Castings Buyer - Institute of Cast Metals Engineers

Transcription

Castings Buyer
Metal casting your engineering needs
Spring 2014
Published by Institute of Cast Metals Engineers
GOODWIN STEEL CA STINGS
ESTABLISHED 1883
Certified to Pressure Equipment Directive 017/23/EC &
EN 764-5:2002 for the manufacture of steel castings
· Accredited by ASME as a Material Organisation
to ASME NCA 3800 to supply castings for nuclear
applications
· Certified to supply CE marked structural castings
to BSEN 10340
· Certified to Pressure Equipment Directive 017/23/EC
& EN 764-5:2002 for the manufacture of steel
castings
Reverse engineering of OEM equipment for
retrofit and refurbishment
Goodwin Steel Castings Limited
Ivy House Foundr y, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3NR, United Kingdom
Sales Director Brian Quinn Tel +44 (0)1782 220244
Email castings@goodwingroup.com Switchboard +44 (0)1782 220000
www.goodwinsteelcastings.com
World Class resources
• Advanced mechanical testing
• Induction melting of all ferrous alloys
• AOD steel refining
• Linear accelerator radiography
• CAD and Magma design
• No-bake, shell, lost wax, greensand and ceramic moulding
• CMM metrology
• Pieceweights from 10 grammes to 12 tonnes
• CNC pattern and toolmaking
• Specialist fabrication and assembly
• Extensive CNC machining
William Cook Cast Products
Sheffield
Plant
Precision
Plant
Leeds
Plant
Stanhope
Plant
Integrity products in AOD steel
Smaller specialist products
Larger specialist products
Tank tracks, wearparts
and intermodal fittings
William Cook Integrity
William Cook Master Patterns
William Cook Precision
William Cook NDT
William Cook Leeds
William Cook Rail
William Cook Stanhope
William Cook Intermodal
Cook Defence Systems
Parkway Avenue
Sheffield S9 4WA
England
Phone +44 (0) 870 787 2353
Fax +44 (0)114 276 6779
Station Road
Halfway
Sheffield S20 3GD
England
Phone +44 (0)114 251 0410
Fax +44 (0)114 251 0096
Cross Green
Leeds LS9 0SG
England
Phone +44 (0)113 249 6363
Fax +44 (0)113 249 1376
Stanhope
Co Durham DL13 2YR
England
Phone +44 (0)1388 528 248
Fax +44 (0)1388 528 879
Accreditations
and Quality Standards
Accreditations
Accreditations
Accreditations
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
OHSAS 18001
Lloyds Register of Shipping
American Bureau of Shipping
Norsok M-650
NQ1
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
OHSAS 18001
Airbus Air Authority 237
BAE Aerospace AG/10871/MAA
DNV
RWTUV
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
OHSAS 18001
DEFSTAN 95-25
DNV
EN 15085
IRIS
ISO 9001
DEFSTAN 95-25
www.william-cook.co.uk
Email: castproducts@william-cook.co.uk
a World Class Company
Castings Buyer
Metal casting your engineering needs
Spring 2014
Published by Institute of Cast Metals Engineers
Spring 2014
GOODWIN STEEL CA STINGS
CONTENTS
ESTABLISHED 1883
REGULARS
2
8
19
24
Global Castings Solution News
UK Cast Metals Industry Awards 2013
Casting Design Course – sign up now
CertifiedIndustry
to Pressure Equipment
017/23/EC
&
inDirective
Focus
– news
from some of your
EN 764-5:2002 for the manufacture of steel castings
favourite metal casting companies
· Accredited by ASME as a Material Organisation
to ASME NCA 3800 to supply castings for nuclear
applications
· Certified to supply CE marked structural castings
to BSEN 10340
· Certified to Pressure Equipment Directive 017/23/EC
& EN 764-5:2002 for the manufacture of steel
castings
FEATURES
From the editor
Lynn Postle, FICME
Reverse engineering of OEM equipment for
retrofit and refurbishment
Goodwin Steel Castings Limited
10
Ivy House Foundr y, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3NR, United Kingdom
Sales Director Brian Quinn Tel +44 (0)1782 220244
Email castings@goodwingroup.com Switchboard +44 (0)1782 220000
DIE CASTING
All the latest news from the international
die casting
www.goodwinsteelcastings.com
sector
castings buyer 2014 cover.indd 1
24/04/2014 14:04
14
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
Learn how vacuum impregnation is one answer to
solving the problem of porosity in castings
16
POST CASTING OPERATIONS
Non-destructive testing can safeguard against
failures in materials and components – read all
about it
18
HEAT TREATMENT
How to double the strength in some aluminium die
cast components
20
TURKCAST 2014
Read all about the exhibition which showcases the
best of Turkish casting facilities
22
SUBCON 2014
The latest news from the UK’s premier subcontracting show
FOR MORE ON CASTING DESIGN AND SOURCING
OF CAST COMPONENTS CONTACT ICME
www.icme.org.uk
© 2014 ICME. No portion of this journal may be reproduced without
written consent. The views expressed in the articles contained in
Castings Buyer are those of the respective authors of the articles and
The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers does not accept responsibility for
statements made and opinions expressed in papers, articles, discussions
or correspondence appearing in the journal.
The cast metals industry is a vitally important supply option
for many industrial sectors offering you, the buyer, numerous
alternatives for highly complex engineered components to satisfy
the need for efficient, high performance, and in many cases safety
critical, parts.
Castings Buyer is the only global publication dedicated to providing
designers and those responsible for purchasing components with the
information needed when considering castings as a supply option.
Published by the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, Castings Buyer
reports on many projects involving cast components to give you a
comprehensive overview of the global cast metals industry and what it can
offer the wider engineering community.
In many cases castings afford solutions in terms of complexity, weight
reduction and high performance and they often ‘out shine’ any other mode
of manufacturing, so please read on …
Editor
Lynn Postle, Dip M. MCIM, FICME
Tel: +44(0)1544 340332
email: lynn@foundrytradejournal.com
Advertising Sales Manager
Les Rivers, Tel: +44(0)1568 797 123
email:icmeadvertising@rivers-media.co.uk
Advertising Sales Executive
Terry Fendley, Tel: +44(0)1293 776492
email: terry.fendley@rivers-media.co.uk
Administration Offices
Institute of Cast Metals Engineers,
National Metalforming Centre,
47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich,
West Midlands B70 6PY UK.
Tel: +44 (0)121 601 6979.
email: publications@icme.org.uk
www.icme.org.uk
Design and Production
Rivers Media Services
Tel: +44 (0)1568 797 111
www.rivers-media.co.uk
Casting Buyer is one of a group of titles
published by The Institute of Cast Metals
Engineers. Sister publication Foundry Trade
Journal (published 10 times/year).
ICME is the leading UK professional
organisation for those employed in the
global cast metals industry.
WWW.FOUNDRYTRADEJOURNAL.COM
CASTINGS BUYER Spring 2014
1
1
global news.............................................................................................................................................
EEF launches new
REACH training and
consultancy services
for manufacturers
EEF, the manufacturers’
organisation, is launching a
campaign to highlight business risks
under the Registration, Evaluation,
Authorisation and Restriction of
CHemicals (REACH) Regulation
and provide support to the
manufacturing supply chain to
enable them to manage it.
Under the Regulation substances
used in either products or as
part of processes may be banned
and, unless manufacturers have
authorisation from the EU to use it,
will disappear from the EU market.
The extensive campaign will
simplify the implications of
REACH and provide targeted
advice to manufacturers. The focus
is on enabling manufacturers to
effectively manage compliance
internally and recognise the
potential risks to their business. The concept for the campaign
is the websites ‘Where’s My Car’
and ‘Where’s My Plane’, where
manufacturers can hover over
part of a model car or plane to
reveal which components they
will no longer be able to make as
a result of REACH. One example,
trichloroethylene, is commonly
used in cleaning or degreasing
metal parts. It will be banned from
use from 2016 unless approval to
use it has been sought from the
European Commission.
Through a series of industry
training courses and expert
consultancy, EEF will help
manufacturers keep on top of
developments, understand the risks
and put in place the systems to stay
ahead of competitors and safeguard
product lines. In turn, this will help
to foster stronger, more confident
customer relationships.
EEF works closely with Defra
and the HSE, the UK’s competent
authority on REACH, on the
Regulation and its impacts. It also
feeds into the deliberations of
the European Commission and
the European Chemicals Agency
(ECHA).
To find out if you are affected by
REACH and what you need to do
to make sure you can continue to
do business visit: www.eef.org.uk/
wheresmycar/
2
Richard Edwards,
Paul Gower,
David Fletcher,
and Anthony
Village
FUTURE HOTS UP FOR FOUNDRY
One of the UK’s leading independent foundries is well positioned to enjoy new levels of growth following a
£750,000 equity linked investment from Finance Yorkshire.
Doncaster based Noel Village will use the cash injection to invest in new heat treatment facilities, to
ensure shorter lead times for customers.
The company is one of the UK’s leading low volume stainless and high alloy steel foundries, and its
products are used by valve and pump manufacturers around the world.
A family owned business established in 1980, Noel Village has progressed from casting carbon steels for
mining and engineering purposes to high specification steels for the oil, gas and nuclear industries.
The funding means that the business will no longer have to sub-contract heat treatment work and will
instead be able to complete the process in-house.
The foundry has also further strengthened its management team by appointing former Sheffield
Forgemasters chairman and chief executive David Fletcher as non executive chairman.
Noel Village managing director Richard Edwards said: “We believe the future belongs to businesses
which understand that quick turnaround, together with great service, are priorities. Investing in heat
treatment facilities means that customers will benefit from faster lead times, and we will be better
positioned than ever to supply increased specification castings to the entire energy sector.”
Begbies Traynor provided corporate finance advice and legal advice was provided by hlw Keeble
Hawson.
Finance Yorkshire provides seedcorn, loan and equity linked investments, ranging from £15,000 to £2m
to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to meet their funding requirements for growth and
development.
The project is supported financially by the European Union. It has attracted £30million investment from
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic
development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme, £15million from UK Government and
£45million match funding from the European Investment Bank. www.noelvillage.com Contact Finance Yorkshire on Tel: 0845 649 0000, www.finance-yorkshire.com
GLOBAL CASTING GROWTH FOR POWERHOUSES
Annual global casting production for 2012 shows continued growth, according to the 47th Census of
World Casting Production produced by the American Foundry Society. Published in December, the report
shows that over 100 million tons of castings were produced in 2012, a 2.3 per cent increase from 2011.
However, 20 of the 37 countries which responded reported a contraction in annual volumes, most
notably Brazil with a 16.9 per cent drop in overall volume on the 2011 figures. Other double figure
decreases were: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland
and Taiwan.
China remains as the world’s largest producer with a total volume of 42.5m tons (an increase of
1.2m tons), with the United States reclaiming the second place with 12.8m tons (up 2.8m) pushing
India into third place with 9.3m tons, followed by Japan (5.3m), Germany (5.2m), Russia (4.3m,
although this is the 2011 figure as no return was submitted for 2012), Brazil (2.9m), Korea (2.4m), Italy
(1.9m) and France (1.8m). The UK reported 520,300t of casting production.
To view the full report visit www.moderncasting.com
.............................................................................................................................................. global news
GRAINGER & WORRALL INVESTS
£500,000 IN 3D TECHNOLOGY
World-leading casting company, Grainger & Worrall, has enhanced
its range of prototyping technologies by investing over £500,000 in
an S-Print HHS sand printer. The technology enables the UK-based
company to provide its customers with an additional innovative and
highly advanced rapid prototyping solution.
The new addition is the first commercially available installation of
its type in Europe that utilises a high heat strength (HSS) binder paired
with low-expansion sand mix to create highly intricate core structures,
directly from CAD data. The tool-less casting technology also provides
greater design freedom by enabling the construction of previously
unfeasible internal geometry, when compared with directly-milled sand
moulds.
Compared to printed furan technology, the HHS sand print process
produces up to 250% stronger cores that are able to maintain even
greater geometric stability throughout the casting procedure. This
makes it suitable for use with both iron and steel. In addition, the
use of a phenol-based binder and silica synthetic blended sand offers
significant advantages in the stability of aluminium castings.
Edward Grainger, director of Grainger & Worrall, said: “Our
commitment to delivering market-leading programmes for our clientbase means we are seeking, constantly, to improve our infrastructure
and capabilities. Our latest investment will further enhance our ability
to offer customers, across the automotive, motorsport and aerospace
sectors, greater benefits in terms of time, cost and performance.
“The past 60 years has seen Grainger & Worrall develop and
maintain a reputation for technical excellence, quality and service.
The addition of the S-Print HHS sand printer will allow us to continue
to deliver ground-breaking innovation for our clients, now and in the
future.”
The equipment has been housed in a purpose-built production
facility at G&W’s Bridgnorth site and feeds cores to the company’s
six foundries. The purchase of the HHS sand printer is part of the
company’s on-going commitment to invest in leading edge technologies
that will keep it at the forefront of total casting solutions for the
automotive, motorsport, transport and aerospace sectors.
ONE CLICK FOR COPPER IN EUROPE
The European Copper Institute (ECI) has launched a new,
comprehensive website for copper users, professionals,
journalists, students and policy makers. The website
contains the latest information on the uses of copper and its
alloys, along with the benefits provided in the main areas
of application. It also showcases the efforts of the European
copper industry to strengthen the sustainability of its
operations and products.
ECI represents the copper industry in Europe and is also
part of an international network of industry associations,
funded by the copper industry, with a common mission to
defend and grow markets for copper, based on its superior
technical performance and contribution to a higher quality
of life. This network is unified by a common brand and
visual identity - the Copper AllianceTM.
Professionals will find the technical information they need
and gain easy access to various outreach campaigns.
Policy makers and regulators can access the industry’s
position papers along with the scientific information needed
to help them understand the role copper can play to help
achieve EU and national objectives.
Across Europe, ECI works with a network of ten national
associations, some of which have over 80 years’ experience
in promoting and providing technical advice on the many
uses of copper. “Available in ten different language chapters,
the new website will broaden the visibility and strengthen
the consistency of copper’s messages to audiences across
Europe. Our aim is to provide relevant information, in a
transparent and commercially-neutral way, that will help
our target audiences make informed decisions,” says John
Schonenberger, ECI’s chief executive.
Start exploring all there is to know about copper now at:
www.copperalliance.eu
www.gwcast.co.uk
It is only just over a year away until NEWCAST,
to be held in Düsseldorf (Germany) 16th to 20th
June 2015. The show will highlight the best in
casting technology. Keep up to date with the
progress at: www.newcast.de/2330
Advancing in nuclear for leading European foundry
Goodwin Steel Castings has been accredited by ASME (The American Society for Mechanical Engineers) as a Materials Organisation (MO)
to ASME NCA3800 to supply castings for nuclear applications.
Working in partnership with sister machine ship – Goodwin International (GI) – the company is proficient in the supply of finished
machined and pressure tested steel and nickel alloy castings. Goodwin was established in 1883 and is retained under common management
by the sixth generation of the Goodwin family.
It was the first European foundry to receive accreditation to the ISO9001 quality system (then BS5750), followed by accreditation to the
Environmental ISO14001 and Health and Safety OHSAS18001 standards.
The sister machine shop has one of the most comprehensive CNC machining, fabrication, assembly and inspection facilities in Europe.
The group also has an established apprentice school with annual intake being 25 students for the next four-year period.
Along with the ASME Nuclear Quality System Certificate, Goodwin also retains Rolls Royce Nuclear Sector Submarine approval
manufacture and machining for steel and nickel alloy castings.
The company has supplied cast components for primary and secondary cooling loops in the form of pumps and valves and also supplied
critical duty class one structural components. Often working with tier one suppliers supplying components to propriety military and civil
nuclear design such as the AP1000 PWR and Faslane nuclear submarine naval base.
The foundry produces high integrity castings (500-1500kg) using secondary AOD refining and has recently constructed one of the largest
CNC sawing facilities (3m x 3m) and radiography facilities (9.5Mev 10 x 10 x 10m) with 70Te lifting capacity in Europe to meet customer
nuclear requirements.
Goodwin is partnered with Manchester Univesity (Dalton Nuclear Institute) and Loughborough University (Materials Science) in the
advancement of material and engineering practices.
Contact: Steve Birks, director and general manager, Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1782 220292, email: stevebirks@goodwingroup.com
web: www.goodwin.co.uk
3
global news.............................................................................................................................................
TITANIUM PRODUCERS POSITIONED FOR GROWING DEMAND
The global titanium market recovered rapidly from the sharp downturn
in demand in 2009 and by 2011 demand for mill products had reached
165,000t, the highest level experienced by the industry. While growth
stuttered in 2012, a report by Roskill Information Services is predicting
growth of 4-5 per cent per year through to 2018. In Europe and North America, aerospace applications regularly
account for more than 60 per cent of demand. Production of titanium
sponge and mill products in these regions is also largely orientated
towards the aerospace market. The rapid growth in production of
sponge and mill products in China serves the growing domestic
demand in industrial applications, which accounted for more than 80
per cent of consumption in 2012.
Despite the volatility of the market and the development of other
applications, aerospace remains the principle distinct market for
titanium, accounting for a buy-in weight of around 60,000t of mill
products in 2012. The new generation of large passenger aircraft,
the A380 and A350 from Airbus and the B787 from Boeing, use
greater volumes of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) in
the airframe. CFRPs are compatible with titanium, but not with
aluminium, which ensures that titanium’s position as a key material
in the manufacture of aircraft is assured and growing. The Russian
company, VSMPO, has emerged as the leading supplier of mill
products to the aerospace industry, supplying in excess of 20,000t in
2012.
The use of titanium in industrial applications is more price sensitive,
as specifications are not as rigorous as they are in aerospace and
there is competition from other high performance alloys. This price
sensitivity is more apparent in Europe and North America than in
China, which now accounts for half of all demand in industrial
applications. It appears that titanium is selected in preference to (less
costly) materials for use in Chinese industrial plants.
After falling to 124,000t in 2009, global supply of titanium sponge
rose by an average of 26.5 per cent per year from 2010 to 2012 to reach
241,000t - an estimated 20,000t surplus in demand. However, much
of this surplus was in China and was for industrial grade material.
Aerospace grade sponge is mainly produced in Japan, Russia, the
USA and Kazakhstan and Roskill considers that current and forecast
supply is more than adequate to meet demand as there is some unused
capacity overhanging the market. US imports account for more than
half the world trade in titanium sponge and US melting companies
continue to rely heavily on imports from Japan and Kazakhstan,
although shipments from the latter country are falling as an increasing
proportion of output is processed locally.
THE SEARCH TO REDUCE PRODUCTION COSTS
Titanium is recovered as sponge by the Kroll process in which titanium
tetrachloride is reduced with magnesium. This is a batch process,
which restricts plant capacity and speed of output, but which allows a
rapid response to global demand. Research is on-going into continuous
processes for direct reduction of the oxide (or other intermediate) in
an attempt to cut production costs. In 2013, just one plant using the
direct reduction process is operating, accounting for less than 1 per
cent of supply. More significant cost reductions have been achieved in
advances in melting and machining practice.
Titanium: Market Outlook to 2018 (6th edition) is available at an
introductory price of £4,410 / US$7,110 / €5,580 from Roskill Information
Services Ltd, 54 Russell Road, London SW19 1QL UK. Tel: +44 20 8417
0087, email: info@roskill.co.uk web: www.roskill.com/titanium
International Die Casting Award for innovative Jaguar F
Type component
For the second time in its 84-year history, diecasting
specialists JVM Castings has been commended in the
International Die Casting Awards, sponsored by the North
American Die Casters Association (NADCA).
The annual Die Casting Design Competition showcases
cutting-edge developments by many of the industry’s preeminent companies.
The awards were in Kentucky (USA), where JVM’s design
team struck gold in the structural aluminium casting
category.
The team was awarded for its pioneering B Pillar castings,
a heat treated body chassis part manufactured in an aluminium alloy which gives greater ductility and
mechanical properties than conventional high pressure aluminium alloys, and forms one in a series of
castings manufactured by JVM for the new Jaguar F Type.
The company has been making parts for Jaguar Land Rover for over 50 years, and initially began
producing B Pillar structural aluminium die cast body parts for Jaguar’s popular XK model using a
combination of B Post and swan neck castings – a design which became the template used by other
OEM’s in their own designs.
Wayne Murcott, joint managing director at JVM, said: “When Jaguar announced plans to build its F
Type model in 2010, our design team was tasked with redesigning the B Pillar structure as one single
casting that would be both mass efficient and avoid the need for sub-assembly. “The challenge facing our designers was to create a feed and runner system that would
successfully make two different castings at the same time. The team spent many hours running,
reviewing and enhancing design simulations using Magmasoft computers, and our finalised design
reduced the total assembly weight by more than 50%.
“This new lean design meant the F Type reduced its carbon footprint, as well as eliminating the
cost and weight of seven steel pressings, as well as the cost of assembly. Rather than two dies and
seven stamping tools, our new B Pillar only requires one die set.
“As the largest aluminium pressure die casting company in the UK, we’re constantly looking for
ways to innovate in engineering and improve our products to ensure our market remains competitive,
so it means a great deal to be recognised by NADCA, the international voice of the die casting
industry.”
NADCA represents the voice of the die casting industry, in an annual market worth more than $15
billion. NADCA is committed to promoting industry awareness and growth in the global market for die
castings, and the association is comprised of members located throughout the world.
www.jvmcastings.com
4
METALCASTING – an
important aspect of
future MANUFACTURING
INITIATIVES
The American Foundry Society (AFS)
will play a significant role in two major
US manufacturing initiatives as part of the
country’s National Network for Manufacturing
Innovation.
The new programs are backed by more
than $300 million of public and private
funds and will bring together product
developers, researchers, manufacturers,
universities and training institutions
into regional hubs. One of the two
manufacturing hubs is the American
Lightweight Materials Manufacturing
Innovation Institute based in Canton
Township, Michigan which will focus on
the manufacture of aluminium, titanium
and high-strength steel.
ALMMII was awarded $70 million from
the Department of Defense with matching
funds from the 34 consortium partners, of
which AFS is one.
Digital Labs for Manufacturing (or
Digital Lab), also will receive $70 million
from the Department of Defense as part of
the National Network for Manufacuring
Innovations. Digital Lab will bring together
manufacturing and software companies to
develop compatible software and hardware
for supply chains to reduce manufacturing
costs. AFS will work with the other
partners at the new Digital Lab to solve
century-old manufacturing dilemmas while
utilising state-of-the-art technology.
.............................................................................................................................................. global news
WORLD’S
THICKEST
STAINLESS
STEEL SLABS
PRODUCED ON
CONTINUOUS
CASTER
Vulcan goes large with record breaking contract win
Sheffield Forgemasters’ specialist offshore design and engineering division, Vulcan SFM, has achieved a
triple record-breaking contract win.
The contract, on behalf of Hyundai and Technip is the largest won by Vulcan SFM and will see the
delivery of the largest cast steel nodes ever made, for the world’s largest floating spar gas production platform
– the first of its type to operate in the Norwegian Sea.
Vulcan SFM will deliver 12 ultra-large castings for the spar, operated by Statoil ASA on behalf of the
partners OMV, ConocoPhillips and Statoil, which will see service in the deep water Aasta Hansteen field off
the coast of Norway.
Paul Mockford, design director at Vulcan SFM, said: “The project to develop the Aasta Hansteen gas field
requires the world’s largest spar platform.”
The castings will form high strength and fatigue resistant nodal joints to connect the main leg and brace
tubulars which make up the lower, truss section of the spar platform.
Mockford said: “The Aasta Hansteen Spar is the largest diameter spar which has ever been built with a
diameter of 50 metres and a total hull length of 198 meters, most of which is below the surface of the sea.
“With water depths of more than 4,200 feet this is a deep water application and floating platforms are the
only real option at these depths.”
Technip is acknowledged as the world leader in the manufacture of spars, and in particular, truss spars.
The platform will sit vertically in the water, with its cylindrical hull providing buoyancy and stability, and
tethered by mooring lines connected to piles in the sea bed.
Vulcan SFM will design and supply 12 cast nodes, the largest of which weighs 117 tonnes, seven tonnes
heavier than the largest nodes made to date.
Mockford said: “The castings will be made in a specially developed and proven grade of steel offering a
balance of strength, toughness and weldability. The strength is developed through heat treatment involving
water quenching and these are the biggest castings we have ever quenched.
“Like all the cast nodes we have designed and supplied over the past 30 years, these castings will need to
withstand immense stresses when in use. Vulcan SFM has a unique track record in the supply of this type of
component.”
Total recoverable reserves for Aasta Hansteen, previously called Luva, are estimated at about 47 billion
standard cubic metres (scm) of gas and 0.9 million scm of condensate.
The platform, which will be located approximately 186 miles off the Norwegian coast will be the first spar
platform built with storage capacity. It will be able to store about 25,000scm of condensate, and export gas
via the Polarled pipeline to Norway’s Nyhamna gas plant.
Pictured above: One of the world’s largest cast nodes undergoing heat treatment at Sheffield Forgemasters
A single-strand continuous
stainless steel slab caster capable
of casting the world’s thickest
stainless steel slabs has been
brought into operation at Pohang
Iron and Steel Co Ltd (Posco) in
Pohang (Korea).
Siemens Metals Technologies
built the machine in Posco’s
stainless steel plant SSCP4. It is
designed to produce 700,000
metric tons of austenitic and
ferritic steel slabs with thicknesses
of up to 300mm per annum. The
new continuous casting plant
expands Posco’s capacity for
producing high-quality stainless
steel.
The continuous bow-type
caster from Siemens is equipped
with a straight Smart Mould. It
has a machine radius of 11m and
a metallurgical length of 26.9m.
Slabs are cast with thicknesses of
250 and 300mm in widths ranging
from 800 to 1,650mm. The casting
speed can reach 1.1m per minute.
Siemens was responsible for
the engineering, the supply of
key components and technology
packages, including the LevCon
mould level control, the
DynaFlex mould oscillator, and
DynaWidth for setting the slab
width. The strand is guided by
Smart Segments. DynaGap Soft
Reduction 3D allows the company
to determine the position of the
final solidification of the strand
with high precision. This enables
the roll gap to be controlled
precisely and high internal
slab quality to be obtained.
Efficient secondary cooling is
also achievable, an important
prerequisite for achieving slabs
with a high quality surface.
www.siemens.com/metals
US foundry uses NEW ALLOY
Grede Foundries in St Cloud, Minnesota (US) is one of two sites using a new ductile iron alloy called SiboDur to produce durable lightweight chassis,
power- and drive-train components for heavy-duty truck applications.
Grede Foundries unveiled the SiboDur components at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, in March. The metal has a unique chemistry and
process that competes favourably with aluminium in weight reduction, says the company. The high-strength characteristics of SiboDur also provide
cost, fatigue life and ‘manufacturability’ advantages over other materials, they claim.
Heavy-duty truck manufacturers use SiboDur in parts with high stress and torque requirements including steering knuckles, differential cases, control
arms, hubs, brackets, engine mounts, crankshafts and suspension links. SiboDur was developed by a Swiss company, and Grede has the exclusive
license to produce the alloy in North America. In addition to St Cloud, it is being made at a Grede facility in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
Grede has estimated annual revenues of $1 billion, is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and has 4,700 employees at 14 foundries and three
machining operations in North America. www.grede.com Source: sctimes.com
5
global news.............................................................................................................................................
ELECTRONIC HOUSING CASTING
WINS AFS/METALCASTING
DESIGN & PURCHASING CASTING
COMPETITION
O’Fallon Casting, O’Fallon, Missouri (USA), has won the 2013 Casting
Competition as run by the American Foundry Society (AFS) and its
publication Metal Casting Design & Purchasing magazine. The metalcaster won
with its electronics housing produced for the defence industry. The judges
noted that the component’s elegant design and incredible detail exemplifies
the capabilities of the investment casting process.
The customer avoided hours of fabrication and assembly by combining
multiple parts and features into a single, rigid piece. It is lighter and more
precise than a comparable fabrication; secondary machining also was
minimised.
The customer, who asked to remain confidential, was familiar with the
investment casting process and worked with O’Fallon’s engineers to pack the
part with functional features and elements while keeping it light. Thin walls
(0.06in) keep the weight low, while a lattice of ribbing provides rigidity. Holes
and slots further remove unnecessary material. Functionally, the casting
contains a card-guide slot and bosses as mounting features for electronics.
Cast fins on the exterior act as heat sinks for the sealed interior, and a
cylindrical clamp-half is cast integrally on the housing’s side. Two cast-in
holes avoid secondary machining requirements.
“Just look at it and say ‘wow,’” said one of this year’s casting competition
judges. “The fins, the holes, the need for dimensional stability - electronics
housings will continue to demand more features as more electronics are
jammed into smaller spaces.”
O’Fallon was recognised for its winning casting during the President’s
Luncheon at CastExpo’13 in St Louis in April last year.
Ten other castings were honoured as ‘Best in Class’ and ‘Honorable Mention’
winners.
The Best in Class winners are:
• Carley Foundry, Blaine, Minnisota, for a 340kg aluminium radar casting
produced using the no-bake sand casting process. Converted from
machined plates welded together, the design resulted in a 67 per cent
reduction in part cost and enabled the end user to realise substantial
tooling cost savings.
• Dotson Iron Castings, Mankato, Minnisota, for a ductile iron planter row
unit. Six iron castings replaced 30 stamped steel parts for a new planter
that had double the planting speed and seed placement accuracy of 99 per
cent.
• Monarch Industries Ltd, Winnipega, Manitoba (Canada), for a ductile
iron Razr disc opener. Six machined castings replaced six weldments of
35 steel pieces. The casting design increased the part’s torsional rigidity
through material placement and widening of cross sections.
• Signicast Investment Castings, Hartford, Wisconsin, for a steel investment
cast shaft, worm gear. Converted from a machined from solid part, the
single casting requires no machining and resulted in a 40 per cent cost
reduction.
• Stahl Specialty Co, Warrensburg, Missouri, for an aluminium coolant
collector produced as a permanent mould casting. The complex
aluminium part provides significant weight savings from its predecessor.
Honorable Mention winners are:
• Barron Industries, Oxford, Michigan, for a 578gm aluminium, investment
cast duct for General Dynamics’ Abrams tanks.
• Joy Global Surface Mining, Milwaukee, for a 1456kg steel boom foot
produced as a no-bake sand casting.
• Brillion Iron Works, Brillion, Wisconsin, for a 40kg sand cast ductile iron
valve housing.
• Denison Industries, Denison, Texas, for an aluminium main housing and
bulkheads used for industrial-sized variable transmissions.
• Victualic Co, Easton, Pennsylvania, for a ductile and austempered ductile
iron Sym-Ply T20 clamp used as part of a gang wall forming system.
www.afsinc.org
6
HEAT TREATMENT
SPECIALISTS CELEBRATE
FIRST SOUTH KOREAN
ORDER WIN
Alloy Heat Treatment Limited (AHT) has secured its
first order from South Korea. The assignment came
amidst a string of several export orders within the
past six months, making it an exceptionally busy
year for the company so far.
Heat treatment is traditionally considered to be
a domestic service, with companies deterred from
shipping components long distances to be treated
at the final stage of the production process, but
the specialised work of AHT has seen interest and
orders secured from new customers in France,
Germany, Italy, Poland and South Korea so far in
2013.
Having made a name for themselves as
the largest subcontractor for aluminium heat
treatments in the UK, the company has attracted
up to 15 international clients from all over the
world in the past 18 months alone, with products
treated ranging from fasteners to landing gear and
breaking systems.
The company’s unrivalled expertise in the heat
treatment of aluminium alloys is complimented
by its NADCAP Merit status, something equally
responsible for the increase in overseas interest
according to director of sales, Ian Perks, “We
have had a NADCAP accreditation since 2004,
but concentrating our efforts very strongly on
maintaining it and gaining the Merit status last year
has led to us increasing the potential customer
base we are able to tap in to. We are also listed on
approved supplier lists of prime contractors which
has attracted additional clients.”
With higher turnovers, the company is now
aiming for an increase in growth helped by the
expansion in export orders. According to Perks, “If
export activities continue the way they have been,
we are looking at a very successful year for Alloy
Heat Treatment. Plus, we also have a couple of big
investments in the pipeline which will enable us to
support our ever growing customer base.‍”
Pictured above: Alloy Heat Treatment’s sales director Ian Perks with a
heat treated aerospace component
Contact: Ian Perks, Alloy Heat Treatment,
Tel: +44 (0) 1384 456777, email: Ian.Perks@alloyheat.co.uk
web: www.alloyheat.co.uk
.............................................................................................................................................. global news
MTU Friedrichshafen, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG and one of the world’s most advanced
diesel engine technology and power systems providers, has introduced an upgrade of its class-leading Series
2000 engine with several new technology features, including a compacted graphite iron cylinder head.
Tupy begins series production of CGI cylinder
head for MTU industrial power engine
The CGI cylinder head upgrade, compared to the
previous generation head, was specified to enable
increased power and to ensure durability in the
demanding duty cycles experienced by marine, mining,
construction and stationary power generating engines.
Following successful product development and preproduction support, series production of the Series 2000
CGI cylinder head has begun at the Tupy foundry in
Joinville (Brazil), using the SinterCast process control
technology. The engine is available worldwide in several
cylinder configurations.
“The MTU order represents another important step
forward for CGI and for Tupy, and further reinforces
the transition toward CGI in state-of-the-art engine
applications. The MTU cylinder head becomes our
18th CGI product in series production, and establishes
an important reference as Tupy’s first industrial power
component produced in CGI,” said Luiz Tarquínio,
president and CEO of Tupy. “As the world’s leading
supplier of compacted graphite iron, we have now
established high volume series production and secured
CGI production commitments across
the complete spectrum of passenger
vehicle cylinder blocks, commercial
vehicle cylinder blocks and heads, and
industrial power engine components.
Tupy will continue to build on its
CGI expertise and series production
leadership to motivate new CGI
applications and to lead the on-going
trend toward CGI.”
“The MTU Series 2000 cylinder
head provides yet another example
of the contribution provided by CGI
in achieving performance, durability,
refinement and emissions targets,”
said Dr Steve Dawson, president
and CEO of SinterCast. “At present,
industrial power components and
products other than automotive
cylinder blocks and heads comprise
approximately 10 per cent of our
production volume. We are confident
that the growth opportunities in the
industrial power sector can allow us
to maintain this balance as the core
automotive block and head sector
continues to ramp up.”
Contact: Luiz Tarquínio S Ferro,
Tupy S A, Tel: +55 47 4009 8181,
email: tarquinio@tupy.com.br and
Dr Steve Dawson, SinterCast AB,
Tel: +46 8 660 7750,
email: steve.dawson@sintercast.com
S
interCast is the world’s
leading supplier of process
control technology for the
reliable high volume production
of compacted graphite iron
(CGI). With at least 75 per
cent higher tensile strength,
45 per cent higher stiffness
and approximately double the
fatigue strength of conventional
grey cast iron and aluminium,
CGI allows engine designers
to improve performance, fuel
economy and durability while
reducing engine weight, noise
and emissions. The SinterCast
technology is used for the
production of more than 50 CGI
components, ranging from 2kg
to 17 tonnes, all using the same
proven process control technology.
The end-users of SinterCast-CGI
components include Allen Diesels,
Aston Martin, Audi, Cameron
Compression, Caterpillar, Chrysler,
DAF Trucks, Ford, Ford-Otosan,
General Electric Transportation
Systems, General Motors,
Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia,
Lancia, Land Rover, MAN, MTU,
Maserati, Navistar, Porsche, PSA
Peugeot-Citroën, Renault-Nissan,
Scania, Toyota, VM Motori,
Volkswagen, Volvo and Waukesha
Engine. www.sintercast.com
H
eadquartered in southern Brazil, Tupy has
more than 2,500 employees and a production
capacity of 848,000 tonnes per year of cast iron
components. With manufacturing facilities located in
Joinville in the State of Santa Catarina and Mauá
in the State of São Paulo (Brazil), and in Saltillo and
Ramos Arizpe in the State of Coahuila (Mexico),
Tupy is one of the world’s leading companies in the
manufacturing of cast iron blocks and cylinder heads,
and the global CGI leader with 18 CGI components
in series production. Tupy has established sales and
engineering offices located in Brazil, United States
and Europe to support its main customers, including:
Ford, Cummins, Caterpillar, Chrysler, Audi, Daimler,
John Deere, Navistar and many other premier
automotive and diesel engine manufacturers.
www.tupy.com
7
UK CAST METALS INDUSTRY AWARDS
A Formula 1 cylinder head wins UK Casting of the Year and a new ground-breaking aluminium alloy
picked up the first ever Innovation Award in the UK Cast Metals Industry Awards 2013.
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
The Cosworth CA cylinder head by Grainger & Worrall
won UK Component of the Year 2013 at the Cast Metals
Industry Awards.
Sand cast in A354 aluminium, the 11kg casting has
been developed since its re-introduction into Formula 1
in 2010, an area where the performance of components
is constantly pushed within the stringent regulations. The
cylinder head achieved extraordinarily consistent results
with no casting ever failing on the track.
“This is a component right at the forefront of
automotive casting technology,” said John Parker, chief
executive of the Cast Metals Federation which organises
the awards. “At every stage of the manufacturing process
this component pushes the boundaries to achieve reliability,
performance and lightness to help develop extra power and
speed from the engine.”
Grainger & Worrall has a long tradition of producing
major engine castings for F1 and motorsport across the
world and its motorsport foundry is world renown.
“The CA cylinder head is typical of the highest
standards expected by the demanding motorsport
environment and we are grateful to Cosworth for allowing
us to reveal one of our many specialist motorsport
castings usually kept under tight security,” said Edward
Grainger, director of Grainger & Worrall. “The component
represents the pulling together of technological advances,
its application, along with the desire and tenacity to make
what are often very small but incremental steps to succeed.
This culture to deliver excellence within race deadlines
is what we are most proud of, and continues to push us
forward ready for the next challenge.
“To win the UK Component of the Year Award is very
satisfying for all the very dedicated team at Grainger &
Worrall, especially against such excellent competition.”
NEW AEROSPACE ALLOY WINS FIRST UK CASTING
INNOVATION AWARD
A new ground-breaking aluminium alloy A20X won the
first ever Innovation Award in the competition.
Developed by Aeromet International plc, and
the product of 12 years development, this new high
performance alloy offers higher strength to weight ratios,
improved corrosion resistance, extended fatigue life
and elevated temperature properties compared to any
conventional cast alloy.
This is the first new alloy in 20 years to achieve both
AMS (Aerospace Material Specifications) and MMPDS
(The Metallic Materials Properties Development and
Standardization) accreditations, vital for any material to be
used in the global aerospace and defence industries. The
new alloy is already bringing considerable new business
8
to the company, especially from the
aerospace industry.
Commenting on the achievement,
John Parker said: “The introduction
of a new alloy is a rare occasion,
and particularly one that brings
with it the benefits that A20X
does. Aeromet’s commitment
and achievement in bringing this
new alloy to market has been
considerable, but it is this continuous
striving for innovation that takes our
industry forward.”
“This recognition is the icing on
the cake for what has been a long
and difficult development period in
bringing A20X to market,” said Neil
Goddard, business development
director at Aeromet International
plc. “Having gained the two key
industry approvals, the alloy is now
gaining traction within the aerospace
and defence sector for both sand and
investment castings.
“And as we move forward into
2014, our strategy will broaden
to include the automotive market
with a number of OEM’s already
participating in development activity.
With high pressure and gravity die
foundries within the UK already
engaged, we are seeing properties
almost double that of existing alloys
which will provide car manufacturers
with new design freedom to improve
performance, and reduce weight and
cost. Aeromet also sees the potential
for licensing the use of A20X to
other foundries worldwide. Unlike
other ‘high property’ systems it is
the material itself which has the
enhanced properties so there is no
capital investment needed. If the
customers are to enjoy the benefits
of the new alloy it cannot just be
Aeromet that is casting in it.”
Aeromet International plc of
Worcester is one of the UK’s
leading producers of aluminium
and magnesium castings by the sand
and investment casting process. The
company was also shortlisted in the
Component of the Year award category
for its jet plane wingtip casting.
DIECASTER TAKES HOME
COMPANY AWARD
Progressive, employee owned and
highly successful, PMS Diecasting
scooped the Company of the Year
Award.
A zinc foundry producing a
wide range of diecast components,
the company has, over the last 18
months, moved to much larger
premises and set up two new
companies to further support its
customers and continued to grow
as a company in both size and
profitability.
“PMS Diecasting is an example of
a strong, motivationally run foundry
with a fully engaged and involved
workforce,” said John Parker. “Their
commitment to the customer, the
staff and the bottom line shows a
company at the top of its game.”
PMS managing director
Gordon Panter said the award was
recognition of the efforts of everyone
at PMS. “All our employees are
shareholders, we run a strong
on-going investment programme
in our staff, and at every stage the
workforce fully share, control and
are responsible for improving the
company, sharing in the profits and
benefitting from its mutual success.
“The development of one of
the most advanced laser scanning
facilities and a new tooling facility,
and the evolution of these into two
new standalone businesses, has really
helped us to support our customers
better and take the company
forward.”
Contact: John Parker, Cast Metals
Federation, Tel: +44 (0)121 601 6394,
email: johnparker@cmfed.co.uk
Shortlisted in CO M
PO N
EN T O F TH E YEAR
Aeromet Internatio
CATEG O RY
na
Aeromet ’s submiss l plc
ion
Phenom 300 bus jet of a single-piece winglet for the Em
braer
(pictured left) is a
single piece casting
usually machined
and assembled co
mponent saving we solution to a
cent of the usual co
ight and 50 per
st.
AMS4289, the casti A 6.9kg investment casting in F357
aluminium to
ng is made using th
e SOPHIA process.
The casting ’s shap
e and weight and
the tight tolerance
stability make this
s for dimensional
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produce, but the cu rticularly technically taxing compo
nent to
stomer benefits sh
own in this winglet
up considerable m
arket opportunities
casting open
for the future.
www.aeromet.co.u
k
Darwins Holdings
Ltd
Darwins Holdings
submitted a remar
kable 1.22 tonnes
casting for the wo
inlet/outlet
rld’s largest high pr
essu
pump. The pumps
will operate at a de re (160 bar) submersible
pth of 1000m and
cubic metres of ac
pump 1500
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hour by the Chine
industry.
se mining
To date, for this typ
e of pump, the sucti
would be separate
on and discharge ca
but, for weight co
nsiderations, this is stings
they have been co
the first time
mbined. At these
pres
fundamental and,
using CA6NM steel sures, casting integrity is
added to the prob
innovative solution
lems,
s to
considerable. www. design, coring and casting within th so the
is casting are
darwinscastings.com
Harrison Castings
Ltd
Three years ago Ha
rrison Castings wa
s as
oncology treatmen
t machine manufac ked by the world’s leading
turer to help deve
patient couch for th
lop a new
e
manufacture a rang next 25 years. The challenge was to
design and
e of castings enab
ling the patient to
360 degrees, lifted
be rotated
and moved in any
axis and held in on
treatment. And all
e position for
to meet the string
ent safety factors
American medical
required by
specifications.
The pinpoint accu
racy of the radiatio
n beam treatment
fundamentally on
depended
the
in position, the resp positioning and static holding of the
pa
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rrison couch casting tient
production and m
eeting all the oper
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Now in
ating criteria set ou
and indeed the wh
t, the castings,
ole couch, are prov
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playing their part
ng perfect alignmen
in th
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www.harrisoncastin e life saving treatment process.
gs.com
9
DIE CASTING
The benefits of aluminium high pressure diecasting for high volume
production, particularly for the automotive industry, are widely
appreciated. However, there are very few foundries which focus on bringing
the precision and versatility of this technology to industries where annual
volumes are relatively small. UK-based MRT Castings specialise in
exactly this area, and are proving that, with the right equipment and an
innovative approach, the benefits of the process, such as excellent cosmetic
finish and dimensional accuracy, can be enjoyed by customers with smaller
volume demands in markets such as the medical, defence, marine and
electronics industries.
New cell helps widen
the applications of HIGH
PRESSURE DIECASTING
The company’s unique approach for these smaller volume
customers means they need to be much more than a
traditional foundry. As these customers often have no
experience of designing diecastings, and have none of
the other necessary support processes within their supply
chain, MRT has to offer the complete solution and so
works in close partnership with customers’ engineers
to optimise component designs for efficient casting
manufacture. They then manage the tooling process, prior
to starting casting production at the company’s foundry
in Andover, where they operate pressure diecasting cells
from 220t to 530t locking forces. The facility in Andover
also includes a busy gravity diecasting foundry, further
widening the range of components produced.
As many of MRT’s components are extremely complex,
they often have high machining content, so the in-house
CNC machine shop is one of the most advanced in the
industry, equipped with 14 modern machining centres.
The company also offers a full range of surface finishing
processes. There is also a dedicated 4,000ft2 assembly
facility for electro-mechanical assembly, and specialist
packing services, enabling MRT to provide the complete
finished product manufacturing process under one roof.
Using high pressure diecasting machines for small
volume production means that the equipment needs to be
extremely versatile to support the manufacture of a wide
range of different components. So when MRT needed to
invest in a new diecasting cell to support their continuing
growth, the range of features required to support the
diversity of castings created a challenging list for potential
machine suppliers. The company who best rose to this
challenge was the Italian manufacturer Colosio. Based in
Botticino Sera, near Brescia, Colosio has been producing
diecasting machines for over 40 years, and is able to
offer the complete solution in their field. In partnership
with sister company, Relbo, they manufacture diecasting
machines, automatic ladles, die sprayers, and extractors.
10
CONSISTENCY OF CASTING
In June, MRT installed the new Colosio PFO250 cold chamber diecasting cell.
The machine delivers a locking force of 250t, making it suitable for aluminium
components up to approximately 3.5kg. The PFO250 features real-time
shot control, whereby process parameters, pressures, speeds and strokes are
programmed, then monitored and adjusted automatically ensuring absolute
consistency of casting quality.
MRT’s typical production batch sizes for high pressure diecastings range
from as little as 50 shots to around 5000, so optimising set-ups is critical to
making the process economically viable for small batch projects. Given that
the company’s team is performing die changes virtually every shift, they get
plenty of practice! In addition to good teamwork, and efficient procedures,
there are a number of other tools used to optimise this exercise. Die designs
"Versatile equipment for small volume diecasting production
for a range of different components"
have been standardised and common components are used wherever possible.
Dies are prepared in the in-house toolroom prior to any change, so that the
minimum of work needs to be done during the machine down-time. Worldclass lean manufacturing techniques are employed throughout the company, so
working areas and tools are well laid out and organised to improve efficiency.
MRT employees have even visited Japan to study set-up reduction techniques
in action in Japan’s leanest manufacturing sites.
QUICK DIE CHANGE – NOT A PROBLEM
The new Colosio diecasting machine has also been optimised with several
features to help MRT with the quick die changes required. Many of these
features would normally only be included on much larger machines, but
because of Colosio’s design flexibility and in-house manufacture, the features
were able to be incorporated on to the PFO250 specifically to meet MRT’s
unique demands. These features include automated tie-bar extraction to
ensure ease of access for tool removal, motorised die-height adjustment and
motorised shot height adjustment with automatic clamping. All die-specific
injection and clamping parameters are stored within the Colosio machine’s
DIE CASTING
"Optimising set-ups is critical to making the process
economically viable for small batch projects"
the
published by
TRADE JOURNAL
INTERNATIONAL
on behalf of the
Institute of Cast
Metals Engineers
foundry
digital ‘Fullcontrol’ control system, and can be quickly recalled the
next time the tool is set up.
One of the greatest advantages with this cell is that all the
peripheral devices were manufactured for MRT by Colosio and the
cell has been completely integrated into the one control system,
so recalling a programme on the machine when a die is set up for
a production run will not only recall all of the die and injection
parameters, but also all of the ladler, die spray, and extraction
programmes, which makes significant time savings on every set-up.
This single interface has also greatly simplified operator training,
and dramatically reduced the initial installation time for the new
machine, which was fully operational within 10 days of arriving in
the UK.
The peripheral devices installed include Colosio’s Rotofast AL
automatic ladler, and Relbo’s Plus 2-axis die sprayer and Arcofast
3 extractor. These devices greatly improve productivity of the cell,
but also the consistency, controlling every variable automatically
to optimise quality and repeatability. The Relbo Plus sprayer is a
fully integrated two-axis automatic die sprayer, enabling very fast,
effective and consistent lubrication of even the most complex die
forms. The Relbo Arcofast extractor and integrated cooling conveyor
further increases productivity and improves repeatability.
Foundry Yearbook
& Castings Buyers’
Directory 2014
yearbook
& castings
buyers’
directory
2014
GO OD WI N ST
EE L CA ST IN GS
E
STABLISHE
LEARN MORE
ABOUT GSC ON
THE BACK & INSIDE
BACK PAGES
JOINED UP THINKING
As Colosio’s UK agents are Ramsell-Naber, MRT’s principal
supplier of furnaces for many years, MRT was able to purchase a
new Ramsell gas-fired bale out furnace, with recuperative burner,
as part of the turn-key package. The recuperative burner helps to
reduce energy consumption and emissions, supporting MRT’s ISO
14001 accredited environmental programme.
With such a busy and diverse workload going through the
machine, maximising machine utilisation is critical, so any problems
need to be dealt with extremely quickly. MRT’s PF250 is equipped
with Colosio’s Teleservice module, so that the manufacturer’s
applications engineers in Botticino Sera can remotely access MRT’s
machine control system over the internet to overcome any technical
queries or apply any software enhancements.
The new diecasting cell is part of an on-going investment
programme at MRT, which is gearing up to double its production
capacity over the next three years. Growing export sales, and
increasing demand from the company’s niché market sectors, are
clearly testament to MRT’s philosophy that high pressure diecasting
has benefits to a very diverse market, regardless of volume.
Contact: MRT Castings Ltd, South Way, Walworth Business Park, Andover,
Hampshire SP10 5JT UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1264 324021,
email: general@mrt-castings.co.uk web: www.mrt-castings.co.uk
web: www.colosiopresse.it
D 1883
www. good winste
elcas tings. com
Who’s who in the international industry
The Foundry Yearbook includes detailed information on the
international trade organisations that represent the cast
metals industry.
UK Foundries
All UK foundries are listed in detail including: metals cast;
processes used; in-house facilities; specialities; affiliates and
number of employees.
A handy buyers’ guide for international foundrymen.
Cost £50.00 (plus postage)
Contact: Sarah at the Institute of Cast Metals
Engineers
T: +44 (0)121 601 6979
E: publications@icme.org.uk
www.icme.org.uk
11
SECTOR STARTS
NEW YEAR
OPTIMISTICALLY
The EUROGUSS exhibition, held in Nüremburg (Germany) in January, showed
growth in three areas, say the organisers. There was an increase of trade visitors to
11,187 (2012: 8,415), there were a large number of international visitors – at least 30
per cent, and there was an increase in exhibitors to 470 (2012: 383).
T
he 2014 show marked the tenth anniversary of the
International Trade Fair for Die Casting - Technology, Processes and
Products.
To preserve existing achievements, companies must recognise,
assess and utilise their opportunities in the future markets, stressed
Dr Pero Mićić, president of the FutureManagementGroup AG, at
the opening ceremony on the eve of the exhibition.
Dr Timo Würz, general secretary of CEMAFON, The European
Foundry Equipment Suppliers Association, said he was “delighted”
with the current state of the industry. “Our already positive
expectations have been exceeded again! The economic upturn we
noticed at the exhibition makes us confident for 2014 and beyond.”
This is also confirmed by a representative survey of visitors and
exhibitors by an independent institute: two-thirds of them assess the
current economic situation positively and even see a rising trend.
Heike Slotta, director exhibitions at NürnbergMesse, sums up:
“We are more than satisfied with this year’s EUROGUSS! The great
rush of visitors and the high degree of international involvement –
in terms of both exhibitors and visitors – speak for themselves. So
I personally would like to say a big thank you to our exhibitors for
their commitment.”
More than half of the exhibitors (51 per cent) were international.
Die casting foundries and their component suppliers, equipment
suppliers and service providers took part from 26 countries. The
strongest exhibiting nations after Germany were Italy, Sweden,
the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland. The international
share of visitors also increased appreciably: over 30 per cent were
international visitors, mainly from Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic,
Turkey and Switzerland.
Around half of the visitors came from the automotive industry,
i.e. car and vehicle manufacturers and their component supply
industries, but machinery and plant construction, the electrical
and electronics industry, mould making and die casting foundries
also showed great interest in their sector’s event. The large share
of decision-makers is also worthy of note: the exhibition survey
revealed that 88 per cent of the visitors to EUROGUSS 2014 influence
purchasing and procurement decisions in their company.
the innovativeness of the sector and individual companies and
institutions offered a welcome look back to bygone times. But topical
sector and research matters also attracted lively interest, as shown,
for example, by the packed house at the 14th International German
Die Casting Congress organised by VDG and BDG (Bundesverband
der Deutschen Gießerei-Industrie/Federation of the German Die
Casting Industry). There was also a big crowd on all three days of
the exhibition at the special show Research for Knowledge, at which
national and international research institutes, universities and
colleges presented their services.
OTHER INTERNATIONAL DIE CASTING EVENTS
CHINA DIECASTING 2014 takes place in Shanghai from 22nd to
24th July. The Chinese subsidiary of NürnbergMesse organises this
trade fair and congress on die casting with a separate pavilion for
German and European companies. Around 240 exhibitors and 8,000
trade visitors are expected at the show. The organiser is the Foundry
Institute of China Mechanical Engineering Society (FICMES) and
the sponsor is the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society: www.
diecastexpo.cn/en.
The NürnbergMesse Group sees its task as paving the way for
German and European die casting foundries that would like to
establish business connections in the Asian market, and is therefore
not only active in China, but in India too. The Indian subsidiary of
NürnbergMesse is involved in ALUCAST 2014, which takes place in
Bangalore (India) from 4th to 6th December 2014. The trade fair and
congress on aluminium and die casting expects over 100 exhibitors
and 2,000 trade visitors. The event is organised by The Aluminium
Casters’ Association of India: www.alucast.co.in
SAVE THE DATE!
The next EUROGUSS takes place in the Exhibition Centre
Nuremberg from 12th to 14th January 2016.
www.euroguss.de
SPECIAL SHOWS EXAMINED THE PAST AND FUTURE
Tradition, innovation and a look into the future were ideally
combined at the tenth EUROGUSS, so the special anniversary
also took a look back. A special show entitled Origins of the
Future, organised in co-operation with exhibitors and associations,
attracted great interest. Historical castings and tools showing
12
The objective of the competition is to highlight the
high quality of aluminium pressure die castings to
others in the industry and to the public. The winning
entries were selected by a qualified panel of judges
from research and practice and the awards were
presented at the EUROGUSS exhibition, held in
Nuremberg (Germany) in January.
This year there were 17 entries: 11 from
Germany, three from Austria, two from Italy and
one from Switzerland.
DIE CASTING
Organised by Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie (GDA), the
German federal association of aluminium companies, and supported
by Bundesverband der Deutschen Gießerei-Industrie (BDG), the federal
association of the German foundry industry, the International Aluminium
Pressure Die Casting Competition is a celebration of the quality of
components produced by European diecasters.
Left to right: 1st prize,
2nd prize, 3rd prize
The Special Commendations
as listed below
1st PRIZE
SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS
Cast side component for rear-axle support of BMW i3, Alloy: Al Si10MnMg
BMW AG, Werk Landshut, Germany
This component is being die cast despite strong competition from a welded structure. The
casting utilises topology optimisation, an innovative development technique. The resulting
casting is 10 per cent lighter than the best welded structure and thereby 10 per cent
cheaper. Incidentally, the welded component only achieves 70 per cent of the intended
level of integration. The winning entry also completely fulfils additional requirements for
weldability and coatability (CDC).
Casing for switch electronics of industrial joysticks,
Alloy: Al Si9MnMg
Georg Frank & Co GmbH, Heilbronn, Germany
This component imposes exacting demands on both the
tool making and the foundry technology. Casting the 74
holes spread over the six faces considerably reduces the
amount of machining subsequently required. The alloy
chosen ensures maximum corrosion resistance even in a
marine environment.
2nd PRIZE
Oil sump upper part for W12 FSI engines in the Audi A8, Alloy: Al Si9Cu3(Fe)
Hengst GmbH & Co KG, Münster, Germany
The design of this casting fully utilises the specific advantages that die casting technology
has to offer; the high-grade surface helps satisfy demands with respect to service life. From
a design point of view, there is an impressive integration of functions. This was achieved
using complex tool and die technology. Noteworthy, too, is the large number of finished
surfaces that are as-cast but only have small dimensional tolerances, thus requiring little
post-processing.
3rd PRIZE
BMW motorcycle crankcase for the new generation of water-cooled K5x boxer engines,
Alloy: Al Si9Cu3
BMW AG, Werk Landshut, Germany
An LDS coating is used here for the cylinder bore surfaces. This combines optimal wear
properties with very good heat transfer in the crankcase. Compared with the crankcase’s
predecessor, a permanent-mould casting, six built-in parts were replaced by an integrated
die cast component. Complex machining places great demands on the microstructural
homogeneity of the die casting.
Collector frame for a manufacturer of solar units, Alloy:
Al Si9MgMn
DGS Druckguss Systeme AG, St Gallen, Switzerland
This frame literally redefines the limits of die casting
capabilities. The jury recognised this successful extension
of the boundaries of the process. It opens up many new
fields of application for this type of component.
Gearshift dome – innovative gate system
G A Röders GmbH & Co KG, Soltau, Germany
Tremendous savings in raw materials and energy can be
achieved by using a particularly innovative methodology
for developing a gate system with an optimised volume
and flow pattern. The jury recognised the contribution
of the methodology to sustainable efficiency with
regards raw materials and energy. Results from the
German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess) were
implemented uncompromisingly in this project.
International Aluminium-Pressure
Die Casting COMPETITION 2014
13 13
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
Porosity in casting is a big issue: the tiny holes which are often invisible to the naked eye can completely
compromise the integrity of a finished cast metal part such as an automotive compressor, an engine
block, cylinder head etc.
Vacuum Impregnation:
Routine Quality Enhancement or
Remedial Process?
A natural phenomenon that occurs during the casting
process for a variety of reasons, porosity is hard to
eliminate and can lead to problems ranging from poor
surface finishes to ultimately the failure of a part.
Indeed porosity was named as the top problem when
the North American Diecasting Association conducted a
survey of the end users of cast metal products – 35 per cent
named it as an issue, ahead of any other concerns.
Moreover NADCA experts believe that many of the
difficulties described as “other problems” - cited by 32 per
cent of survey respondents as an issue – can also be traced
back to porosity in the casting.
TYPES OF POROSITY
Unfortunately, porosity is hard to avoid altogether, no
matter how skilled the diecaster. Shrink porosity, which is
caused by the change in volume when the molten metal
changes back to its solid state within the diecasting mould,
is the most common form of porosity and the most difficult
to control.
Flow porosity occurs when pressure conditions are
poor and the molten metal does not flow well around the
mould. Gas porosity occurs when vapours are trapped in
the molten metal: these can be air, steam or residues of the
die-release agents used to ensure the casting is easy to free
from the mould.
Not every porosity will cause a problem. Enclosed
porosities are tiny holes enclosed entirely within a cast
metal part; they will only cause a problem if subsequent
machining opens up the porosity to the surface, forming
either a blind porosity or an open porosity.
Blind porosities are open only to one surface. As they
leave a large internal surface area of the metal open to
attack by chemicals or water, they are often the cause of
‘spotting out’ of paintwork, or of internal corrosion of
parts. Open porosities cause the worst problems: they form
leak paths that can lead to the failure of components which
have to remain pressure-tight.
THE SOLUTION OF CHOICE
A safe, reliable and permanent solution to the eternal
problem of casting porosity is vacuum impregnation
with sealants. Modern processes and sealants have taken
vacuum impregnation a world away from its original image
as a lightly controlled and relatively unskilled process to
be used as a last resort on parts that were identified as not
being leak-free.
14
The question now is: should
vacuum impregnation still be viewed
as a quality correction process
for individual parts, or is it better
employed as a quality enhancement
process for all parts?
Practice varies around the world.
In some territories, such as China
and South East Asia and Europe,
vacuum impregnation is generally
used as a routine value-adding
process on many parts in the
automotive supply chain; in other
territories, it is not so widespread.
Different OEMs have different
approaches. Some might only
impregnate leaking components
whereas others would 100 per cent
impregnate. Practice also varies
according to the nature of the
part: for parts such as automotive
compressors, which have to remain
leak-free under pressure, 100 per cent
impregnation is commonplace.
One major consideration when
deciding whether to routinely
impregnate or not is the cost of
scrapping a component or losing
added value if porosity is discovered
at a late stage of production. These
costs can be quite considerable.
With automotive compressors,
for example, leak testing cannot be
carried out until the whole, complex
part is assembled, complete with
O-rings, seals, bearings, PAG oil and
refrigerant gas, all of which would
have to be replaced if the part was
then disassembled, impregnated and
re-assembled. The alternative, of
scrapping the part, is equally costly.
Nor can suppliers risk sending out
leaking parts: nowadays they would
face onerous compensation claims,
not just for the cost of the faulty part
supplied but also for any added value
that a manufacturer has lost by using
the part to make a component that
then turned out to be substandard.
THE ECONOMIC CASE
Stephen Hynes, marketing director
of Ultraseal International, the
leading pioneering company in the
field of vacuum impregnation, said:
“There is a clear economic case for
routinely impregnating parts such
as cylinder heads, engine blocks,
transmission cases and compressors
that have to remain pressure-tight in
the finished vehicles.
“In the electrical industry,
impregnation is also an effective
solution to prevent moisture
seeping into wiring harnesses and
electrical ends. This is evidently
very important in the automotive
industry where electronics are
increasingly being used to control
more operations in a vehicle.
“While diecasters strive to achieve
the ‘perfect casting’ this has yet to
be achieved in mass production
processes. Porosity is a natural and
inherent factor in the casting process,
despite diecasters’ best efforts.
“The trend is definitely towards
using vacuum impregnation
with sealant as a routine quality
enhancement, especially in the
automotive industry.”
Another consideration is that
modern impregnation processes
and sealants overcome many of
the disadvantages of old-fashioned
anaerobic sealants. These not only
took up to 24 hours to cure but also
produced pungent odours that were
unpleasant to work with.
Modern methacrylate-based
sealants cure in minutes and produce
world class first-time sealing results.
Vacuum impregnation is now a
relatively clean process that can be
easily introduced into an automated
production line.
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
THE ‘GREEN’ ANSWER
Recycling sealants have taken
vacuum impregnation to another
level, offering significant advantages
over conventional (non-recycling)
methacrylate-based sealants: they use
less sealant, less water and produce
far less wastewater.
With conventional sealants, most
of the chemical is simply washed
away in the cold wash part of the
process: in contrast up to 95 per cent
of a recycling sealant is recovered
and returned to the first stage of the
impregnation process for immediate
re-use, along with the cold wash
water.
“Recycling sealants make routine
impregnation as a value-adding
process even more attractive,
as they offer a higher level of
performance than more conventional
methacrylate-based sealants,”
explained Hynes.
“They are continually gaining
in popularity around the world, for
their performance as well as for their
cost and environmental benefits.
Best practice spreads and I expect to
see both more routine impregnation
of parts and a growing demand for
recycling sealants.”
As environmental concerns
grow around the world, the benefits
of recycling sealants will become
more critical. Recycling sealants
are particularly suited to territories
where water is in short supply, or
where regulations governing the
disposal of industrial waste water are
strict.
From its base in Coventry (UK),
Ultraseal International has led
the field in vacuum impregnation
for decades, being first with
methacrylate-based sealants, first
with recycling sealants and first
with front-loading impregnation
equipment.
Contact: Stephen Hynes, Ultraseal
International, Godiva Place, Coventry,
West Midlands CV1 5PN UK. Tel: +44
(024) 7625 8444, email: sales@
ultraseal.co.uk web: www.ultraseal.
co.uk
15
POST CASTING OPERATIONS
Non-destructive testing (NDT) is
a highly valued quality assurance
and analytical technique that helps
safeguard against the potential failure
of engineering material, components,
fastenings and structures. Since it
enables in-depth evaluation of a
material without causing damage,
NDT often provides the final QA stage
before a new product enters service,
while in-service NDT can be the last
line of defence against component
failure in the field.
ADVANCED NDT RESOURCES
As part of its broad range of advanced metallurgical
solutions, Keighley Laboratories offers a specialised
NDT service for clients in the aerospace, automotive,
petrochemical, nuclear, defence, mechanical engineering,
construction, civil engineering and allied industries,
covering both laboratory and site inspection. The company
continually invests in staff training and new technology to
expand its capabilities.
The Keighley Labs NDT facility covers the two most
common methods of surface crack and flaw detection,
liquid penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing, and
the mainstream volumetric inspection technique, ultrasonic
flaw detection, as well as providing radiographic testing
services on a sub-contracted basis. Non-destructive testing
and inspection procedures are highly operator-dependent,
relying on the skills and experience of NDT technicians
to obtain and evaluate results, and all members of the
Keighley Labs team are certificated to a minimum of PCN
Level 2, an internationally recognised
symbol of competence. Senior NDT
engineer, Roger Wheatley, is qualified to
PCN Level 3 and able to develop NDT
procedures, write instructions, audit
techniques and both train and examine
Level 1 and 2 candidates. “We like to
think of ourselves as the best, with a high
degree of technical skill and experience,
able to handle the most critical components,” he said.
“Although most of our work is carried out in the lab,
around 20 per cent of projects are on site, checking fixtures
that cannot be moved like motorway bridges, presses, silos,
boilers, offshore rigs or miles of installed pipelines in paper
mills and petrochemical plants.”
For the detection of surface breaking flaws on ferrous
and non-ferrous materials, such as casting and forging
defects, weld cracks, leaks in new components and
fatigue cracking on in-service components, Keighley
Labs provides liquid penetrant testing with either colour
contrast or fluorescent techniques, working to national
and international standards including BS EN 571:1997.
LP testing can be undertaken either in the company’s
laboratory or at the customer site.
Magnetic particle inspection is conducted on ferro-
magnetic materials, by inducing a magnetic field into the test piece, and is
ideal for detecting cracks, porosity, seams and other surface breaking, as
well as sub-surface discontinuities down to 2mm. Imperfections are revealed
using fluorescent or non-fluorescent media; on-site testing is carried out using
permanent magnets or portable electro-magnetic yokes where a suitable power
source is available. Suitable for welds, castings, forgings and machined parts,
including engine, suspension and braking components, testing is carried out by
Keighley Labs to BS EN ISO 9934-1 and BAE RO5-6103 standards.
For identifying imperfections within a test piece or any changes in material
properties, ultrasonic flaw detection reveals volumetric discontinuation,
utilising sound waves introduced into the component from an ultrasonic
source. Undertaken by digital and analogue machines, ultrasonic detection is
able to penetrate up to 10m in steel and can detect laminations, lack of fusion
and any corrosion, as well as carrying out thickness and depth checks. This
technique is suitable for welds, wrought iron products and castings in magnetic
and non-magnetic materials, including glass, ceramics and plastics, again with
tests carried out either in-house or on-site.
To enhance its ultrasonic testing facilities still further, Keighley Laboratories
Ultrasonic detections can penetrate up to 10m in steel and
can detect laminations, lack of fusion and any corrosion, as
well as carrying out thickness and depth checks
16
employs a digital flaw detector, which incorporates current developments
in amplifier and pulsar technology to deliver higher levels of near-surface
resolution and penetrating power. It also uses a magnetic permeability meter,
for measurement of ferro-magnetic inclusions in feebly magnetic materials
against relevant specifications, particularly for critical aerospace and nuclear
energy applications, and a hand-held ferrite content meter, for analysing the
ferrite content in austenitic and duplex steel and testing weld seams and piping
materials in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.
The company has achieved world-class Nadcap accreditation for a materials
testing laboratory and is approved by such bodies as Airbus, the UK Civil
Aviation Authority, Rolls Royce and British Aerospace, enabling it to carry
out sub-contract testing of aircraft and associated companies. It also meets the
accreditation standards of many other customer industries.
Contact: Keighley Laboratories Limited, Croft House, South Street, Keighley BD21
1EG UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1535 664211, email: lstott@keighleylabs.co.uk
HIGH QUALITY
CASTINGS IN FERROUS
AND
NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
Cannop Foundry
Based in Cinderford, Gloucestershire the
foundry manufactures and supplies
castings for a wide range of engineering
disciplines.
Capability: Ductile Iron (SG), Compacted graphite (CGI), Grey Iron, Wear
resistant alloys (Ni hard), Si Mo , Austempered Ductile Irons (ADI), Full range of
Aluminium alloys.
Markets served: Automotive prototyping and development, Power
generation including green energy, Transport, Fluid flow & Control i.e. valves &
pumps, General Engineering
Quality: ISO9001:2008
Services: Product Development, Magma, Patternmaking, Heat Treatment,
NDT, Painting Coating, Machine shop
Cannop Foundry Ltd
Crabtree Road Cinderford Glos. GL142YQ
T: +44 (0) 1594 823966 F: +44 (0) 1594 824200
E: info@cannop.co.uk
www.cannop.co.uk
Ningbo Haibo Machinery Tool Co., Ltd
Over 20 years OEM experience
More than 30 CNC machines
Aluminum, Zinc Alloy,
Magnesium die-casting machines
Powder Painting
Assembling
Stamping
Ningbo Haibo is a manufacture factory in China. The company has more than 20 years OEM experience.
It possess the strong R&D. and manufacture ability, now it has become the strong production ability with
advanced NC machining center, high CNC lathe, NC EDM, magnesium die-casting machine , Aluminum diecasting machine , Injection molding machine etc as basis.
Through the basic product design& research method of PRO/E, UG, PROTEL and advanced design software
and rich product design and manufacture experience, Haibo can engage in from overall shape to precision
process ,and a series high requirement process at end treatment and surface treatment ability ,and possess
design ,testing and the product ability of manufacturing any new , hard, master and be first-class line at
precision process, precision die-casting ,precision Forging , surface treatment on color metal.
Ningbo Haibo entirely carry out quality technical and quality management and execute IS09001: 2000 quality
certificate system.
The excellent location is another advantage of Haibo, it adjacent to the port, which is convenient in exporting .
E-mail: haibocasting@china-haibo.cn Tel: 86-574-86809916 Fax: 86-574-86809998 www.haibomachinery.com
Address: No.26 Beihai Road, Beilun District, Ningbo P.R. China 315800
17
HEAT TREATMENT
Roger Lumley, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation, Australia
A Heat Treatment Process
which DOUBLES STRENGTH in
Aluminium Die-Cast Parts
Heat treatment has traditionally not been possible for aluminium high pressure
diecastings (HPDCs) because they contain substantial amounts of entrapped
gases that arise during the casting process. However, a process has recently been
developed in Australia that provides the opportunity to gain large increases in
mechanical properties.
High pressure diecasting is a highly efficient casting process whereby molten
metal is injected at high pressure into a mould cavity. When diecastings are
heated to elevated temperature for heat treatment, these gases expand causing
blistering and dimensional instability. The inability to heat treat high pressure
diecastings has been a limitation on their further utilisation. A process has
recently been developed in Australia that overcomes these problems with the
chance to obtain large increases in mechanical properties.
The patented process, developed over a five-year period from 2005 to 2010 by
the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO),
overcomes these problems and provides significant improvements to tensile
mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, fracture resistance and thermal heat
transfer.
The process has been evaluated with a wide range of commercially produced
components. All were independently assessed as having significantly increased
strength and mechanical properties after treatment. The evaluations included
trials on large HPDC parts (engine blocks) of up to 40kg weight.
The process is particularly effective in commonly used HPDC alloys,
including CA313, CA605, A380, C380, A360, A383, ADC10, ADC12, and
AlSi9Cu3Fe, as well as in a number of experimental alloy compositions. Test Bars of A380 treated to different tempers
IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
HPDC aluminium alloy components treated with the process typically
demonstrate the following improvements in properties.
Strength and Hardness is increased significantly. The yield stress of
components may be doubled for little change in tensile ductility. Increasing the
hardness improves both wear resistance and machinability.
Fatigue resistance is often as high as for some wrought aluminium products.
This has major implications for many components, especially those used in
automotive applications, which are often fatigue limited during the design
process.
Thermal conductivity is increased up to 60 per cent above the as-cast
condition, meaning that for engine or transmission applications heat can be
transferred or removed more efficiently and quickly. Enhancing the thermal
efficiency of the metal used in housings has special consequences for electric
vehicles, where the thermal management of both the motor and inverter systems
is crucial to their operation, robustness and life expectancy.
The high temperature strength and stability of the heat treated high pressure
diecastings is excellent, typically showing mechanical properties similar to
those at ambient temperature at temperatures up to 200°C. Extended testing
at elevated temperature has also shown excellent stability of properties over
long term tests at 150°C. This result has particular importance for turbocharged
engine applications, where the strength at temperature needs to be higher than
the levels currently achieved in HPDC engine blocks.
The procedure can be tailored to raise energy absorption during fracture.
Energy absorption has been found to almost double for one common secondary
alloy heat treated specifically for this purpose. This has significant implications
for crash sensitive structural components made by high pressure diecasting. A
range of new alloy compositions has since been developed and patented.
Heat treatment has been shown to make high pressure diecastings able to
be anodised for decorative and protective (marine) finishes. This is expected to
facilitate significant improvements in corrosion resistance.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
Heat treatment of aluminium involves three steps: (1) solution treatment at
elevated temperature to dissolve elements into solid solution; (2), quenching to
18
Plot of tensile strength versus yield stress (0.2% offset) showing the distribution of HPDC
properties after heat treatment at different tempers
A comparison of the fatigue behaviour of test bars from Alloy ADC12. 10E7 values are runouts
retain the elements in a supersaturated solid solution,
and (3) age hardening at a lower temperature to develop
mechanical properties. Conventional solution treatments
for permanent mould or sand castings are for longer
periods at high temperatures; for example, 6-12 hours
at 540°C. In the new process, HPDC components are
heated to relatively low temperatures for short periods of
time for solution treatment; for example, 10-15 minutes
at 430-480°C.
The time that components are held within a specified
temperature range is critical since the solution treatment
procedure can be entirely non-isothermal. This step
is sufficient to cause at least a partial solid solution of
soluble alloying elements such as Si, Cu and Mg.
HEAT TREATMENT
Following quenching, the HPDC component is aged to a tempered
condition, such as T4 (natural ageing at 22°C), T6 (artificial ageing at
150°C) or T7 (artificial over-ageing at 200°C).
IMPROVED MATERIAL PROPERTIES
In common with other age-hardening processes, the new heat
treatment process depends on a precipitation hardening mechanism.
Production of fine nanoscale particles within the aluminium
grains provides additional strength by impeding the movement of
dislocations.
Similarly, the new process improves thermal conductivity
through its effects on alloy micro-structure and the distribution of
alloying elements. The treatment causes silicon particles to become
spheroidised, and also re-distributes the copper present in the alloy as
fine precipitates within the aluminium matrix, resulting in improved
thermal conductivity. In heavily overaged conditions, the thermal
conductivity may be increased by as much as 60% above the as-cast
condition.
The process can be tailored to optimise yield strength, or to
optimise fracture resistance. In general, as yield strength increases,
fracture resistance goes down. T4 tempers or underaged T6
tempers produce optimum combinations of tensile properties and
fracture resistance. T4 tempers for common A360 or A380 alloys
(Australian designations 605 and CA313 respectively) exhibit energy
absorption during crack propagation (unit propagation energy) that
is approximately doubled compared with the as-cast conditions.
Underaged T6 tempers display the best combination of properties,
with high strength and reasonable fracture resistance. Importantly,
T4 tempers for HPDC components typically display superior fracture
resistance to permanent mould cast 356 alloy, for similar levels of
tensile properties.
A range of alloy compositions that display extraordinarily rapid
strengthening behaviour has also been identified. These high pressure
diecasting alloys can be treated with a complete heat treatment
cycle time of only 30 minutes and develop properties superior to
conventional heat treated aluminium alloys requiring thermal cycles
of up to 24 hours. This has major cost and particularly energy usage
implications in manufacturing processes.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW PROCESS FOR HPDC
COMPONENT APPLICATIONS
This new process significantly expands the range of applications
in which HPDC components can be used, and allows HPDC
components to be re-designed using lower amounts of metal to
support the same levels of load. Heat-treated HPDC components
(made from recycled metal) often have superior properties to sand
cast and most permanent mould-cast aluminium alloys (made from
primary metal), so substitution of these castings with a lower cost,
heat-treated HPDC is also possible. The process also makes possible
replacement of some wrought components, particularly when loaded
in compression. The automotive sector is currently the biggest user of
HPDC components, and the process is attractive to manufacturers of
automotive components.
HPDC is considered the most cost-effective casting process
for mass production. The cost of T6 heat treatment for a HPDC
component has been quoted as being approximately half the cost of
T6 heat treatment for a permanent mould or sand cast product. Heattreated HPDC components are thus substantially cheaper to produce
than a heat-treated permanent mould casting or sand casting.
Reducing the amount of metal used per casting also has
obvious cost benefits. If the tensile yield strength of a HPDC part
is increased around 100 per cent, then approximately 30 per cent
of the mass could be removed from the part, (taking into account
design considerations, stiffness, castability etc). This means more
re-designed components can be made per tonne of metal than
was possible for the original design. Designing a component with
lower mass also has a substantial effect on productivity, die design
and usage of consumables. As a result, the cost per part may be
substantially reduced.
Contact: Roger Lumley, stream leader: light weighting, CSIRO Future
Manufacturing Flagship, Private Bag 33, Clayton South MDC, Victoria,
3169, Australia. Tel:+613 95452894, email: Roger.Lumley@csiro.au
GREE
CASTING DESIGN
COURSE
Improve your knowledge of
design for casting
2nd and 3rd July 2014
This two-day course is suitable for designers of castings
and those involved in the specification of castings. The
course assumes some basic knowledge of casting as a
route to manufacture and the different casting processes.
Cost of attendance: ICME members, £380.00 per person
(plus VAT); non-members, £425.00 per person (plus VAT).
Price includes all refreshments. Help with fees for those
from foundries or suppliers may be available from the Tor
Lodge and Applecross Trust - contact ICME for details or
visit: www.torlodge.org.uk
Outline programme
• Introduction to casting metallurgy and
solidification
• Casting processes – an overview
• Principles of casting design
• Do's and don'ts of design for casting
• Global trends in the casting industry
• Where to get help with sourcing castings
• Using simulation in casting design
• Additive manufacture – benefits and
limitations
Venue: Institute of Cast Metals Engineers,
National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road,
West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 6PY
United Kingdom
To book contact: Nicci Taylor, ICME,
Tel: + 44 (0) 121 601 6979,
Fax: + 44 (0) 121 601 6981,
email: nicci@icme.org.uk
19
TURKCAST
TURKCAST 2014 – 6th Turkish Foundry Products Exhibition 11th to 13th September 2014, Istanbul (Turkey)
A ‘MUST VISIT’ EVENT FOR
CASTING BUYERS
The 6th edition of the highly successful TURKCAST
exhibition, with the participation of more than 60 leading
Turkish foundries, will open its doors for global castings
buyers from 11th to 13th September 2014. The event will
be held in conjunction with the globally well-established
exhibitions - ANKIROS 2014 - 12th International Iron-Steel
and Foundry Technologies, Machinery and Products Trade
Fair and ANNOFER 2014 - 11th International Non-Ferrous
Metals Technology, Machinery and Products Trade Fair by HM
ANKIROS A S at TUYAP Fair and Congress Center,
Buyukcekmece, Istanbul.
Being one of the major castings suppliers to various
industries, the Turkish foundry industry will once again
welcome all casting buyers to TURKCAST. This cost saving
event for casting buyers will enable visitors to meet both
the commercial and technical managers of more than 60
leading Turkish foundries, to discuss their needs without
having to spend a large amount of money and time for
visiting their facilities which are located throughout
Anatolia.
TURKCAST 2014 will showcase a wide range of
foundries that are able to produce castings for various
industries including: automotive, heavy equipment,
construction, cement, heavy machinery, shipment,
agricultural machinery, white good, energy, defense, glass,
and ceramic.
TURKEY IS THE 4TH LARGEST FOUNDRY PRODUCER
IN EUROPE
The Turkish foundry industry has doubled its existing
capacity in the last ten years and became the fourth biggest
AFS Bıçak Ve Kalıp
Daloğlu Döküm Makina
foundry industry of Europe, thanks
to the its high technology and rapidly
growing experience.
TURKCAST 2014 is the largest
and the most competent foundry
fair of Eurasia where casting buyers
can follow up the Turkish foundry
industry’s development and be a part
of this success by visiting the fair.
TURKCAST 2014 will again enable
global casting buyers to meet more
than 60 leading Turkish foundries
under one roof.
DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE FIND A RELIABLE, CAPABLE AND
QUALIFIED CASTINGS SUPPLIER
WITH JUST ONE VISIT…
As of February 2014, foundries that
are already contracted to exhibit at
TURKCAST 2014 are listed in the
table below; more foundries are
expected to join this list as it gets
closer to the event.
WHY CHOOSE THE TURKISH
FOUNDRY INDUSTRY AS A
SUPPLIER?
• New facilities with modern
technology and competitive
Körfez Döküm
Akdaş Döküm
Denizciler Dökümcülük
Makim Makina Tek.
Akpınar Döküm Makina
Dirinler Döküm
Medaş Met. Dök. Mak.
Alcast Metal
Dizayn Metalurji Döküm
Mesa Makina Döküm
Altan Makina
Ekstra Metal Döküm Ve İzabe
Ortadoğu Döküm
Anadolu Döküm
Elit Metalurji
Özgayd Otomotiv
Ardemir Döküm
Emin Yaldız Metalurji
Özgümüş Döküm
Arya Metal
Entil Endüstri Yat
Özgüven Döküm
Atik Metal
Ergin Makina Model Ve Döküm
Pınar Döküm
Aydöküm Makina
Ferro Döküm
Samsun Makina Sanayi
Ayzer Döküm
Gedik Döküm Vana
Ser Döküm Makina
Boran Çelik Döküm
Gür Metal Hassas Döküm
Sönmezler Metal Demir Çelik
Burdöksan Döküm
Madencilik
İmpro Metal Metalurji Döküm
Trakya Döküm
Caner Döküm
Kağan Döküm Ve Model
Tümser Döküm
Çağ-Dök-San Çağlayan
Döküm Makine Otomotiv
Kardemir Döküm Makina
Ünimetal Hassas Dök.Mak. Ve
Yedek Parça
Çemaş Döküm
Kaydöksan Kayseri Döküm
Ünlü Döküm Mak. Müh. Taahüt
Çetin Dişli Ve Makina
Koçak Metalurji Makina
Yazkan Mühendislik Döküm
Makina
Çorum Teknik Çelik Döküm
Konya Hassas Döküm Nano Tek.
power
• Young, educated and qualified
manpower
• The ability and experience to fight
against a stage of recessions
• Export enthusiasm and
knowledge
• Government’s strategic objectives
for increasing foreign trade
• Geographical proximity to
Europe
CONCURRENT EVENTS –
ANKIROS/ANNOFER 2014 AND
CONGRESSES
Being one of the major events for the
iron, steel, non-ferrous and foundry
industries, the ANKIROS/ANNOFER
2014 fairs are an international
gathering that enables all leading
technology, machinery, refractory,
equipment and material suppliers to
meet and demonstrate their products
to global metallurgy industry buyers
and professionals. Almost 900
exhibitors from 40 countries are
expected to exhibit in these fairs this
year.
During these exhibitions, the 7th
International Ankiros Foundry Congress
organised by TUDOKSAD-Turkish
Foundry Association and the 17th
International Metallurgy and Materials
Congress organised by UCTEA
Chamber of Metallurgical Engineers
will also be conducted.
SUPPORTERS
ANKIROS/ANNOFER/TURKCAST
2014 exhibition trio is being fully
supported by both international
and local associations. The national
supporters are TUDOKSAD,
UCTEA, TCUD and KOSGEB and
the international supporters are:
CECOF, CEMAFON, EUnited,
AMAFOND, VDMA, FESA and
FUNDIGEX.
This is a great chance to discuss
all your needs and requirements
about castings with professional
Turkish producers and we will
be honoured to welcome you to
TURKCAST 2014 as a visitor!
Detailed information about this event
can obtained at:
www.turkcast.com.tr in which visitor
preregistration and online information
request forms are available.
Some of the exhibiting foundries at TURKCAST 2014
20
21
SUBCON
Covering the complete spectrum from
precision engineering to electronics,
Subcon 2014 provides a single-source
resource for anyone looking to find
contract and subcontract manufacturing
partners.
Single source for manufacturing
partners
Taking place from 3rd to 5th June at the NEC in
Birmingham, Subcon is the UK’s national subcontracting,
advanced manufacturing and technology exhibition. It
covers every aspect of outsourced manufacturing services
and technology from design and prototyping, machining,
moulding, 3D printing, fabrication, composites, electronic
assembly and finishing to software, testing, inspection and
metrology.
This year’s event is set to be the biggest yet, with over
300 subcontractors exhibiting and a stronger than ever
participation by UK exhibitors. Supporting this UK
participation are partner organisations including the
GTMA, BTMA, Confederation of British Metalforming,
the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, Made in Sheffield
and the Engineering Industries Association.
Foundries continue to be strongly represented at
Subcon, with exhibitors including: Thoni-Alutec, which
has made significant investment at Cannop foundry since
its acquisition last year; investment castings specialist the
Dean Group, Cerdic Foundries, Derbyshire Castings,
Longton Light Alloys, Carlton Diecastings, Midland
Pressure Diecasting, Stone Foundries, Lucy Castings,
William Cook and Vanguard Foundries.
Overseas exhibitors include the Fundigex Group of
Spanish Castings Exports, French foundries Fonderie de
L’Aisne and NDC as well Czech companies Unitherm,
Kdynium and Kovosit.
Subcon has doubled in size in the last five years and is
set to attract over 4,000 visitors in 2014. Leading decision
makers from all sectors come to the show to identify
potential manufacturing partners and place business.
HIGH LEVEL CONFERENCE
Following on from the success of last year’s launch, Subcon
is again hosting a high level conference focussing on big
ideas and innovation in technology.
This year’s line-up of keynote speakers boasts a truly
impressive cross-section of international business leaders
from across industry. Keynote speakers at the event,
which is organised by The Engineer, include top-level
22
representatives of the HS2, RollsRoyce, Siemens and MAS.
The latest speaker to confirm is
Dr Alan Epstein, Pratt & Whitney’s
vice president, technology &
environment who will be speaking
on new technologies for today’s
cutting edge jet engines. Other
keynotes include: Siemens’ divisional
director for industrial automation,
Brian Holliday, explaining the
what, why and how of Industry 4.0;
David Clarke, chief executive of
the Energy Technologies Institute
looking at the options, challenges
and prize of energy storage; Stephen
Barr, head of the Manufacturing
Advisory Service on Reshore UK
and the technical director of HS2
Ltd, Andrew McNaughton, who will
talk about the engineering challenges
of one of the most controversial,
and potentially transformative,
infrastructure projects on the UK
agenda. To finish on a particularly
high note, the final keynote speaker
is Hamid Mughal, head of global
manufacturing at Rolls-Royce.
Alongside the keynotes, ‘show
and tell sessions’ focus on inspiring
and exciting engineering projects.
Speakers include Peter Eyre, the
designer of the RNLI’s new lifeboat,
Kelvin Davies of BAE Systems on
the application of high technology to
performance sport and John Lawson,
of Lawson Modelmakers, who will
be telling the story of the recreation
of a lost iconic aeroplane, the Bugatti
100p.
THE TIME IS RIGHT
And the timing could not be better,
with UK manufacturing continuing
on its upward course and businesses
confidently making plans for the
future. The latest ONS figures show
UK manufacturing rising by nearly
4 per cent year-on-year and by I
per cent a month for the past three
months.
A survey of visitors to last year’s
Subcon showed that UK firms are
set to place more work with UK
contract manufacturers and have
a high degree of confidence in the
strength of the economy.
47.3 per cent of visitors to the
2013 show planned to increase the
amount of work they placed with
UK contract manufacturers in the
following 12 months. The growth of
this outsourced manufacturing sector
reflects the advantages that come
from using specialist third-party
manufacturers to produce products.
Asked why they placed work
with contract manufacturers rather
than doing it in-house, the reasons
cited included: more flexibility,
staying focused on core business,
cost, quality and the ability to
meet delivery deadlines. As one
respondent explained: “We outsource
our manufacturing in order to focus
on product development and service,
while keeping capital costs down.”
To register for a free ticket to Subcon
2014 and to book conference sessions
visit: www.subconshow.co.uk
4
44
3 - 5-JUNE
NEC
35
- 5 JUNE
JUNE
NEC BIRMINGHAM
4 BIRMINGHAM
3
NEC BIRMINGHAM
3 - 5 JUNE
F
3 TO A R E
DA T E
Y TEN
EV D
EN
T!
NEC BIRMINGHAM
Hear the latest innovations, ideas and challenges from
respected leaders in manufacturing and engineering
FREE!
The Engineer Conference offers a compelling mix of inspiring keynote speakers,
industry and supply chain insights and fascinating ‘Show and Tell’ sessions.
Discover the stories behind some of the UK’s most interesting engineering and
manufacturing projects.
C
A
R
E
E
R
S
The engineering
case for HS2
UK automotive industry
sustainable growth
Andrew McNaughton
Michael Mychajluk
Technical Director,
HS2 Ltd
Purchasing Risk Manager,
Jaguar Land Rover
The factory of the
future and the future of
British manufacturing
Hamid Mughal
Director of Global
Manufacturing, Rolls-Royce plc
REGISTER FREE AT
WWW.SUBCONSHOW.CO.UK
Co-located with
Headline Partners
Supplier Network
23
Industry in focus
THE MODERN FACE
OF DIECASTING
A well-equipped, skilled workforce producing more than 1200 tonnes of
castings per annum, with a level of quality few in the industry can match
Continuing investment in plant and people
Here at Lupton & Place, we know that it can never be
just about ‘the numbers’. Without the correct level of
investment, high spec systems and quality control quantity means nothing.
We have a policy of continuous development which reassures
our customers we are always striving to better ourselves and
continuously raise the bar. This is how we have maintained
our place at the forefront of the industry for decades.
A programme of investment has seen the development of
one of the industry’s best-equipped CNC foundries. We have
recently invested £1.2million in securing the new Buhler Carat
High Definition Real-Time X-Ray
Gravity Diecasting
Pressure Diecasting
CNC Machining
130 diecasting cell in order to further increase our diecasting
capacity. The first of its kind to be installed into a UK foundry.
The cell will produce structural castings for the automotive
industry: parts will be produced in aluminium alloy
AlMg5Si2Mn utilising multi-stage vacuum; resulting in highstrength, high-integrity components suitable for structural
applications, without the need for heat treatment.
We have the machinery to provide a huge range of costeffective manufacturing solutions: real time, closed-loop
control, unbeatable repeatability and superior
casting integrity.
Certificate No FM 22097
Special Finishes
Lupton & Place Ltd
Athletic Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 4LR, ENGLAND.
Tel: +44 (0)1282 422361 Fax: +44 (0)1282 428107
24 Email:sales@lupton-place.co.uk http://www.lupton-place.co.uk
Industry in focus
Swan Shephard Ltd
With its headquarters in Banbury - Oxfordshire and its operations
in Poland Swan Shephard Ltd., has been serving the needs of the
international foundry industry for 15 years. The manufacture of iron,
steel and non-ferrous castings with full pattern-making, machining,
NDT and pressure testing capabilities gives the casting buyer low
cost, high value alternatives with outstanding logistics and typically a
3 working day delivery period.
As an integrated part of the Swan Group which incorporates Swan
Foundry (Banbury) Ltd as a modern grey and ductile iron foundry in
the U.K we can supply high value whilst integrating small, medium
and volume casting production to the discerning and strategic
casting buyer. Poland with its key economic emphasis on the
manufacturing industries continues to invest heavily in its foundry
production facilities and we are delighted to partner some of the
most modern and competitive foundry facilities in Europe. We utilise
all the key casting manufacturing processes including greensand,
Shell, Resin-bonded sand and investment casting technologies.
Whilst able to offer a complete package of pattern making
capabilities we also have experience of using existing patterns,
frequently with only modest conversion costs.
The Swan Group operates ISO9001 Quality systems with full
traceability and certification if required. All of our Polish partners
also employ environmentally – friendly processes and controls,
this includes electric induction furnaces for precise control of metal
chemistry and casting properties.
Furthermore we have experience in operating “Just In Time”,
consignment stock and Kanban supply chains. All of our quotations
are typically delivered to your warehouse, so no additional costs and
we always quote in Sterling or Euros, so no exchange rate surprises.
As an integral component of our supply chain we also assist
in the design of new foundry operations within Poland to ensure
our casting customers have access to fully optimised state of the
art production facilities. Accessing these production facilities has
never been easier and we operate a full access philosophy for our
customers and with regular flights from the UK being typically 2½
hours or less. Our Polish operations are located in the beautiful
central southern city of Krakow and our team of fluent English
speaking engineers are all fully experienced in casting and machining
disciplines.
So if you are looking for a European manufacturer and supplier
of castings able to meet your rigorous competitive supply chain
demands give us a call or email us today.
•
Swan Shephard Ltd
Part of the Swan Group of Companies established in 1947.
Manufacturers and suppliers of castings and components to the engineering industries.
•State of the Art manufacturing facilities based
in Poland with its sister firm Swan Foundry Ltd.,
based in Banbury Oxfordshire.
• Castings in all major iron, steel and non-ferrous
alloys to European and International Standards.
• Sand and Investment Casting technologies.
• Weekly delivery service with excellent logistics
– delivered to your warehouse.
• ISO9001 Quality accreditation, with traceability
and certification options.
• Ability to operate agreed inventory control
systems such as Kanban.
Contact Keith Shephard – Direct on +44 7803 210021 or keith.shephard@swangroup.co.uk
Swan Shephard Ltd.
Swan Close road,
Banbury, OX16 5AL Tel: +44 1295 263134
Email info@swangroup.co.uk
Or visit our web site: www.swangroup.co.uk
25
Industry in focus
Majorfax Limited
Majorfax is a leading UK based castings
specialist with over 25 years experience
sourcing castings from its vast global
network of foundries and offering a full
supply chain management service.
Supplying fully machined and finished
castings to a variety of industries,
including the agricultural, architectural,
engineering and renewable sector, the
Midlands based company has developed
a great reputation for delivering high
quality in a cost effective way.
Providing solutions tailored to customers’ needs, Majorfax
manufacture ferrous and non-ferrous castings and offer a wide
range of services such as machining and finishing. Being ISO
9001:2008 accredited, the company always adheres to the
highest integrated quality procedures and provides excellence
and delivery to clients at competitive prices.
With constant investments being made in new warehouse
facilities, technologies and infrastructure, Majorfax is committed
to providing optimal products and services whilst offering its
customers a hassle free purchasing experience supported by
friendly and experienced staff.
Global Reach, Local Service
Visit us at Subcon 2014 on stand M21
M J Allen
A machine shop that casts & fabricates
Manufacturing high quality
machined castings
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pattern Making
Aluminium & Bronze castings
Grey and SG Iron castings
CNC Machining
CMM Inspection
Painting & Sub Assemblies
Machine building
ISO 9001:2008
Made in Great Britain
MJ ALLEN GROUP OF COMPANIES
Hilton Road, Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate, Ashford, Kent TN23 1EW UK Tel:+44
(0)1233 622214. Fax: +44 (0)1233 643534
Email: sales@mjallen.co.uk Website: www.mjallen.co.uk
26
Operating foundries and a welding
facility alongside its machine shop in
Ashford, Kent, M J Allen’s drive is to
provide a quality, integrated casting,
machining, fabricating and assembly
service.
M J Allen supplies fully machined
castings and fabrications to defence,
medical, marine, OE and automotive (Ford) industries in the UK,
Europe and North America and is certified to ISO9001, 14001 and
18001.
Their ferrous foundry produces high quality grey iron and SG iron
castings to 3000kg with expertise in complex core assembly work.
The non-ferrous foundry produces precision sand castings in
aluminium and bronze alloys to 1000kg for the most demanding
applications.
In addition, an aluminium gravity die foundry enables volume
casting to 50kg to the highest integrity.
The foundries have extensive in-house facilities for heat
treatment, chemical and mechanical analysis, x-ray, dye penetrant
and ultrasonic inspection and pressure testing.
The machine shop operates CMM inspection and jig boring in
temperature controlled environments for the tightest of tolerances.
M J Allen’s recent CNC additions include a Doosan twin pallet,
horizontal machining centre and Johnford bridge mill, covering
machining in X-axis of 3.1m, Y-axis 1.8m and Z-axis 1.6m.
Coupled with paint and assembly facilities, all at the Ashford
site, sourcing of machined and finished castings and fabrications of
almost any size and volume is achieved with a single order.
Advertisement Feature
Industry in focus
MRT Castings
MRT Castings Ltd are specialists
in the manufacture of machined
and finished aluminium
diecastings for the medical,
marine, defence, electronics and
general engineering sectors. MRT
offers the complete solution,
from a collaborative approach to
initial component design, all the
way through to the supply of high
quality machined and finished components and assemblies.
In their foundry, MRT operate four high pressure diecasting
cells with locking forces from 220 to 530 tons, and a flexible range
of gravity diecasting cells. Meanwhile in their machining division,
which now boasts 15 high speed CNC machining centres, MRT
have an extensive range of Brother vertical machining centres and
Hyundai-Kia Turning centres. ‘Having the fastest and most advanced
manufacturing technology available to the industry means that we
can provide solutions for our customers which are both competitive
and flexible’, commented Phil Rawnson, MRT’s Managing Director.
For customers who don’t want to get their hands dirty at all, MRT
also offer a complete assembly and logistics service, taking castings
and machined components produced at MRT, and building them into
finished products ready for distribution directly to end customers.
This service is currently being applied to a diverse range of projects,
from designer light fittings to shower waste pumps.
MRT is also investing in its team and business systems to ensure
that they are growing with the business, implementing best practice,
and optimising the benefits of the new technology being introduced.
The Company is accredited to ISO 9011:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.
For further information: tel: (+44) 1264 324021; fax: (+44) 1264 333773;
e-mail:
general@mrt-castings.co.uk; web: www.mrt-castings.co.uk
Industry in focus
QUALITY IRON &
S.G. CASTINGS
CASTINGS
APPROVED TO ISO 9001:2008
LLOYDS REGISTER AND GERMANISCHER LLOYD
Complete Heat T reatment Service
Extensive Patternmaking and Machining facilities
Individual Weights up to 25 tonnes in Grey Iron,
20 T onnes in S.G. Iron and up to 6 tonnes weight in alloyed irons
Coupe Castings Ltd, Higher Walton,
Preston, Lancashire PR5 4DQ.
Tel: Preston 01772 338151
Fax: 01772 627609
Email: sales@coupefoundry.co.uk
www.coupefoundry.co.uk
Innovative
Manufacturing
Solutions
MRT Castings Limited
www.mrt-castings.co.uk
South Way, Walworth Business Park,
T: +44 (0) 1264 324021
Andover, Hampshire, SP10 5JT, UK
Coupe Castings
Two companies in the north west of England have combined
forces to acquire Coupe Castings in Preston.
Shakespeare Foundry and Eaves Machining will own a
50% share of new company Coupe Castings. Coupe Castings
has operated from its existing site in Higher Walton for over
a hundred years, producing general engineering and jobbing
cast iron castings for the automotive, wind, nuclear, power and
offshore sectors.
High integrity casting techniques combined with solid
modelling and solidification software enables Coupe Castings to
supply cast iron, ductile iron (SG iron) and ni-resist iron castings
to a large customer base, specialising in the valves, pipes and
distribution industries.
The move is a good fit for Shakespeare Foundry of Bolton as
it sees them extend their capabilities. The company is a specialist
in the manufacture of heat and wear resistant castings for
the cement manufacturing and mineral processing industries.
Manchester-based Eaves Machining is a market leader in heavy
CNC subcontracts and specialises in the machining of large
castings, forgings and fabrications.
Michael Stanley, MD of Shakespeare Foundry said: "Coupe’s
ability to cast components up to 26 tonnes in weight is very
unique. Their range starts where Shakespeare’s ends and the
businesses are a great fit."
Ian Griffiths, CEO of Eaves Machining and the new Coupe
Castings business said things were already looking up for the
foundry: "Coupe Castings is a great business with quality people
and products. We are conducting a full strategic review of
activities and have already won some significant new business."
www.coupefoundry.co.uk
27
Industry in focus
Thoni-Alutec
significant
investment
over over
the last
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Thoni-Alutechas
hasseen
seen
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investment
the
lastwhich
year
builds
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be atoprovider
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whichon
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saw
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itsitsmachining
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withwith
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sawthe
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the purchase
25,000
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Nisko.
Here
wewe
maa 25,000sqM
sqMproduction
production
facility
in neighbouring
Nisko.
Here
machine
such
as as
titanium,
superalloys,
aluminium
chinefrom
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materials
such
titanium,
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aluminium
and
to to
exacting
tolerances
to aerospace
standards.
Further
andmagnesium
magnesium
exacting
tolerances
to aerospace
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operations
such as assembly
and processes
as joining
to
Further operations
such as assembly
and such
processes
suchcasting
as joining
extruded
parts
are carried
as well.
casting to
extruded
partsout
arehere
carried
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The
growth
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The Aerospace
Aerospace&&Military
Militarybusiness
businesshas
hasseen
seensignificant
significant
growth
with
the
new
customers.
TheThe
automotive
and and
railway
theaddition
additionofofnumerous
numerous
new
customers.
automotive
railbusiness
is set is
toset
increase
by 100%
in 2014.
way business
to increase
by 100%
in 2014.
The
its its
capacity
withwith
the addition
The low
lowpressure
pressurefoundry
foundryhas
hasdoubled
doubled
capacity
the addiof
a new
to meet
high
quality
demands
and technical
tion
of a machine
new machine
to the
meet
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and techspecifications
for today’s
customers
who recognise
the advantages
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nical specifications
for today’s
customers
who recognise
the advanthis
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tages
of this process.
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significantexpansion
expansionborn
bornover
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due
recognition
customersofofthe
the advantages
advantages of
ognition byby
customers
ofnot
notjust
justhaving
havinga a castcasting
facility
also
encompassing further
further finishing
ing facility
butbut
also
bybyencompassing
finishing process
processfrom
from
machining
and
painting
thethe
customer
hashas
the the
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machiningassembly
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and
painting
customer
satisfaction
that
a fully
finished
product
ready
to fall
their their
thathe
hecan
canpurchase
purchase
a fully
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product
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tointo
fall into
production
willwill
continue
to expand
this this
philosophy
productionplans.
plans.Thoni
ThoniAlutec
Alutec
continue
to expand
philosoand
to improve
and innovate
in the future.
phy will
andcontinue
will continue
to improve
and innovate
in the future.
Cannop
foundry
the Cannop
path offoundry
growth was
andacquired
continuous
It’s now been
overcontinues
a Year since
by
improvements
withoffurther
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incasting
infra-structure
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and
Thoni-Alutec one
Europe’s
premium
producers.
In this time
personnel,
allied
with
a solid and
expanding
customer
base.equipment
Cannop has
seen
significant
investment
in infra
structure
Improvements
to well
existing
manufacturing
facilities
include thebase.
cleaning
and
personnel, as
as significant
growth
in its customer
Imand
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factory buildings
including
and
provements
to existing
manufacturing
facilities
includethe
theoffice
cleaning
laboratory
facilities. of the factory buildings including the office and
and refurbishment
The foundry
has seen
significant
in moulding,
melting and
laboratory
facilities.
The
foundry investment
has seen significant
investment
in
fettling
equipment.
thatequipment.
were originally
subcontracted
out
are
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and fettling
Processes
that were
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and
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nally in
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gradually
being
brought
in house
such
testing.
as shot blasting, heat treatment and mechanical testing.
Cannop
currently
supply
a
very
wide
and
varied
product
range
to
Cannop currently supply a very wide and varied product range to
numerous
market sectors
sectors such
such as
as automotive
automotive prototyping
prototyping in
in engine
engine
numerous market
blocks
and heads,
heads, safety
safety critical
critical valves,
valves, heat
heat exchangers,
exchangers, power
power
blocks and
generation
exhaust
manifolds,
pumps,
gearboxes
generationengine
enginecomponents,
components,
exhaust
manifolds,
pumps,
gearand
general
engineering
sectors etc.
boxes
and general
engineering
sectors etc.
Cast
areare
produced
fromfrom
a wide
rangerange
of non-ferrous
alloys
Cast components
components
produced
a wide
of ferrous
aland
alloys
utilising
theutilising
latest melting
and melting
casting techniques
to
loys ferrous
and non
ferrous
alloys
the latest
and casting
ensure
components
are
manufactured
to
the
highest
integrity.
The
Non
techniques to ensure components are manufactured to the highest
Ferrous
Foundry produces sand and gravity die castings in aluminium to
integrity. The Iron Foundry specialises in the manufacture of compoBS1490
or BS EN 1706.
nents in Grey, Ductile, (SG), CGI, SiMo, Wear resistant Alloys (Ni-Hard),
The Iron Foundry specialises in the manufacture of components in
Austempered ductile Irons (ADI). The Non Ferrous Foundry produces
Grey, Ductile (SG), CGI, SiMo, Wear resistant and Austempered ductile
sand and gravity die castings in aluminium to BS1490 or BS EN 1706
Irons
(ADI).
The site
holds approvals
approvalsfor
forthe
themanufacture
manufacture
castings
The
site currently
currently holds
of of
castings
to
to ISO9001:2008 along
ISO9001:2008
along with
with several
several major
major worldwide
worldwide Customer
Customer based
based
approvals.
approvals.
®
Thoni Alutec
Unit 10A, Ironworks Business Centre
Selby, YO8 4NN
North Yorkshire, England
Tel Direct Line: +44 (0) 1757 702010
Tel Mobile: +44 (0) 7931 343799
www.thoni-alutec.com
For More Information please contact:
Mr Jay Kitchen - Technical Manager
E: jay.kitchen@thoni-alutec.co.uk
Cannop Foundry Ltd
Crabtree Road Cinderford Glos. GL142YQ
T: +44 (0) 1594 823966 F: +44 (0) 1594 824200
E: info@cannop.co.uk www.cannop.co.uk
For More Information please contact:
Mr Rod Meredith - Operations Director
M: +44 (0) 7899 665679 E: rod.meredith@cannop.co.uk
Mr Jay Kitchen - Technical Manager
M: +44 (0) 7931 343799 E: jay.kitchen@cannop.co.uk
Sarginsons Advert 128 x 185mm, no bleed.
Industry in focus
www.sarginsons.com
‘We develop
practical and costeffective solutions
to manufacturing
problems’
Achieving the perfect casting is a complex
process. There is a challenge associated
with optimising the manufacturing process
for your component, production run,
timescale and budget.
For more than 75 years Sarginsons has been
the best UK aluminium diecaster when it
comes to producing high quality components
that save our customers time and money.
A
SH
ED FO
R
75
R
VE
EST
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O
B
We pride ourselves on our ability to resolve
even the most complex diecasting challenges
quickly and cost effectively – so you receive
exactly what you need, when you need it.
years
• Leadership – Extensive investment in
cutting edge manufacturing processes
means we boast fast lead times and
reduced unit costs
• Expertise – One of the few European
companies combining sandcasting,
gravity and low pressure in a single
foundry, so you benefit from synergies
during manufacture
• Service – Large enough to deliver high
volume projects but small enough to
give you a true personal service
And our track record speaks for itself. Our
clients include some of the most respected
names in the automotive, petrochemical,
energy and engineering sectors, including
Aston Martin, Caterpillar, JCB, Jaguar Land
Rover, Rotork and Bombardier.
Want to discuss your requirements or get advice? Call us on +44 (0) 2476 466 291
18931 SAR_CastingsBuyer_AW.indd 1
27/03/2014 14:31
Looking for a Casting Supplier?
any metal, any quantity, any process
For All Your Precision Alloy Casting Needs
Modern Manufacturing facilities with
1200 employees based in Poland.
Aluminium and Magnesium
Castings in:
High Precision Sand
Low Pressure Die
Gravity Die
Capability:
Design
Pattern making
Comprehensive inspection facilities
CNC Machining
Surface treatment
Assembly
Quality:
NADCAP
ISO9001
EN/AS 9100
IRIS
DB
ISO14001 etc
Markets:
Medical
Energy
Railway
Aerospace
Defense & Marine etc
For more information contact:
Mr. Jay Kitchen,
Thoni-Alutec UK
Unit 10A, Ironworks Business Centre
Selby, YO8 4NN
North Yorkshire, England
Tel Direct Line: +44 (0) 1757 702010
Tel Mobile: +44 (0) 7931 343799
E: jay.kitchen@thoni-alutec.co.uk
www.thoni-alutec.com

Castings Buyer - Institute of Cast Metals Engineers

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