Consultancy/Training

Quality improvements and foundry process engineers training
Over the past few years there has been a growing need for steel foundries to improve their quality, integrity and competitiveness. This trend has been driven by our customers, who have led the industry to reduce their delivery times to match the needs of the their customers.

Most steel foundries can eventually produce saleable castings but it is the inconsistency of results in the "as cast state" that creates most production problems. It is this variability that affects both the profitability and competitiveness of foundries in a market that is fiercely competitive. Unfortunately, this competition leads foundries to attack the visible front end costs associated with "up to cast" and to treat the more difficult to control "after cast" costs as a necessary but undesirable evil. However, few would disagree that profits are made in the foundry not in the cleaning room or machine shop where foundries are increasingly trying to machine their problems away by adding extra stock.

Only by attacking the process of manufacture from the very beginning right through to the end, is it possible to achieve a satisfactory and profitable result.

Where to start

Undoubtedly the main focus of attention must be the design of casting along with the design of the feeder and ingate system. Design engineers are not foundrymen, but foundrymen can help design engineers to make products, which are foundry, friendly, this is when great things happen. I am sure we all know of one or two examples of this, but consider what would happen if this could be achieved with all castings.

The next area to address is the selection of our materials in order to help us achieve consistency in our manufacturing in the "up to cast" area. This involves ladle and furnace refractories, sands, binders, ceramic holloware, paints and insulation materials. It is most important for us to use our knowledge and experience, together with research to find the best materials at an acceptable cost. Many would say on one hand "look after cents and the dollars will look after themselves" and on the other hand "don't spoil the ship for a pennyworth of tar". I am sure most of us have thought like this in the past. We all know that when the basic philosophy is correct then we can go forward confidently.

Foundry Training Programme

Eildon Refractories offers a comprehensive training program for Foundry Process Engineers. This can be set depending on the experience and competence of the student.

The main elements of training will be:

• Basic design rules.
• Casting orientation in the mould.
• Optimisation of contraction and machining allowances.
• Basic philosophy and working of the modulus method for calculating directional solidification.
• Calculate the reduction in modulus and promotion of directional solidification by chills.
• Calculate the increase in modulus and promotion of directional solidification by insulation materials.
• Ladle and ingate practice to eliminate turbulence and re-oxidation.
• Identification of casting defects with probable cause and recommended corrective action.
• Effective use and application of the methods software packages in use.
  

For more information feel free to contact Bill Kincaid at:

Tel: +44 (0) 1924 378902

Fax: +44 (0) 1924 365006

E-mail: bill@castsol.demon.co.uk

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