 ±1mD 

08 –EN1531 143.6 ±0.2 g 498 ±5N/cm² 4.1 ±0.1 Mpa 158 ±1mD 

09 –EN1544 144.3 ±0.3 g 500 ±23N/cm² 4.1 ±0.2 Mpa 139 ±1mD 

10 –EN1578 143.8 ±0.4 g 521 ±32N/cm² 4.4 ±0.1 Mpa 138 ±2mD 

process is complete and reclaimed sand 

can bere-used in the core making process. 

During process development, great 

importance was attached to the fact 

that the plant technology is simple and 

robust and that, apart from the usual 

hardened wear parts required for sand 

treatment, no special materials are 

required (e.g., no heat-resistant steels, 

special sealing materials, etc.). It is also 

important tonote that energy consumption 

is only about 20% of that of 

thermal reclamation plants for the reclamation 

of water glass-bonded 

foundry sands. Moreover, Clustreg 

plants are characterized by very encouraging 

regeneration results, including 

low sand loss. 

Matching processing parameters 

For trials of the reclamation process, 

sand cores were manufactured on a 

Laempe core shooter. Toprovide achallenge, 

the sand cores were hot cured 

only, without any post-heat treatment. 

The process was carried out on inorganic-bonded 

sand cores with fully-developed 

mechanical strength. 

As noted above, the process is characterized 

by various input parameters, 

which must be optimized to the type of 

inorganic-bonded sand cores. After 

some initial testing and analysis, including 

determining the optimized processing 

parameters, afirst series of reclamation 

trials were started, each with 20 kg 

of used inorganic-bonded sand. During 

these cycles, the machine and processing 

parameters were kept constant. 

Methodology and results 

In this section, several test methods will 

be presented and the results discussed 

in more detail. However, the intention 

is not to present all available results, 

which is beyond the scope of this paper, 

but to collect the most relevant data 

from the reclamation process for further 

managing sand systems in the 

foundry industry. Assuch, results from 

10 reclamation cycles will be presented, 

including sand characteristics (particle 

size [distribution], LOI, pH, and conductivity), 

flowability of the sand mixture, 

flexural strength values, and gas permeability 

of the manufactured cores. 

Sand characteristics 

The starting point was athermallyreclaimed 

organic-bonded sand based 

on LA32. Previous tests showed that the 

data/results of this thermally-treated 

sand are identical to new sand. Sand 

36

Figure 3: Microscope pictures of recycled sand, including grain size distribution. a) after 0cycles; b): after 5cycles; c): after 10 cycles. 

cores were manufactured using aLaempe-type 

core blower with additions of 

1.70 wt% Solosil TX (liquid binder) and 

0.80 wt% Solosil TX (additive); all percentages 

are based on sand. Table 1 lists 

the average particle size of the recycled 

sand together with the pH, conductivity 

and LOI values. 

From this table, it can be seen that 

the particle size after reclamation was 

only slightly lower (AFS =53-54) than 

the zero sample (i.e., the thermallytreated 

organic-bonded sand) with an 

AFS of51. 

More interesting were the pH and 

conductivity of the reclaimed sand. 

After the first reclamation cycle, the pH 

increased to values above 10, whereas 

the conductivity increased towards 

about 200 μS/cm. After two reclamation 

cycles, the pH was about 11, while conductivity 

increased towards values 

higher than 300 μS/cm. These high 

values can be explained by the use of 

an alkaline-type inorganic binder system, 

mainly based on sodium silicate. It 

is likely that asmall amount of the 

binder residue remained present on the 

surface ofthe sand grains. There was 

however no negative impact on the 

strength data, as can be seen in Table 2. 

The LOI values remained relatively low, 

independent of the number of reclamation 

cycles, due to the use of the inorganic 

binder system. 

As already mentioned, the particle 

size distribution was stable, without significant 

changes. Figure 3shows micrographs 

of the sand after 0, 5and 10 reclamation 

cycles. Interestingly, even 

after 10 cycles, the sand grains are still 

bright and shiny, anindication of the 

effectiveness of the sand reclamation 

process. It was found that the lower the 

brightness of the sand grains, the lower 

the mechanical strength and flowability 

of the sand mixture, which detrimentally 

affected the performance of the 


COREMAKING 

Figure 4: Appearance 

of sand grains: 

sample taken after 

maturation time 1 

(a) and maturation 

time 2(b) where 

maturation time 2 is 

less than maturation 

time 1. 

Figure 5: Flowability 

of sand mixtures 

after various reclamation 

cycles. 

recycled sand. This can be observed 

from Figure 4,inwhich two batches are 

shown, the left part after maturation 

time 1and the right part after maturation 

time 2, where maturation time 2 is 

less than maturation time 1. 

Flowability 

The flowability of the sand mixture was 

measured using aBrookfield Powder 

Flow Tester (PFT). This was initially 

developed to characterize the flow 

behavior of solid powder material with 

particle sizes up to amaximum ofabout 

1mm. As there was also aneed to 

determine and to define the flowability 

of sand mixtures with arelatively small 

amount of aliquid, the PFT was used 

for these applications. 

To compare different types of sand 

mixtures, the results are published in a 

flow function plot, as per Schulze [4]. 

This flow function plot shows the flowability 

of various types of samples over 

different ‘consolidation stresses’, these 

being considered as compressive stress. 

This plot shows various regions starting 

with free flowing and progressing 

through easy flowing, cohesive, very 

cohesive and non-flowing. The lower 

the curve, the higher the measured 

flowability. Figure 5shows the unconfined 

failure strength (kPa) as afunction 

of the major principal consolidating 

stress (kPa). Results from the sand 

mixtures show clearly that, irrespective 

of the number of reclamation cycles, 

under the highest compressive stress 

and inall cases, the sand mixture was 

easy flowing. The highest flowability 

was achieved with the zero-reclaimed 

sand mixture. 

In relation to this, the weight of the 

sand mixture placed in the sample 

holder can also be an indirect indication 

of flowability. Inthis case, the Hausner 

ratio [5] or the Carr index C[6] is sometimes 

used to obtain amore quantitative 

value of the flowability. The weight 

of the as-received sample (without reclamation) 

in this case was 315 g, while 

for the other sand mixtures, the weight 

was lower than 300 g, indicating 

slightly lower compaction, corresponding 

to slightly lower flowability. 

Core characteristics 

Table 2lists the core weight, bending 

strength, flexural modulus and gas permeability 

as afunction of the number 

of reclamation cycles. Measurements of 

the cores were done after 12 hstorage 

at 25°C and 30% RH. 

This table clearly shows that the 

weight of the samples did not significantly 

change with the number of reclamation 

cycles and was always between 

146 gand 143 g, indicative of compaction 

/good flowability of the sand mixture. 

Bending strength values started at 

477 N/cm² (compared to atarget value 

of 475 N/cm²) and increased slightly 

after reclamation. Irrespective of the 

number of reclamation cycles, strength 

values were always between 500 and 

540 N/cm². 

The reason for the slight increase in 

strength was the removal of fines 

during the process. The flexural modulus 

showed no relation to the number 

of reclamation cycles and was always 

between 4.1 and 5.4 Mpa. Gas permeability 

started toincrease initially after 

reclamation but stabilized around 150 

mD. 

Summary 

This study presents an innovative process 

for the reclamation of inorganic-bonded 

foundry sand, based on a 

38

mechanically-adsorptive process called 

the Clustreg process [7]. After pre-testing 

with different processing conditions 

to optimize the various processing 

parameters, 10reclamation cycles were 

performed while maintaining constant 

machine parameters. Results from these 

10 reclamation cycles are presented, 

including sand characteristics (particle 

size [distribution], LOI, pH, conductivity), 

flowability of the sand mixture, 

bending strength values and gas permeability 

ofthe manufactured cores. It 

was found that, even after 10 reclamation 

cycles, foundry sand derived from 

cores with inorganic binder systems 

could be re-used, without detrimentally 

affecting flowability of the sand mixture, 

and the mechanical properties and 

gas permeability of the manufactured 

cores. Although the pH and conductivity 

did increase significantly after one 

reclamation cycle, this had no negative 

impact on the core quality of reclaimed 

sand. 

From these results, it can be concluded 

that, after starting with the 

most challenging parameters to stress 

the process and installation, and with 

the support of laboratory results to 

optimize the machine parameters, 

improved processing parameters could 

be determined. With this set of processing 

parameters, no issues occurred with 

this type of Solosil TX inorganic-bonded 

sand after 10 reclamation cycles. 

In future, asmaller project is 

planned to include five reclamation 

cycles with cores that will face athermal 

load comparable to foundry conditions. 

www.foseco.com 

References: 


Acknowledgement 

The authors gratefully acknowledge Joachim 

Buchen Managing Director (KLEIN 

Anlagenbau AG, Freudenberg, Germany) 

and Tim Birch (Foseco UK, Tamworth, 

United Kingdom) for their contribution 

to this study. Thanks are also due to J. 

Morsink (Foseco EN, Enschede, the Netherlands) 

for his contribution to the analysis 

and characterization of the samples. 

Vincent Haanappel, R&D Manager, Foseco 

Nederland B.V., Enschede, The Netherlands, 

Thomas Linke, International 

Project Manager Mould &Core, Vesuvius, 

Borken, Germany, Markus Jendrock 

and Dr.-Ing. Enno Schulte, KLEIN Anlagenbau 

AG, Freudenberg, Germany 

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Process Optimization 

Increased efficiency through 

foundry process restructuring 

“A change process can only work if you pick up the employees and actively involve 

them,” says Peter Schäfer, Head of Investment Casting Production Unit 2atthe BLANK- 

Group. He demonstrated this by restructuring the casting processes in the company – 

and the success proves him right. The BLANK-Group presents three approaches that have 

led to significant improvements and thus changed the process flow in the long term. 

By Manuela Schmid, Riedlingen 

Photos: Feinguss Blank 

Changes and process adjustments 

do not always have to be rocket 

science. It often helps to remember 

the core process as well as the 

golden rule: communication and openness 

in dealing with the workforce. 

What sounds simple at first becomes a 

real challenge, especially in many medium-sized 

companies that have grown 

quickly. 

Approach I: Transparency and 

communication 

This is also the case at the BLANK-Group 

in Riedlingen. “What used to work in 

the ‘small official way’ has now become 

more complex and has an impact on 

adjacent work processes,“ says Schäfer. 

In addition, the plants and kilns extend 

over different parts of the building, 

which makes consistent communication 

and coordination more difficult than in 

abuilding structure that was originally 

designed specifically for one activity. 

The result: it quickly becomes confusing 

–ano-go for safe production planning. 

Peter Schäfer fought against this 

state of affairs and achieved alot 

within ashort time. Using the lean 

management approach, existing processes 

were examined and critically scru- 

40

PROCESS 

Figure 1: The planning corner in the foundry and displays at the plants (right photo) provide all employees with aclear insight into the shift 

planning and the current capacity utilization. 

tinized under the premise of ”What can 

be improved quickly?” The result: a 

diverse package of measures that delivers 

high added value through many 

small improvements and increases 

employee motivation. 

1. Create transparency 

In order to increase transparency 

within the individual shifts, the workflow 

was fundamentally reorganized 

through astructural change. ”Across 

the entire company group so-called 

group spokespersons were introduced 

for each shift. They schedule the 

employees on an assignment board,“ 

explains Peter Schäfer. Inthe case of 

the foundry, for example, there are the 

deployment fields ”open casting“, 

”roll-over process“ or ”multi-move 

robot“. 

2. Making information easily accessible 

Peter Schäfer additionally established 

information displays in the casting area 

that provide information about the status 

of the individual plants. ”Especially 

due to the structures that have grown 

over the years, it is not obvious at first 

glance what the total output of aplant 

is on adaily or shift basis. Here information 

boards with an integrated abacus 

help to show the number of castings 

made,“ says Schäfer, ”An outlook is also 

possible in this way. The boards not 

only show the current status, but also 

what still needs to be done in the 

course of the week.“ The graphic representation 

also enables the group 

spokespersons to get aquick overview 

and, if necessary, to react quickly in case 

of deviations. 

3. Improve communication 

Open communication is the basis for 

successful cooperation. In the foundry, 

however, restrictions arise simply 

because of the work processes: The 

entire team ofashift cannot meet for a 

team meeting because the furnaces 

must always be occupied. But how is it 

ensured that the information nevertheless 

reaches all employees? Through 

short information paths, regular discussions 

and the integration of the new 

information boards this deficit could be 

eliminated quickly and easily. Asapilot 

project the department is additionally 

testing the proof of training via aticket 

system. ”The employees read the numbered 

training sheets and then ‘stamp’ 

on their training card the information 

they received,“ explains Schäfer, ”We 

have aquick insight via the cards if 

there isstill aneed tocatch up. In addition, 

the topic of personal responsibility 

is again promoted here, because we 

rely on the conscientious training declaration 

of the employees.“ 

Figure 2: Visual presentation of the actual 

state via blackboards and an abacus. 


PROCESS 

they are currently working on or in 

which device acasting will be used 

later. But Iamconvinced that the motivation 

in the team increases when you 

know what you are working on. In 

addition, you have to keep reminding 

yourself that there is avalue, acommitment, 

atask behind every casting 

–inmyopinion, this respect, also 

towards the complex production process, 

is abasic prerequisite.“ Therefore, 

ashowcase has been installed in the 

casting department displaying investment 

castings with information on the 

end application. Additionally anew 

part and its intended use is presented 

every month throughout the company. 

But there is also another intention 

behind the involvement of the foundrymen. 

”The employees in the casting 

area only see the shell and the hot 

melt. If run-out errors occur during the 

casting process, they cannot always be 

explained immediately in many cases,“ 

says Schäfer, ”This is where the foundrymen 

can help us, because they are in 

the middle of the process and often 

recognize better apattern with regard 

to melt, geometry and run-out 

defects.“ 

Figure 3: Training record asapilot project in the separation plant of the BLANK-Group. 

Approach II: Clarity and personal 

responsibility 

For the general process flow, inaddition 

to open communication aclear 

process and the enabling and empowering 

ofemployees are decisive for successful 

cooperation. The second part in 

the series on process restructuring in 

the foundry focuses on these important 

aspects. 

4. Clarity 

During the investment casting process, 

wax parts are produced with the help 

of an aluminum tool, these are assembled 

to so-called trees and then covered 

with ceramic mass and sanded. The 

resulting shells are then first melted out 

in the foundry before they can be fed 

into the casting process. The challenge 

here is that the shells are often similar 

which makes visual inspection difficult. 

Areference to the production order is 

only possible through the enclosed production 

papers. In this case the clarity 

could beincreased by acolour system. 

Each melting unit, as for example the 

”roll-over process“ or ”multi-move 

robot“, is assigned acolour that is 

reflected on the corresponding trolleys 

that transport the shells. 

6. Promoting personal responsibility 

This conviction also played adecisive role 

in another of Peter Schäfer‘s concerns. 

For him one premise applies to all activities 

that occur in the casting area: to 

make the employees more responsible. 

”We are not all car mechanics. Nevertheless, 

everyone can check the oil level 

and change the wheels. Iwould like to 

achieve this state in the foundry as 

well.“ The employees should be able to 

react proactively and be well 

acquainted with their tools, the casting 

furnaces. Maintenance interventions 

can thus be prevented or, when they 

occur, recognized in time and dealt with 

at little expense. 

”As asupervisor it is important to 

give self-determination and responsibility 

back to the worker. Only then potentials 

can unfold and alearning effect 

occurs. Itisdeadly when supervisors get 

bogged down in micromanagement.“ 

Approach III: Cooperation 

The third report in the series on process 

optimization in the foundry is dedicated 

to the topic of cooperation. 

Figure 4: Increasing clarity through colour 

system for different plants. 

5. Increasing the reference to the end 

product 

Another topic close to Peter Schäfer‘s 

heart is the reference to the end product. 

”At BLANK about 1500 different 

models of about 400 customers are 

manufactured every year. Asaresult, 

most employees do not know what 

42

Figure 5: The casts for the next shift are prepared on trolleys. 

other, everyone benefits from easier and 

faster processes at the end. This had to 

be learnt again in the department.“ 

The changes led to asustainable 

improvement of the working atmosphere. 

”The feedback so far has been 

consistently positive. People are having 

more fun at work,“ says Peter Schäfer 

happily. This is also reflected in an 

improvement in the key figures: The 

measures have led to amore stable and 

predictable output. ”My conclusion of 

the past months is that automation, 

Industry 4.0 and optimizations in production 

are indispensable for keeping 

up with the times. However, itisjust as 

important to pick up the employees 

and bring them along –and not simply 

present them with afait accompli. 

Structuring before automation is the 

right approach here”, concludes 

Schäfer. 

www.feinguss-blank.de/en 

Beside many hard facts especially the 

soft facts contribute to employee motivation 

and productive cooperation. 

Therefore this aspect was also critically 

examined within the scope of the 

improvement processes in the foundry 

sector. 

7. Working together 

The cohesion of adepartment plays a 

decisive role for asmooth workflow. 

Within the shifts asense of ”we“ 

quickly develops through daily cooperation. 

People help each other. Itbecomes 

more difficult with cross-shift activities: 

”In the foundry, for example, materials 

have to be prepared for the next shift 

or the furnaces have to be prepared 

accordingly. Inthe past there were 

always points of friction here. Each shift 

worked for itself, which often delayed 

the activities in the next shift,“ explains 

Peter Schäfer, ”We were able to achieve 

alot here through targeted discussions 

and new work processes. Preparing for 

the next shift is now aregular part of 

the workflow.“ 

But cohesion is not only important 

within departments. Upstream and 

downstream processes must be also 

integrated. ”There was often too much 

isolated thinking. Today, employees 

help each other out, move between 

departments and thus grow further 

together.” 

This is right and important in order 

to survive in the sector of medium-sized 

businesses in the long term. Markets are 

volatile and to be able to react to them 

companies need to be flexible. 

Many of the presented approaches 

aim to create asense of community 

among employees. ”When you help each 

Productivity in 3D 

Manuela Schmid, Marketing &Company 

Communication, Feinguss Blank, 

Riedlingen 

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COMPANY 

Northwest view 

on the state-of-the-art New Foundry with 

finishing area and ventilation ducts. 

44

Scania builds zero CO 2 

foundry 

in Sweden 

New iron foundries are rarely built in Europe nowadays. But Scania, 

one of the world’s leading manufacturer of trucks, has now completed 

an impressive new work in Södertälje near the Swedish capital of Stockholm 

in cooperation with Gemco Engineers. It features a capacity of 

65,000 tons of good castings per year, increased energy efficiency, 

reduced waste stream and CO 2 

-neutrality. The first casting in the stateof-the-art 

foundry took place in December 2020.

By Gemco Engineers, Eindhoven, 

The Netherlands 

Mikael Lindén, Scania project manager for the new foundry, 

Cees Noortman, Gemco project manager, Anders Svensson, energy 

and development engineer at Scania (from left to right). 

Photos: Scania and Gemco 

Scania isamanufacturer of trucks 

for distribution, long-distance and 

heavy transport applications, 

buses and coaches. The Swedish provider 

of transport solutions strongly 

focusses on innovation, environmental 

impact and customer satisfaction. This 

also includes the development and 

improvement of anew generation of 

truck engines. 

For Scania, to support its goals in 

view of development(s) of both product 

and production processes of key castings 

for the various generations of truck 

engines, the realization of anew 

foundry works became an obvious step 

to take. Strategic product development, 

including direction, supply and demand, 

global market development, and even 

location are ongoing topics for consideration 

and action within Scania and 

the group it is member of. However, for 

the new foundry works, another parallel 

recurring discussion took place that 

increasingly focused on the desire to 

build afoundry with areal and excep- 

Aerial view of the new foundry and visualization of the different departments. 

46

COMPANY 

tionally high level of sustainability. Targeting 

e. g. the use of 100 percent 

renewable energy and zero CO 2 

emissions 

was one of the sustainability 

objectives for the new foundry. That 

sustainability concept for the new 

foundry was fully in line with Scania’s 

“strategy for the future”. 

Södertälje –Scanias development 

and production epicenter 

In 2017 the investment decision was 

taken for the realization of anew 

foundry at Scania’s premises in Södertälje, 

Sweden. For Scania it also meant 

that Södertälje remains the epicentre of 

development and production. For the 

realization of the foundry Scania 

worked with Gemco, Eindhoven, The 

Netherlands, as its foundry engineering 

and project management partner. The 

cooperation between Scania and 

Gemco however started long before 

this project, as it was about ten years 

ago that Scania engaged Gemco for the 

development ofanew casting. The 

decision to build anew foundry was 

agreed after an extensive period of 

close cooperation between Scania and 

Gemco in which different alternatives 

were considered and carefully analyzed, 

including the modernization and extension 

of the existing foundry. 

Also in 2017 the basic concept for 

the New Foundry was made, in which 

Scania and Gemco put together the 

principal layout, sizing of the main 

View on the core-setter molding line 

in Södertälje. 

Product flow through automated 

finishing area –inthis case engine 

blocks for trucks. 


COMPANY 

Picture above: View from 

the outside on the core-shop 

with scrubber. 

Picture below: Overview of the 

melting department in the new 

Scania iron Foundry. 

equipment, the budget for the process, 

aproject plan and cooperation structure, 

and time-schedule. In order to 

achieve the closest possible cooperation 

with Scania, at all time, Gemco engineers 

would reside Södertälje. 

Implementation of up-to-date 

technologies 

The new to build casting facility was 

realized on new factory premises (of 

approximately 98,000 m 2 overall) of 

which the foundry facility occupies 

48

35,000 m 2 for aproduction of 

65,000 ton per year of good castings. 

That is three times the capacity of the 

existing foundry. This production will 

be achieved with the same number of 

people that work in the existing 

foundry, which are approximately 200 

persons. 

To achieve both efficient as well as 

sustainable production –with Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDG’s) in 

mind –only the most up-to-date technologies 

and even completely new 

technological solutions were applied. 

Solutions were designed and created 

in multilateral cooperation between 

Scania’s project organization –which 

includes Scania production, engineers, 

and maintenance and safety representatives 

–, Gemco engineers and the 

equipment manufacturing companies, 

as well as the building engineering 

company. Before deciding for asolution 

principle, thorough evaluations 

were made from every perspective, 

such as efficiency, maintainability, 

operator safety and environmental 

impact. During the early stages Gemco 

calculated key figures for energy 

needed and for the requisite of cooling 

water, compressed air and other 

media. Atask not to be underestimated, 

to list and map out the requirements 

for processes of equipment consumption 

not yet determined, while 

the architecture and engineering service 

provider Sweco did the engineering 

of the building. “Our high ambitions 

and technical solutions inspired 

and challenged us and our suppliers to 

raise the level in the work on energy 

efficiency, which will certainly benefit 

the foundry industry in the future” 

says Mikael Lindén project manager 

for the new foundry. 

Notwithstanding atripling of production 

capacity, the improved materials 

handling, and newly introduced 

sand recycling significantly reduce the 

required transport per cast unit. 

Energy usage will decrease while 

improved casting processes and heat 

recovery allow for energy gains. “We 

are convinced that the new foundry 

brings Scania closer to the goal of sustainable 

production,” according to 

Anders Svensson, energy and development 

engineer at Scania 

Successful teamwork 

For the realization of the project 

Gemco delivered project management 

support, integration design and engineering, 

specialized area project managers 

for charge, melt and pour, sand 

preparation and reclamation, environmental, 

heat recovery and molding, 

shake out and casting-cooling departments. 

“I want to emphasize that 

together with Scania we all acted as 

one team for the design and commissioning 

of the complete foundry, combining 

knowledge and expertise from 

different angles”, says Gemco Project 

Manager Cees Noortman. 

Overall, acombined team of 50 

people had to be managed and it 

takes good teamwork and great team 

effort for asuccessful realization of 

such aproject. Gemco also supplied 

site management during the construction 

phase on site. Abig challenge was 

that certain detailed engineering was 

still ongoing during the building construction. 

Challenging was also the 

tough timetable, as is usual in the 

industry sector. During the entire duration 

of the project, there has been a 

very close collaboration with Skanska 

(building contractor) and Sweco (building 

design). The first casting in the 

new foundry was carried out in 

December 2020 and production is currently 

ramping up. 

Gemco will further support Scania 

in the ramp-up phase. Together with 

Scania the company will follow the 

production processes closely, for 

instance to measure the equipment 

performances. Gemco will be engaged 

in the project at least until the new 

foundry is in regular production. 

“We are really pleased with this 

reference project and the very good 

cooperation with the Scania team. To 

have contributed to this big foundry 

project with athree times higher 

capacity than the old one. To realize 

special solutions together, to achieve 

50 %more energy efficiency, significantly 

reduce waste streams and to 

reduce the carbon footprint of the factory 

was achallenge and Ibelieve that 

together we have been successful on 

the goals set before we started the 

project. All in all, it has been avery 

stimulating and interesting project”, 

deems finally Cees Noortman, project 

manager at Gemco. 

www.gemco.nl 

Gemco Engineers, Eindhoven, 

The Netherlands 

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NEWS 

EUROGUSS 2022 

Die casting sector comes together as one 

As the annual highlight and start-ofyear 

gathering for the die casting 

industry, EUROGUSS, the international 

exhibition for die casting, processes 

and products, will take place again in 

Nuremberg from 18 to 20 January 2022. 

After two turbulent years, the die casting 

sector will now come together 

again asone at Exhibition Centre 

Nuremberg. The enormous diversity of 

the sector will be showcased in four 

halls and covers machinery and equipment, 

processes, toolmaking and mold 

fabrication, foundries and associated 

technologies. EUROGUSS is complemented 

by competitions, presentations, 

and the German Die Casting Congress. 

Structural components have clearly 

gained in importance in the automotive 

industry over the last years, with a 

trend towards even larger parts. This 

presents aclear opportunity for the 

die-casting industry. Larger and more 

complex parts produced in the die-casting 

process are acurrent trend. The 

automotive market is seeing the discussion 

of new body-in-white-concepts, 

with atendency to ever larger parts 

produced in aluminum die casting. This 

offers the possibility to functionally 

integrate various other parts, producing 

them in one shot, instead of in various 

production steps. This, in turn, reduces 

complexity and increases productivity in 

the automotive manufacturing process 

for the body-in-white. “We are seeing 

an entire front or entire back of acar 

produced in one shot, coming out of a 

die-casting machine every 2minutes. 

With this we see huge potential for an 

even more efficient production process 

for the automotive industry and afascinating 

opportunity for die casting,” 

says Cornel Mendler, Managing Director 

Die Casting. 

“The very high level of registrations 

shows just how much the die casting 

community is looking forward to finally 

meeting one another and interacting in 

person again at EUROGUSS,” says Christopher 

Boss, Director EUROGUSS at 

NürnbergMesse. “I am especially 

pleased that alot of well-known exhibitors 

have increased their stand space 

yet again compared with 2020. EURO- 

GUSS offers visitors and exhibitors alike 

the ideal conditions for safe in-person 

networking.” 

Apart from Germany, the countries 

with the largest exhibitor contingents 

include Italy, Turkey, Spain and Austria. 

Overall, around 60 percent of all exhibitors 

come to Nuremberg primarily 

from other European countries. In 

addition, several pavilions have already 

been announced. For example, the Italian 

foundry association Amafond is 

organizing an exhibition of the Italian 

die casting industry on adisplay area 

of around 600 square metres. Other 

pavilions will put the spotlight on surface 

technology and additive manufacturing. 

There will also be special display 

areas for research and educational 

institutions, and government-subsidized 

stands for young companies and 

start-ups. 

EUROGUSS not only provides an 

overview of the enormous diversity 

and wide-ranging applications for die 

casting technology; it also showcases 

the excellence and capabilities of asector 

that plays akey role in industrial 

supply chains. The European Die Casting 

Award, which is being presented 

for the first time in 2022 by the VDD 

(Association of German Die Casting 

Foundries) and EUROGUSS, will honour 

some of these outstanding achievements. 

The competition serves to highlight 

the diverse applications, innovative 

strength, high quality and 

capabilities of die casting as aforming 

process using the materials aluminum, 

magnesium and zinc. Awards will be 

presented for the three best submissions 

in each material category. The 

awards ceremony will take place 

during EUROGUSS, and visitors will be 

able to look at the winning workpieces. 

The EUROGUSS Talent Award, 

which was introduced in 2020, will 

again recognize the best emerging talent 

in the sector. The authors of bachelor’s 

ormaster’s theses relating to an 

innovation, improvement or new applications 

in die casting including its 

entire value chain will be given the 

opportunity to pitch their work to a 

high-calibre jury. The winners not only 

receive attractive prizes but also get to 

present themselves directly to decision-makers 

from potential employers. 

The supporting programme for 

EUROGUSS goes into various issues in 

more depth and explores the current 

hot topics in the industry. On the first 

day of the event on 18 January, adiscussion 

panel on the two relevant 

issues of additive manufacturing and 

digitalization in the die casting sector 

takes place. It will give interested participants 

the chance to find out about 

the opportunities and challenges of 

these technologies and discuss them 

with experts. 

The aim of the EUROGUSS Buyers’ 

Day, anew addition to the programme 

on the second day of the event on 18 

January, istoprovide the necessary 

overview to enable smart procurement 

decisions. Among other things it will 

look at what the trends are in purchasing, 

the direction that die casting procurement 

is taking due to technical 

and legal changes like the German supply 

chain act, and how raw materials 

purchasing can be made more efficient 

in future. The various speakers and 

experts have been involved in procurement 

for along time and know what 

the challenges are. 

Sustainability is another topical 

issue that will be tackled by EURO- 

GUSS. Many players along the process 

chain have already taken initiatives in 

this area, for example with plans to 

achieve carbon neutrality. Atthe same 

time, OEMs and policymakers are 

increasing their requirements and 

regulations. Asustainability survey 

commissioned by EUROGUSS will provide 

an overview of the industry’s 

engagement in this area. 

The 21st German Die Casting Congress, 

which is being held concurrently 

with EUROGUSS in NCC Ost at Exhibition 

Centre Nuremberg, is being organized 

as always by the VDD (Association 

of German Die Casting Foundries) 

and will also provide extensive insights 

into die casting. 

www.euroguss.de/en 

50

NEWS 

FOUNDRIES AND CORONA 

CAEF Yearbook 2020 published 

Data of unique scope and depth show 

the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic 

on European foundries. While the European 

production of non-ferrous metals 

decreased by 19.2% overall, the production 

of iron, nodular iron and steel 

castings decreased by 19.8% compared 

to 2019. 

The Covid-19 pandemic shaped social 

and economic life worldwide in 2020. In 

the wake of the rising infection figures 

European governments reacted with 

drastic measures to reduce the public 

health risk and absorb the resulting 

economic damage. 

In spring, therefore, the production 

facilities of many foundries as well as 

their suppliers and customers were completely 

shut down –often for several 

weeks –innumerous European countries. 

After production has restarted 

around summer with great efforts and 

adapted hygiene concepts, there was a 

renewed increase in Covid-19 case numbers 

towards the end of the year, which 

put aburden on economic recovery. 

Government support measures and 

the high adaptability and performance 

The European 

Foundry Association 

2020 

of the industrial sector prevented more 

detrimental distortions. In addition to 

the challenges directly related to the 

infection situation in the companies, 

the European foundry industry suffered 

from problems on both sides, supply 

and demand. 

While particlularly the cyclically sensitive 

and casting-intensive automotive 

industry in Europe, was in deep crisis, 

problems in logistics were already 

becoming apparent. The planning reliability 

for foundries was thus considerably 

impaired. 

The current developments in the 

European foundry industry and the 

market for castings can only be seen 

against the background of the year 

2020. Onthe one hand, it is necessary 

to understand statistical base effects, 

and onthe other hand, the challenges 

associated with the economic recovery 

go back to the developments of the 

previous year. Meanwhile, the industrial 

transformation towards climate neutrality 

has tended to intensify during the 

pandemic. The challenges and opportunities 

for foundries have thus become 

even more diverse in their own production 

processes and in the strategic consideration 

of customer segments. 

Finally, for the European foundry 

industry, the CAEF publication “The 

European Foundry Industry 2020” provides 

acomprehensive overview of the 

relevant data in unique depth and 

breadth. In addition to these data, the 

publication includes reports on the economic 

developments in the CAEF member 

countries and the foundry associations‘ 

assessments of the most 

important market developments for 

castings. 

www.caef.eu 

METAL FAIR INPOLAND 

„Industrial Autumn“ in Kielce 

More than 10,000 industry insiders visited 

the industrial exhibitions held 

under the banner of STOM and METAL 

from October 19-21, an attendance 

reminiscent ofthe times before the 

pandemic. 

Almost 500 exhibitors showcased in the 

seven expo halls; machine tools, cutters, 

bending machines, complete robotic 

lines, specialized foundry machines, 

welding equipment, microscopes. To 

put it in anutshell –anything and 

everything the industry needs was 

available at the expo. Such awide 

range of industries has made it possible 

for entrepreneurs to expand their contacts’ 

network. Aunique opportunity: 

the combination of the International 

Fair of Technologies for Foundry METAL 

and STOM, the Exhibition of Metal Processing 

Technologies. There was also 

great interest in the 3-D Printing Days. 

“The Kielce event has much 

advanced; its business scope is much 

Already for the 23rd 

time METAL, the 

trade fair for 

foundry technologies, 

opened its 

doors for exhibitors 

and participants in 

the Polish city of 

Kielce. 

more extensive than the foundry sector. 

There are many different industries 

brought together here. These sectors 

depend on each other. This combination 

is areal competitive advantage of 

Targi Kielce”, said Wojciech Plaza, President 

of the Management Board of 

foundry supplier Kratos Polska. 

The gala ceremony was held on the 

first day of the fair; the best products 

and services showcased at the „Industrial 

Autumn“ earned accolades. The 

next METAL trade fair will take place 

from 20 to 22 September 2022. 

www.noricangroup.com 

Photo: Metal 


NEWS 

Photo: Foseco 

Cleaning with Coveral MTS 1533 can result to 50% dross dry in the aluminum melt. 

NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR DIE CASTING 

Foseco showcases at EUROGUSS 

Foseco will be showcasing new product 

and equipment technologies for die 

casting foundries at EUROGUSS from 

January 18th to 20th 2022. At the 

Foseco booth, visitors can discover 

new, innovative solutions for cost 

effective melting and holding of aluminum, 

optimized melt treatment, transfer 

and dosing. Foseco’s booth is in Hall 

7A, Nr. 523. 

As the die casting industry becomes 

more sophisticated, demands for 

improved metallurgical control are 

increasing. To meet this demand, Foseco, 

Borken, Germany, has added new 

features to its industry leading FDU 

degassing units and MTS melt treatment 

stations to ensure that our technology 

is state of the art in technology 

for automated aluminum melt treatment: 

> Smartt software offers various programs 

for rotary degassing and predicts 

the best treatment practice based on 

ambient conditions, melt temperature, 

rotor design and alloy composition. The 

treatment parameters are automatically 

transferred into the FDU MTS. 

> Smartt ensures that any defined 

hydrogen level can be reached through 

acombination of degassing and subsequent 

upgassing as appropriate. Acustomized 

report system records all 

parameters to ensure full process traceability. 

> Granulated grain refiners are automatically 

dispensed by the Metal Treatment 

Station. This grain refiner offers 

many advantages such as improved 

melt fluidity during casting, reduced 

inclusion level and better mechanical 

properties. The dross remaining after 

the treatment is low in metal which 

additionally saves costs. The dosing 

equipment uses agravimetric load cell 

to ensure highest dosing precision for 

best metallurgical results as well as 

repeatability and traceability. 

> Shaft and rotor design are continuously 

improved to offer high efficiency 

in degassing at long service life. 

Furthermore, Coveral MTS fluxes are a 

range ofnew granulated treatment 

agents to cover the principal foundry 

operations of cleaning, drossing, modification 

and grain refinement. Also a 

complete range of silicon carbide and 

clay graphite crucibles, retorts and 

other specialized shapes for use in fuel 

fired, induction and electric resistance 

furnaces are offered by Foseco. In the 

aluminum metal transfer area crucibles 

from the Enertek energy saving and 

Duratek long life family highlight the 

energy and cost saving potential in 

melting, holding, and metal processing 

furnace applications. 

The monolithic refractory lining 

range of the foundry supplier includes 

Alugard low-cement castables and Triad 

no-cement castables. The Triad range 

contains anew aluminum “non-wetting” 

additive giving excellent resistance 

to corundum development across 

awider temperature band, while Kellundite 

dry-vibratable linings are ideally 

suited to coreless induction melting furnaces. 

Insural multi-part and highly insulating 

dosing furnace linings for aluminum 

foundries combine energy savings with 

long-service life and resistance to oxide 

build-up. The use of energy efficient 

dosing furnaces in aluminum foundries 

is seen by many as the best available 

technology today. Foseco is now able to 

supply anew multi-part and highly 

insulating lining made of Insural which 

is delivered ready toinstall. Energy saving 

can be as high as 17%. 


52

CASTING PLANT & TECHNOLOGY 2/2021 53

NEWS 

Photo: Foseco 

HIGH-PRESSURE GREEN SAND IRON CASTING 

Feeder sleeves deliver fluoride 

emission free performance 

Feedex FEF –anew fluoride emission 

free, highly exothermic high strength 

feeder sleeve material. 

Foseco launches Feedex FEF, afluoride 

emission free, low VOC highly exothermic, 

high strength feeder sleeve material, 

ideal for high pressure casting, to support 

greensand foundries committed to 

reducing environmental impact and costs 

as their need for high performance spot 

feeders continues to step up. 

Available for the complete range of 

ram-up feeder sleeves, the novel formulation 

sets anew standard in sustainability 

and feed performance for 

high-pressure automatic molding lines 

to deliver on the increasing demands of 

casting today’s iron applications. Ongoing 

weight reduction, alloy developments 

and the demand for improved 

mechanical applications are driving constant 

change. 

Feedex FEF supports the industry’s 

strong focus on reducing and eliminating 

harmful emissions and hazardous 

waste, being both fluoride emission 

free and lower in VOC than market 

alternatives. At the same time, it is 

proven to deliver the highest thermal 

and feed performance. It offers the 

identical industry-valued easy application, 

consistency, and high strength of 

conventional low fluoride Feedex HD 

products, which makes the new feeder 

sleeves particularly suitable for the challenges 

of high-pressure automatic 

molding lines. 

Christof Volks, International Marketing 

Manager, comments: “With the 

launch of Feedex FEF sleeve material, 

Foseco is proud to offer ahighly sustainable 

and strongly performing feeder 

sleeve formulation. Importantly, wealso 

realize another major step forward in 

our commitment to setting the benchmark 

for sustainability in the foundry 

industry. Our target is to become the 

first supplier to offer fully fluoride emission 

free feeder sleeves across our entire 

feeding product portfolio. We’re very 

close toachieving this goal.” 

The new sleeve material is the latest 

addition to Foseco’s fluoride free portfolio, 

which also includes Kalminex 2000 

and Kalminex SD insert sleeves for 

tougher conditions. To further benefit 

foundry sustainability-related targets, 

Feedex FEF is manufactured with a 

novel, renewable binder system which 

avoids the use of non-renewable conventional 

PUCB binder systems, thereby 

being more environment friendly. 

Beyond their environmental advantages, 

ram-up sleeves based on the new 

material enhance foundries’ ability to 

meet the mechanical and productivity 

demands of complex high-precision 

casting. All the feeding sleeve products 

are carefully produced in acontrolled 

process to achieve consistent feed performance. 

Applying the feeding solutions 

avoids shrinkage defects. It also 

improves casting yields, with yields 

exceeding 75% frequently reached with 

many case studies developed together 

with our customers, thereby reducing 

the amount of non-productive metal 

poured. Plus, significant savings are also 

achieved in fettling and cleaning operations. 

For foundries seeking greater ease 

of application, Foseco’s recently introduced 

Feedex VAK feeders are now also 

available in afluoride emission free version. 

The innovative self-centring feeder 

sleeves, in combination with the appropriate 

support pin, can be easily applied 

on fast cycling automatic molding lines 

to enable spot feeding of even the 

smallest contact areas. 


54

Photo: Reichmann Casting Finishing 

SUSTAINABLE METAL TRADE 

Automatic grinding „Made in Germany“ 

The new MAUS 600 is amodern standard 5-axis NC 

machine especially for small to medium lot sizes. 

By taking over the intellectual property 

of MAUS, mechanical engineering company 

Reichmann from Weissenhorn, 

Germany, has combined the technical 

know-how and experience of both 

companies. The result is the new MAUS 

600 product line: In the new MAUS 600 

grinding centre, reliable and robust 

mechanical engineering “Made in Germany“ 

with ahigh level of process 

know-how meets high flexibility and 

economic efficiency in acompact, standardized 

housing. 

“The aim ofthe development of the 

new MAUS 600 product line was to 

offer foundries an easy entry from manual 

to automatic casting cleaning and 

to optimize processes for greater profitability. 

The new MAUS 600 is amodern 

standard 5-axis NC machine especially 

for small to medium lot sizes or linked 

solutions that sets new standards in 

automatic grinding”, says Rafael Dineiger, 

International Sales Manager in the 

Reichmann Casting Finishing division. 

The compact casting finishing center 

processes awide range of cast parts 

made of iron, steel, brass, copper or aluminum 

on avery small footprint. The 

machine can be transported on atruck or 

in acontainer and conveniently brought 

to the installation site by forklift. 

With the help of pre-installed function 

favorites, programming is 

extremely easy. Even complex machining 

programs can be created and set up 

directly in the work area in the shortest 

possible time without any prior knowledge. 

The Windows 10-based control 

can be operated intuitively for everyone 

and offers the best conditions for diagnosis, 

support and networking. With 

the modern, IIoT-capable user interface, 

data can becollected, evaluated and 

integrated in order to identify possible 

downtimes at an early stage and to 

plan ahead in atargeted manner. This 

increases productivity and lowers costs. 

In order not to waste asecond inthe 

set-up times for anew casting, the new 

MAUS 600 has astandardized device 

interface. In this way, the user can build 

asuitable fixture himself in avery short 

time. In this way, the machine can be 

used flexibly and economically for various 

cast parts, even in the smallest batch 

sizes. The machines with pallet changers 

automatically select the right machining 

program for different cast parts in 

mixed operation. Despite the pallet 

changer, the user only needs one fixture 

per casting, thus saving time and money. 

Various adapted spindle powers ensure 

high energy efficiency and reduced cycle 

times during machining.The MAUS 600 

product line consists of three machine 

variants. With the door variants, Reichmann 

has created anovelty that enables 

particularly ergonomic loading directly 

on the machine. Compared to the light 

barrier variant, this saves the operator 

having to step back and forth for loading 

and unloading. At the same time, 

the control panel is within easy reach 

for programming and operation. 

The new MAUS 600 offers maximum 

convenience for the user as standard. 

The front of the machines with adoor 

can beopened completely and offers 

good access for cleaning and service. 

The extra-large residue chip drawer 

reduces the cleaning intervals and can 

be conveniently emptied with aforklift 

or pallet truck. The centralized lubrication 

system minimizes maintenance 

work and ensures minimal downtimes. 

The light barrier solution offers optimal 

conditions and accessibility for crane or 

robot loading. This makes it easier to 

load heavy cast parts. 

www.casting-finishing.com 

www.maus.it 


NEWS 

SPARK-OES METALS ANALYZER 

Launch of Q4 POLO for faster results 

US company Bruker from Billerica, Massachusetts, 

announces the launch of 

the new Q4 POLO, acompact Spark 

Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) 

with convincing analytical performance 

for amultitude of applications across 

the metals industry. The Q4 POLO 

extends Bruker’s line ofbenchtop OES 

systems, combining high precision elemental 

analysis capabilities with low 

cost of ownership and small footprint. 

In addition to its convincing analytical 

performance for the large element 

range from lithium (Li) to bismuth (Bi), 

the Q4 POLO enables applications previously 

not addressable by such compact 

instruments: 

> precision, particularly on light elements 

> good performance in the analysis of 

cast iron 

> Reliable analysis of nitrogen at low 

ppm levels in low alloyed steels 

> Analysis of oxygen in copper 

Q4 POLO convinces by its long-term stability. 

The absence of thermal- and contamination-based 

drifts reduces the 

need for cleaning and recalibrations, 

leading to stable results around the 

clock. Bruker’s patented Automatic 

Ambient Compensation (AAC) ensures 

that the optical system keeps its focus 

by eliminating thermal drift. The new 

ArgonShield prevents contamination of 

the optical window during measurements. 

The active sensing digital 

SmartSpark source further improves 

Q4 POLO –the little giant. 

analytical precision and long-term stability, 

enabling shorter measurement 

times. The coverage of the full elemental 

range is achieved by aunique electromagnetic 

light junction as core component 

of the MultiVision optics. 

The new Q4 POLO is the ready-toanalyze 

solution from day one, covering 

all relevant elements and wide concentration 

ranges. Each base metal package 

includes all dedicated alloy groups, 

calibrations, and standardization samples. 

At the same time, the Q4 POLO 

provides high uptime, low maintenance, 

and hassle-free operation. 

Dr. Peter Paplewski, Product Line Manager 

for Bruker’s OES analysis business, 

commented: “With its impressive analytical 

performance, stability, and compactness, 

the Q4 POLO is extending the 

capabilities of compact spark-OES. The 

Q4 POLO combines multiple innovations 

to reach performance levels not 

achieved before in compact metal analyzers. 

Reliable, high precision analysis is 

now available for every foundry and 

production floor. With its unique features, 

the Q4 POLO will help users to 

obtain compositional results faster, 

easier, and more cost-effectively than 

ever before.” 

www.bruker.com 

Photo: Bruker 

CAN-ENG FURNACES 

CUSTOM SYSTEMS FOR THE 

LIGHT WEIGHTING AUTOMOTIVE 

INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE 

CAN-ENG Furnaces International Limited 

Specializes in Continuous Automotive Structural (HPDC) 

Component Heat Treatment and Hot Forming Systems 

Visit us at Stand 9-603,Exhibition Center Nuremberg |January 18 -20, 2022 to learnmore about: 

Continuous Heat Treatment, Basketless Heat Treatment (BHTS®) and Precision Air Quenching (PAQ) Systems 

for T2, T4, T5, T6, T7 Processes - Including Water, Polymer, Air, Mist and Hybrid Quenching Systems 

Explore CAN-ENG’s custom systems. Visit us at www.can-eng.com or email tdonofrio@can-eng.com or furnaces@can-eng.com

NEW DIGITAL TOOLS 

Unlocking quick-win cost savings for blast machine 

operators 

Blasting machine manufacturer Wheelabrator 

has launched new digital tools 

that were developed specifically to 

help customers reduce costs around 

three key areas of the blast process: 

abrasive consumption, energy use and 

maintenance and downtime. 

The tools were built using Norican’s 

Monitizer software and NoriGate hardware, 

both already proven on equipment 

at sister companies DISA and StrikoWestofen, 

which are available for 

many existing and all new Wheelabrator 

machines. 

Heinrich Dropmann, Senior Vice 

President Global Wheel at Wheelabrator, 

explains: “Digital technologies 

allow ustomake the blast process more 

transparent than ever before and optimize 

it accordingly. We’ve been working 

with aselect group of pilot customers 

to identify the applications that 

would make the biggest difference to 

their productivity and profitability and 

quickly zeroed in on these three.” 

Tests showed that tackling abrasive 

consumption alone, using digital analysis 

and monitoring, can unlock 200-250 

euros inannual savings per kilowatt 

blast power installed. For atypical 

hanger-type machine with four 11 kW 

blast wheels, this means up to 10,000 

euros saved per year. Over the course of 

Digital technology can unlock new potential for optimization in blast processes. 

20 years, savings generated by this one 

digital tool could pay for anew 

machine. 

Heinrich continues: “The digital 

tools we’ve developed enable customers 

to really pinpoint the parameters 

that are driving abrasive consumption, 

energy use and wear in their specific 

operational setting –and then do something 

about it. They can very quickly get 

amuch better handle on their blasting 

cost, without impacting the volume or 

quality of their outputs –oreven 

improving them.” 

The three tools can be deployed as 

standalone solutions or plugged into a 

wider Industry 4.0 system –beitfrom 

Norican, customer-built or from another 

supplier. The NoriGate data gateway is 

used to extract data from each machine 

–from the control system and from sensors 

–while the Monitizer software collects, 

visualizes, and analyses it in customizable 

dashboards. 

Heinrich explains the Wheelabrator 

approach: “This is not about collecting 

data for the sake of it. As experts on 

the blast process, we can select the 

right data points to track, so we can 

combine them meaningfully and in a 

way that gives us insights into what’s 

running at optimum and what isn’t. It 

gives customers the data they need to 

continuously improve the process and 

save some money along the way.” 

www.wheelabratorgroup.com/en-gb 

Photo: Wheelabrator 

ASK ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

Frank Goede succeeds Frank Coenen 

Foundry chemicals and consumables 

supplier ASK Chemicals Group from 

Hilden, Germany, will have with Frank 

Goede anew CEO in February 2022. 

Goede is an experienced business 

leader who is currently the CEO of 

Tokai Cobex GmbH, aglobal materials 

science company active in the manufacturing 

of carbon and graphite products. 

Frank Coenen has led ASK Chemicals 

Group since itwas acquired by global 

private equity firm Rhône in July 2014. 

Eytan Tigay and Lucas Flynn, Managing 

Directors of Rhône, stated, “We would 

like to express our sincere thanks to 

Frank Coenen. He propelled ASK Chemicals 

to significant growth, underpinned 

by his development and implementation 

of asuccessful strategic transformation 

program. In Frank Goede, we 

are delighted to have found an ideal 

successor to further ASK’s ongoing 

global growth and development.” 

In addition to serving as CEO of Tokai 

Cobex GmbH, Frank Goede has previously 

held senior positions with Riedhammer 

and SGL Carbon GmbH. He 

holds anengineering degree and was 

born and raised in Brazil. He has worked 

and lived in multiple countries before 

having his home base in Germany. 

www.ask-chemicals.com 

In future, Frank Goede will be at the helm of 

ASK Chemicals. 

Photo: ASK Chemicals 


SUPPLIERS GUIDE 

©DVS Media GmbH 

Contact person: Vanessa Wollstein 

Aachener Straße 172 :+49 211 1591-152 

40223 Düsseldorf :+49 211 1591-150 

:vanessa.wollstein@dvs-media.info 

:www.keytocasting.com/ 

1 Foundry Plants and Equipment 

17 SurfaceTreatment andDrying 

2 

Melting Plants and Equipment for Iron and 

Steel Castings and for Malleable Cast Iron 

18 

Plant,Transport, Stock, andHandling 

Engineering 

3 Melting Plants and Equipment for NFM 

4 Refractories Technology 

19 Pattern- andDiemaking 

20 ControlSystemsand Automation 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Non-metalRaw Materials and Auxiliaries for 

Melting Shop 

Metallic Charge Materials for Iron and Steel 

Castings and for Malleable Cast Iron 

Metallic Charge and Treatment Materials for 

Light and Heavy Metal Castings 

Plants and Machines for Moulding and 

Coremaking Processes 

21 TestingofMaterials 

22 Analysis Techniqueand Laboratory 

23 AirTechnique andEquipment 

24 Environmental Protection andDisposal 

9 Moulding Sands 

10 Sand Conditioning and Reclamation 

11 MouldingAuxiliaries 

12 Gating andFeeding 

13 Casting Machines andEquipment 

25 Accident Prevention andErgonomics 

26 OtherProducts forCasting Industry 

27 Consulting andService 

28 Castings 

29 By-Products 

14 

Discharging, Cleaning, FinishingofRaw 

Castings 

30 Data Processing Technology 

15 SurfaceTreatment 

16 Weldingand Cutting 

31 Foundries 

32 Additivemanufacturing /3-D printing 

58

03 Melting Plants and Equipment for NFM 

03.02 Melting and Holding Furnaces, Electrically 

Heated 

▼ Aluminium Melting Furnaces 630 

Refratechnik Steel GmbH 

Refratechnik Casting GmbH 

Am Seestern 5, 40547 Düsseldorf, Germany 

+49 211 5858-0 

E-Mail: 

steel@refra.com 

Internet: 

www.refra.com 

▼ Insulating Products 1130 

08 Plants and Machines for Moulding and 

Coremaking Processes 

08.02 Moulding and Coremaking Machines 

▼ Multi-Stage Vacuum Process 3223 

LOIThermoprocess GmbH 

45141 Essen/Germany 

+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 

service-loi@tenova.com 

Internet: 

www.loi.tenova.com 

▼ Remelting Furnaces 700 

EIKA,S.COOP 

Urresolo 47, 48277 Etxebarria 

+34 946 16 77 32 

Internet: 

Spain 

E-Mail: 

aagirregomezkorta@isoleika.es 

Internet: 

www.isoleika.es 

▼ Micro Porous Insulating Materials 1220 

Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH 

35614 Asslar,Germany 

+49 6441 802-1190 7 +49 6441 802-1199 

E-Mail: 

andreas.wuerz@pfeiffer-vacuum.de 

Internet: 

www.pfeiffer-vacuum.de 

09 Moulding Sands 

09.01 Basic Moulding Sands 

▼ Chromite Sands 3630 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


04 Refractories Technology 

04.01 Plants, Equipment and Tools for Lining in Melting 

andCasting 

▼ Mixers and Chargers for RefractoryMixes 930 

EIKA,S.COOP 


+34 946 16 77 32 

Internet: 

Spain 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Ladle RefractoryMixes 1240 

GTP Schäfer GmbH 

41515 Grevenbroich, Germany 

+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 

info@gtp-schaefer.de 

Internet: 

www.gtp-schaefer.com 

▼ Ceramic Sands/Chamotte Sands 3645 

UELZENER Maschinen GmbH 

Stahlstr.26-28, 65428 Rüsselsheim, Germany 

+49 6142 177 68 0 

E-Mail: 

contact@uelzener-ums.de 

Internet: 

www.uelzener-ums.de 

▼ Gunning for Relining of Cupolas 950 



+49 6142 177 68 0 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


04.04 RefractoryBuilding 

▼ Maintenance of RefractoryLinings 1462 

GTP Schäfer GmbH 


+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Silica Sands 3720 

STROBEL QUARZSAND GmbH 

Freihungsand, 92271 Freihung, Germany 

+49 9646 9201-0 7 +49 9646 9201-701 

E-Mail: 

info@strobel-quarzsand.de 

Internet: 

www.strobel-quarzsand.de 



+49 6142 177 68 0 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 




+49 6142 177 68 0 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


09.04 Mould and Core Coating 

▼ Blackings, in general 4270 

04.02 RefractoryMaterials (Shaped and Non Shaped) 

▼ Refractories, in general 1040 

05 Non-metal Raw Materials and Auxiliaries for 

Melting Shop 

05.04 Carburization Agents 

▼ Coke Breeze, Coke-Dust 1680 

ARISTON Formstaub-WerkeGmbH &Co. KG 

Worringerstr.255, 45289 Essen, Germany 

+49 201 57761 7 +49 201 570648 

Internet: 

www.ariston-essen.de 

EIKA, S.COOP 


+34 946 16 77 32 

Internet: 

Spain 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


ARISTON Formstaub-WerkeGmbH &Co. KG 

Worringerstr.255, 45289 Essen, Germany 

+49 201 57761 7 +49 201 570648 

Internet: 

www.ariston-essen.de 



09.06 Moulding Sands Testing 

▼ Moisture Testing Equipment for Moulding Sand 4410 

▼ Scales and Weighing Control 4590 

▼ Exothermic Mini-Feeders 5400 

Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG 

Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany 

Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

▼ Moulding Sand Testing Equipment, in general 4420 


Walldürner Str. 50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany 

Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

10.04 Sand Reconditioning 

▼ Sand Coolers 4720 

GTPSchäfer GmbH 


+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Exothermic Feeder Sleeves 5420 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

10 Sand Conditioning and Reclamation 


Walldürner Str. 50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany 

Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

12 Gating and Feeding 



+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Exothermic Feeding Compounds 5430 

10.01 Moulding Sand Conditioning 

▼ Aerators for Moulding Sand Ready-to-Use 4470 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

▼ Sand Preparation Plants and Machines 4480 

▼ Covering Agents 5320 

Refratechnik Steel GmbH 

Refratechnik Casting GmbH 

Am Seestern 5, 40547 Düsseldorf, Germany 

+49 211 5858-0 

E-Mail: 

steel@refra.com 

Internet: 

www.refra.com 

▼ Breaker Cores 5340 



+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


13 Casting Machines and Equipment 

13.02 Die Casting and Accessories 

▼ Diecasting Lubricants 5670 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

▼ Mixers 4520 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

▼ Sand Mixers 4550 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

▼ Aerators 4560 



+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Exothermic Products 5360 



+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Insulating Sleeves 5375 



+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH 

Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany 

+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111 

E-Mail: 

service@chemtrend.de 

Internet: 

www.chemtrend.com 

▼ Diecasting Parting Agents 5680 



+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Hydraulic Cylinders 5750 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

HYDROPNEU GmbH 

Sudetenstr.,73760 Ostfildern, Germany 

+49 711 342999-0 7 +49 711 342999-1 

E-Mail: 

info@hydropneu.de 

Internet: 

www.hydropneu.de 

60

▼ Piston Lubricants 5790 

▼ Ageing Furnaces 7401 

▼ Hearth Bogie Type Furnaces 7525 



+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Parting Agents for Dies 5850 

LOI Thermoprocess GmbH 


+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Annealing and Hardening Furnaces 7430 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


18 Plant, Transport, Stock, and Handling 

Engineering 



+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ DryLubricants (Beads) 5865 



+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Multi-StageVacuum Process 5876 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Solution Annealing Furnaces 7455 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Annealing Furnaces 7490 

18.01 Continuous Conveyors and Accessories 

▼ VibratoryMotors 7980 

FRIEDRICH Schwingtechnik GmbH 

Am Höfgen 24, 42781 Haan, Germany 

+49 2129 3790-0 7 +49 2129 3790-37 

E-Mail: 

info@friedrich-schwingtechnik.de 

Internet: 

www.friedrich-schwingtechnik.de 

20 Control Systems and Automation 

20.01 Control and Adjustment Systems 

▼ Automation and Control for Sand Preparation 9030 

Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH 

35614 Asslar,Germany 

+49 6441 802-1190 7 +49 6441 802-1199 

E-Mail: 

andreas.wuerz@pfeiffer-vacuum.de 

Internet: 

www.pfeiffer-vacuum.de 

17 Surface Treatment and Drying 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Quenching and Tempering Furnaces 7510 



Internet: 

www.eirich.de 

20.02 Measuring and Control Instruments 

▼ Immersion Thermo Couples 9230 

▼ Heat Treatment and Drying 7398 

Gebr.Löcher Glüherei GmbH 

Mühlenseifen 2, 57271 Hilchenbach, Germany 

+49 2733 8968-0 7 +49 2733 8968-10 

Internet: 

www.loecher-glueherei.de 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ HeatTreating Furnaces 7520 

MINKON GmbH 

Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany 

+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 

info@minkon.de 

Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

▼ Laser Measurement Techniques 9310 

17.01 Plants and Furnaces 

▼ Tempering Furnaces 7400 



+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 




+49 201 1891-1 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


POLYTEC GmbH 

76337 Waldbronn, Germany 

+49 7243 604-0 7 +49 7243 69944 

E-Mail: 

Lm@polytec.de 

Internet: 

www.polytec.de 



▼ Positioning Control 9345 

▼ Simulation Software 9522 

27 Consulting and Service 

▼ Machining 11292 

POLYTEC GmbH 

76337 Waldbronn, Germany 

+49 7243 604-0 7 +49 7243 69944 

E-Mail: 

Lm@polytec.de 

Internet: 

www.polytec.de 

▼ Temperature Measurement 9380 

MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH 

Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany 

+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60 

E-Mail: 

info@magmasoft.de 

Internet: 

www.magmasoft.com 

22 Analysis Technique and LaboratoryEquipment 

▼ Sampling Systems 9970 

Behringer GmbH 

Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei 

Postfach: 

1153, 74910 Kirchardt, Germany 

+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500 

Internet: 

www.behringer.net 

▼ Simulation Services 11310 

MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

▼ ThermalAnalysis Equipment 9400 

MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

24 Environmental Protection and Disposal 



+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ HeatTreatment 11345 

MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

▼ Thermo Couples 9410 

MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

20.03 Data Acquisition and Processing 

▼ Numerical Solidification Analysis and Process 

Simulation 9500 



+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


▼ Numerical Solidification Simulation and Process 

Optimization 9502 

▼ Waste Disposal, Repreparation, and Utilization 24.03 

Remondis Production GmbH -LEGRAN 

Brunnenstraße 138 ,44536 Lünen 

+49 2306 106 8831 

Internet: 

Germany 

E-Mail: 

yannik.droste@remondis.de 

Internet: 

www.legran.de 

26 Other Products for Casting Industry 

26.02 Industrial Commodities 

▼ Joints,Asbestos-free 11120 

MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 

▼ Sealing and Insulating Products up to 1260 øC 11125 

Gebr.Löcher Glüherei GmbH 

Mühlenseifen 2, 57271 Hilchenbach, Germany 

+49 2733 8968-0 7 +49 2733 8968-10 

Internet: 

www.loecher-glueherei.de 

28 Castings 

▼ Aluminium Pressure Diecasting 11390 

Schött Druckguß GmbH 

Aluminium Die Casting 

Postfach: 

2766, 58687 Menden, Germany 

+49 2373 1608-0 7 +49 2373 1608-110 

E-Mail: 

vertrieb@schoett-druckguss.de 

Internet: 

www.schoett-druckguss.de 

▼ Rolled Wire 11489 



Postfach: 


+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500 

Internet: 


▼ Spheroidal Iron 11540 



+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 


MINKON GmbH 


+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 

www.minkon.de 



Postfach: 


+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500 

Internet: 


62

30 Data Processing Technology 

31 Foundries 

▼ Mold Filling and Solidification Simulation 11700 

31.01 Iron, Steel, and Malleable-Iron Foundries 

▼ Iron Foudries 11855 



+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60 

E-Mail: 


Internet: 




Postfach: 


+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500 

Internet: 


Internet: 

IndextoCompanies 

Company Product Company Product 

ARISTON Formstaub-Werke 1680, 4270 

GmbH &Co. KG 

BEHRINGER GmbH 11292, 11489, 11540, 11855 

Maschinenfabrik&Eisengießerei 

Chem Trend (Deutschland) GmbH 5670, 5680, 5790, 5850, 5865 

Maschinenfabrik 4410, 4420, 4470, 4480, 4520, 

Gustav Eirich GmbH u. Co KG 4550, 4560, 4590, 4720, 9030 

Friedrich Schwingtechnik GmbH 7980 

GTP Schäfer 

Giesstechnische Produkte GmbH 5400, 5420, 5430 

HYDROPNEU GmbH 5750 

EIKA, S.COOP 1040, 1130, 1220 

LOI Thermprocess GmbH 630, 700, 7400, 7401, 7430, 

7455, 7490, 7510, 7520, 7525 

MAGMA Gießereitechnologie GmbH 9500, 9502, 9522, 11310, 11700 

MINKON GmbH 9230, 9380, 9400, 9410, 9970, 

Geschäftsleitung 11120, 11125 

Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH 3223, 5876 

Polytec GmbH 9310, 9345 

Refratechnik Steel GmbH 1040, 5320 

Schött-Druckguß GmbH 11390 

Strobel Quarzsand GmbH 3720 

Uelzener Maschinen GmbH 930, 950, 1240, 1462 

REMONDIS Production GmbH 24 

Gebr.Löcher Glüherei 3630, 3645, 5340, 5360, 5375, 

GmbH 7398, 11345 

Click here for the product list: 


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64

INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND CONGRESSES 

Fairs and Congresses 

Euroguss 2022 

January, 18-20, 2022, Nuremberg, Germany 

www.euroguss.de/en 

GIFA Southeast Asia 2022 

February, 9-11, 2022, Bangkok, Thailand 

www.gifa-southeastasia.com/ 

LightCon 

June, 1-2, 2022 Hannover, Germany 

www.lightcon.info/en 

6. Conference „Steels in Cars and Trucks” 

June, 19-23, 2022, Milano, Italy 

www.sct-2022.com 

CastForge 

June, 21-23, 2022, Stuttgart, Germany 

www.messe-stuttgart.de/castforge/en 

Zinc Die Casting Conference –Europe 

October, 5-7, 2022, Koblenz, Germany 

www.zinc.org/2020-zinc-die-casting-conference-europe 

Advertisers‘ Index 

AAGM Aalener Gießereimaschinen GmbH, 

Bopfingen/Germany 

Inside Back Cover 

AGTOS Gesellschaft für technische Oberflächensysteme 

mbH, Emsdetten/Germany 25 

Bühler AG, Uzwil/Switzerland 19 

Can-Eng. Furnaces International Ltd., 

Niagara Falls/Canada 56 

DISA Industries A/S,Taastrup/Denmark 23 

Hannover-Messe Ankiros Fuarcilik A.S., 

Ankara/Turkey 53 

Indian Foundry Congress, Kolkata/India 29 

Jasper Gesellschaft für Energiewirtschaft 

und Kybernetik mbH, Geseke/Germany Back Cover 

NürnbergMesse GmbH, Nuremberg/Germany Title, 21 

O.M.LER S.r.l., Bra (CN)/Italy 39 

Quaker Houghton, 

Coventry/Great Britain 

Inside Front Cover 

Regloplas, St. Gallen/Switzerland 49 

voxeljet AG, Friedberg/Germany 43 


PREVIEW/IMPRINT 

Heititec Oy, anew company from 

Finland, produces new parts within 

aweek. Story about the processes 

and philosophy of work in this 

foundry. 

Photo: voxeljet 

Preview of the next issue 

Selection oftopics: 

Anew all modern foundry in Finnland 

The story is about the all new foundry Hetitec Oy, one of the quickest und most modern foundrys in Europe. Hetitec is well 

known for its printed-casting-technology which is able to produce, finish and deliver parts within aweek. The story includes an 

example of this quick work. 

Improvement of core making equipment though analysis of the core making process 

Core-making process research was carried out and concludes that shortening the standby time of the core sand (referred to as 

uncured mixture of sand and binder) can reduce the fluctuation of the sand core quality. Controlling sand temperature is most 

important. The layout and functions of the equipment are rearranged by developing an integrated core-making unit—MiCC. 

An startup-example of traditionell sandcast 

Ventano is anew Germanbrand with just 20 employees. They produce door fittingsfor oldbuildings frombrass, made in traditionell 

sandcast –whichisademanding and increasing market in Germany.Indianworkers still havethe skills and so Ventano produces in India. 

Imprint 

Publisher: 

German Foundry Association 

Editor-in-chief: 

Martin Vogt, Dipl.-Journalist 

P.O. Box 10 51 44 

40042 Düsseldorf, Germany 

Telephone: +49 211 6871-358 

Telefax: +49 211 6871-365 

E-mail: redaktion@bdguss.de 

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Minimum subscription period 12 months. 

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Advertising rate card No. 29 from 1.1.2020 

Publication: Quarterly 

©2021 DVS Media GmbH ·Düsseldorf 

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All rights, including those of translation into 

foreign languages and storage in data banks, 

reserved. 

Photomechanical reproduction (photocopy, 

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The reproduction in this journal of registered 

trademarks does not warrant the assumption, 

even without any special marking, that such 

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trade-mark law and may be used by anyone. 

Certification of circulation by the German 

Audit Bureau of Circulation 

ISSN 0935-7262 

66

AAGM Aalener 

Gießereimaschinen GmbH 

> Durchlaufwirbelmischer > Regenerierungsanlagen 

für kaltharzgebundene Formsande > Formanlagen 

Durchlaufwirbelmischer 8-30t/h, Doppelgelenk 

Technische Daten des Durchlaufwirbelmischer 

Ausführung: 

Doppelgelenk 

Geometrie: Hintere Transportschnecke 3,5m 

Wirbelmischer 2,3m 

Leistung: 

8-30t/h 

Auslaufhöhe: 1,73m 

Medien: 

Furanharz (2 Komponenten), 2 Sandsorten 

Zubehör: 

Vollautom. Durchflußregelung Bindemittel, 

Temperaturabhängige Härterdosierung, 

Dosierdrucküberwachung Bindemittel, 

Auffangwannen mit integriertem Tagesbehälter 

www.aagm.de 

Gewerbehof 28 

D-73441 Bopfingen 

Tel.: +49 7362 956037-0 

Fax: +49 7362 956037-10 

Email: info@aagm.de

Your Partner for: 

Melting 

Casting 

Homogenising 

Drying 

Burner Systems 

Regenerators 

Illustrations: 

Steel Kettle Furnace 

Water Cooling (small picture) 

ZK Know-How 

by Jasper GmbH 

Setting The Standards For Highest 

Efficiency In Thermal Processing 

JASPER 

Gesellschaft für Energiewirtschaft 

und 

Kybernetik mbH 

Bönninghauser Str. 10 

59590 Geseke 

Germany 

Phone: +49 2942 9747 0 

Website: www.jasper-gmbh.de 

E-Mail: info@jasper-gmbh.de

CPT International 04/2021

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