The metal casting industry has been, and continues to be, an integral component of the industrial backbone of several nations across the world. The industry provides employment to a large number of people and supplies huge amount of castings thereby impacting almost every other industrial and commercial sector. The metal casting industry is also an important recycler of metal scrap, a major energy user, and an important pollution prevention partner in many countries.
Good foundry practices address critical technology deployment requirements that will help foundries in saving costs and increasing profits. These practices help in reducing the energy consumption and environmental impact of the metal casting industry and improve its competitiveness.
Given below are some of the good practices that can be adopted for cost savings and increase in profits:
Energy Saving Practices
By adopting following measures and practices, foundries can make big cost savings –
Set variable frequency drives on motors
Getting rid of voltage imbalances helps in reducing losses from vibrations, mechanical stresses, torque pulsations and overheating.
Switch off equipment and lighting when not in use
Specifically place a start-up and shut-down procedures to control energy usage spikes.
Install high efficiency lighting
Using fluorescent lighting with magnetic ballasts instead of older ballasts is always cost-effective. Install targeted lighting at inspection points rather than less efficient ceiling lights.
Cut down the compressed air pressure set point by 10 percent
Maintaining excess air system pressure is very expensive. Set points can be cut down with proper maintenance of system and continual repair of air system leaks.
Upgrade motor drive belts
Using energy efficient cog belts instead of drive belts help in reducing energy requirements. Cogged belts can function on existing v-belt pulleys, but at lower temperatures.
Adopt superior melting practices
Specific recommendations may vary depending on the type of melting system used by the foundry. Furnace manufacturers can be of great help in helping to identify good melting practices for energy savings. The use of preheated air/oxygen and optimized burner designs has found to be good for gas-fired furnaces.
Improved compressed air practices
Compressor should be properly sized, it should not smaller or over-sized. Use air storage systems to limit idling of compressors. Reduce leaks at valves, couplings and pipe joints.
Short cycle heat treatment
Majority of the heat treatment practices followed by foundries are overly conservative and waste energy. High efficiency furnaces and furnace linings are usually cost saving.
Low Cost Technology Practices
By adopting following measures and practices in various technical domains, foundries can save costs –
Melting
Melt cold, pour hot, pour fast – This will reduce the consumption of melting energy to minimum, while at the same time improves the quality of melt and reduces disfunctioning. It is usually much economical in the long run to completely preheat ladles than to melt hot and admit high temperature drops during the transfer of metal.
Molding
Upgrade the sand testing quality assurance – good control of sand systems ensure superior mold quality and reduction in scrap. Make consistent use of sand supplier testing capabilities. In several cases, improved molding practices can help reduce the biggest single contribution to casting scrap.
Scrap Reduction
Improved reporting and analysis of scrap – The single effective way to reduce scrap is to identify the scrap and its root causes in a proper manner. Lack of attention to detail in reporting of scrap may badly affect the bottom line; for instance, it is crucial to identify ‘sand’ or ‘slag’ as the causes of scrap instead of simply grouping them together as 'dirt'.
Lighting
Good housekeeping & lighting results in improved quality – A little extra KW of energy use, specifically in inspection areas, actually results in money savings. Good housekeeping leads to pride among workers and improved quality of products.
Data Collection
Decisions should be based on sound data collection - Make sure that the data, which you have collected has sufficient gage R&R; it is useless to collect data if you are not going to use it. Employees will be much more accurate and efficient collection of data if they know how that data is going to be used.
Training
Training helps in enhancing the skills and productivity of employees – Make use of all internal and external training resources to improve the work skills of your employees. If production employees are better trained they are found to be better problem solvers.
Profitability
Superior costing & pricing systems – This is essentially a challenge especially in the jobbing foundry, but is essential to ensure the long term success of an organization.
Given below are some of the good practices that can be adopted for cost savings and increase in profits:
Energy Saving Practices
By adopting following measures and practices, foundries can make big cost savings –
Set variable frequency drives on motors
Getting rid of voltage imbalances helps in reducing losses from vibrations, mechanical stresses, torque pulsations and overheating.
Switch off equipment and lighting when not in use
Specifically place a start-up and shut-down procedures to control energy usage spikes.
Install high efficiency lighting
Using fluorescent lighting with magnetic ballasts instead of older ballasts is always cost-effective. Install targeted lighting at inspection points rather than less efficient ceiling lights.
Cut down the compressed air pressure set point by 10 percent
Maintaining excess air system pressure is very expensive. Set points can be cut down with proper maintenance of system and continual repair of air system leaks.
Upgrade motor drive belts
Using energy efficient cog belts instead of drive belts help in reducing energy requirements. Cogged belts can function on existing v-belt pulleys, but at lower temperatures.
Adopt superior melting practices
Specific recommendations may vary depending on the type of melting system used by the foundry. Furnace manufacturers can be of great help in helping to identify good melting practices for energy savings. The use of preheated air/oxygen and optimized burner designs has found to be good for gas-fired furnaces.
Improved compressed air practices
Compressor should be properly sized, it should not smaller or over-sized. Use air storage systems to limit idling of compressors. Reduce leaks at valves, couplings and pipe joints.
Short cycle heat treatment
Majority of the heat treatment practices followed by foundries are overly conservative and waste energy. High efficiency furnaces and furnace linings are usually cost saving.
Low Cost Technology Practices
By adopting following measures and practices in various technical domains, foundries can save costs –
Melting
Melt cold, pour hot, pour fast – This will reduce the consumption of melting energy to minimum, while at the same time improves the quality of melt and reduces disfunctioning. It is usually much economical in the long run to completely preheat ladles than to melt hot and admit high temperature drops during the transfer of metal.
Molding
Upgrade the sand testing quality assurance – good control of sand systems ensure superior mold quality and reduction in scrap. Make consistent use of sand supplier testing capabilities. In several cases, improved molding practices can help reduce the biggest single contribution to casting scrap.
Scrap Reduction
Improved reporting and analysis of scrap – The single effective way to reduce scrap is to identify the scrap and its root causes in a proper manner. Lack of attention to detail in reporting of scrap may badly affect the bottom line; for instance, it is crucial to identify ‘sand’ or ‘slag’ as the causes of scrap instead of simply grouping them together as 'dirt'.
Lighting
Good housekeeping & lighting results in improved quality – A little extra KW of energy use, specifically in inspection areas, actually results in money savings. Good housekeeping leads to pride among workers and improved quality of products.
Data Collection
Decisions should be based on sound data collection - Make sure that the data, which you have collected has sufficient gage R&R; it is useless to collect data if you are not going to use it. Employees will be much more accurate and efficient collection of data if they know how that data is going to be used.
Training
Training helps in enhancing the skills and productivity of employees – Make use of all internal and external training resources to improve the work skills of your employees. If production employees are better trained they are found to be better problem solvers.
Profitability
Superior costing & pricing systems – This is essentially a challenge especially in the jobbing foundry, but is essential to ensure the long term success of an organization.
