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Published by Institute of Cast Metals Engineers Spring 2013

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Foundry Yearbook_2012.indd 1 29/03/2012 14:52

Castings Buyer - Spring 2013 1

EditorialEditorLynn Postle FICME

Tel: +44 (0)121 601 [email protected]

Advertising Sales ManagerLes RiversTel: +44 (0)1568 [email protected]

© The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers 2013

ISSN 0265-8321

Published by:The Institute of Cast Metals EngineersNational Metalforming Centre47 Birmingham RoadWest BromwichWest Midlands B70 6PY UKTel: +44 (0)121 601 6979 web: www.icme.org.uk

Design & ProductionRivers Media ServicesBrockington Studio, BodenhamHereford HR1 3HT UKTel: +44 (0)1568 797111

Castings 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.

Castings BuyerMetal casting your engineering needs

Contents

Casting Solutions News2 Destination China for Europe-made castings; Nadcap merit accreditation aids

Europe-wide shortage of expertise; Helicopter parts developed rapidly as investment castings.

3 New website brings greater understanding of modern UK foundries; GM China casts magnesium chassis parts.

4 UK foundry completes mammoth mill housing. 6 New events join Subcon; Castings UK showcased at Subcon. 14 Taking the tension out of supply – a logistics supply chain solution16 A remarkable one-off casting wins top industry award23 Land Rover goes ‘light metal’ for rear subframe for new Range Rover

Features8-10 Focus on Iron We look at the latest material solutions for highly stressed cylinder heads and

blocks in the form of compacted graphite iron.

12-13 Lost Foam High standards of integrity, surface finish and precision are just some of the

attributes of innovative processes at work today, read all about one such process here.

18-19 Aluminium A look at some new innovative products featuring aluminium alloys.

20-22 Country Profile We put the spotlight on Brazil to see how foundries are responding to increased

global demand for cast components.

25-28 Industry in Focus News from the people you want to hear from – the foundries offering the

solutions you need.

Front cover picture – lower part of a crankcase K48 BMW motorcycle K1600GT/GTL. The component is a new design concept aluminium diecasting which won third prize for Trimet Aluminium AG, Harzgerode (Germany) in the International Diecasting Competition 20112. The component was exhibited at Euroguss 2012.

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 …

www.icme.org.uk

2 Castings Buyer - Spring 2013

News

To be sure not to miss a copy of Castings Buyer and all the latest news

and technical updates to help you make sensible procurement decisions

contact: Yvonne Marriott at the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers.

Tel: +44(0)121 601 6979, email: [email protected]

Destination China for European-made castingsA British foundry has won a significant rail parts order from SKF France for over 3,500 rail parts that are destined for trains in China. Majorfax Ltd previously had a long relationship with SKF in the UK in Luton and the contract for its sister company, SKF France, represents a first for the Walsall-based company.The tendering process of sensor parts for the braking systems of Chinese trains started early in 2012. The new contract will run for approximately 12 months. “We supply parts monthly to SKF,” said Leigh Dale, production manager, Majorfax. “We’ve been doing the work for ten years so we know what we’re doing.”

Majorfax is extremely proud to have won the prestigious contract. In turn, it has further strengthened its highly respected position within the industry. Dale added: “Our expertise and experience led us to winning the prestigious contract. The knowledge we have in regards to these complex parts placed us in a much stronger position than any other competitors. Majorfax will now strive to provide the very best in what we are so proud and skilled in.”

The foundry is supplying three parts for the sensor pack of the rail braking system for trains in China, “There’s a rear cover, an intermediate housing part, the lid fits onto the housing and then the sensor pack goes inside of this sub assembly which is then shipped China to be fully assembled out there,” Dale explained. Similar contracts for braking parts in China could be a possibility in the future which Dale said could lead to an expansion of the foundry’s workforce by around 10%.

www.majorfax.co.uk

Helicopter parts developed rapidly as investment castingsAn investment casting specialist from Bestwig (Germany) has completed an order for the renowned helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland within a very short development cycle of just three months.TITAL initially produced prototype aluminium gearbox parts for the AW 149, AW 169 and AW 189 of the Anglo-Italian helicopter company and has since commenced series production. “Together with AgustaWestland we developed a total of three different parts for the tail gearboxes of these models. Approval and qualification were reached at an early stage“, said Michael Kersting, TITAL’s account manager. The parts have a size of approximately 350 x 350 x 400mm. Aluminium is especially well suited for this application.

According to Kersting, the main success factor for the speed of development of the parts was the good teamwork between the competent engineers at TITAL and their English colleagues from AgustaWestland. “We worked together with very good and highly skilled engineers who understood the advantages of investment casting and consequently applied them.” He said the good co-operation between TITAL and the helicopter manufacturer was created by a merger of the Italian companies Finmeccanica, Agusta and the British Westland Helicopter Company.

For AgustaWestland this is not the first co-operation with the German technology leader. TITAL was already involved in the production of the AW159, known as ‘Future Lynx’, now an export success in South Korea. AgustaWestland is one of their long-standing customers and thus TITAL hopes to receive long-term orders for the AW149, AW169 and AW189 as the company sees the production of investment castings for helicopters as a dynamic area of activities. TITAL is specialised in the field of aerospace and also involved in the development of the investment casting gearbox parts for the SKYe SH09 helicopter of Swiss helicopter manufacturer Marenco.

www.tital.de

Nadcap merit accreditation aids Europe-wide shortage of expertiseThe technical services division of Keighley Laboratories has achieved world-class Nadcap accreditation for a materials testing laboratory (MTL), a status recognised by the majority of global aerospace primes as a mark of quality assurance excellence.The UK-based company also gained coveted Merit grade, which rewards superior performance in Nadcap audits and reduces subsequent audit frequency. Accreditation has also prompted affirmation and prolongation of its Airbus approval, the aircraft manufacturer having adopted the Nadcap programme for its global supply chain.

As one of the few Nadcap-accredited MTL facilities in the UK, Keighley Labs has been successfully assessed for the evaluation of aerospace welds, tensile, impact and bend testing, metallographic and micro indentation hardness procedures, and specimen preparation and machining. Combined with UKAS accredited testing and certification to many international standards and Civil Aviation Authority approval of in-house weld specimen supervisors, this confirms the company as a centre of excellence for weld testing, at a time when there is a Europe-wide shortage of the necessary expertise.

“Achieving Nadcap accreditation is not easy; it is one of the ways in which the aerospace industry identifies those who excel in superior special processes. Companies such as Keighley Laboratories go above and beyond achieving Nadcap accreditation, to obtain Merit status, and they should be justifiably proud of that,” said Joe Pinto, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Performance Review Institute, which administers the Nadcap programme. “We are determined to support continual improvement in the aerospace industry, by helping companies such as Keighley Labs become even more successful.”

Keighley Laboratories already has quite a number of aviation primes and tier 1, 2 and 3 supply companies amongst its customer base, as well as overseas defence and aerospace suppliers, and is confident of using Nadcap Merit status to leverage extra domestic and export business.

Contact: Leonard Stott, technical services commercial manager, Keighley Laboratories Limited, Croft House, South Street, Keighley BD21 1EG UK, Tel: +44 (0) 1535 664211, email: [email protected] web: www.keighleylabs.co.uk


News

A website introducing the importance of cast metal components in our daily lives, highlighting the relevance of the foundry industry to the UK’s manufacturing success and promoting the benefits of a career in the industry, is slowly changing the perception of the role of foundries in advanced engineering.The site – www.ukcastings.org – is aimed at students interested in a career in engineering and the wider population unaware of the fundamental role that cast metal components play in their lives.

Highlighting a number of case studies of the ‘Best of British Casting’ plus facts and figures about the UK foundry industry in easy to understand language, the site is working to break down the ‘dark satanic mills’ view of the foundry industry often held by the general public worldwide.

The site seeks to improve the awareness of the general public rather than the alternative site of www.castmetalsfederation.com which provides buyers of casting from all over the world with detailed and comprehensive listings of UK foundries and their capabilities. Both sites are administered by the Cast Metals Federation which represents the foundry industry in the UK and has the vast majority of UK foundry output within its membership. With turnover now standing at over £2.2bn and 523,000 tonnes of castings, the UK sector has around 400 foundries employing 17,000 people.

“We have lots of world-class foundries in the UK and it is vital that we bring them to the attention of castings buyers across the world,” said John Parker, chief executive of the Cast Metals Federation. “Any size, any metal, any quantity, any process, the UK foundry industry can deliver – and www.castmetalsfederation.com provides a direct route to UK foundry capacity for both UK and overseas buyers.”

“But to maintain that world-class level we need to develop and educate the best students to enter our industry by providing good quality education and understanding of the reality of what we do – and that’s where www.ukcastings.org comes in.”

Contact: Cast Metals Federation, National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 6PY UK,Tel: +44 (0) 121 601 6390,email: [email protected]

UKcastings.org brings greater understanding of modern foundries

GM China casts magnesium chassis partsThe General Motors China Advanced Technical Centre in Shanghai has produced a magnesium low-pressure diecasting, calling it a “milestone in lightweight automotive research”. The part is described as a chassis system component that is 30% lighter than a comparable aluminium diecasting, contributing to overall fuel savings by reducing vehicle mass without diminishing structural strength and integrity.“Today’s consumers want their vehicles to be more stylish, safer, more durable, more affordable and more fuel-efficient,” said GM China Science Lab director John Du. “This is resulting in demand for lightweight, yet strong, materials that make a vehicle more economical to operate.”

GM estimates that using magnesium may result in a 7% improvement in fuel economy for every 150kg reduction in vehicle weight.The 65,000m2 ATC is the research centre for several GM technical and design organisations – the China Science Lab, Vehicle

Engineering Lab, Advanced Materials Lab, Advanced Powertrain Engineering Lab and Advanced Design Centre. When completed later this year, the ATC will include 62 test labs and nine research labs and employ over 300 engineers, designers, researchers and technicians.

The magnesium casting research was undertaken at the ATC’s ‘micro foundry’ and formability laboratory. Both were started up in the first phase of the ATC project, which includes a battery cell testing lab, battery material lab, metallography and electrochemical lab, and cell fabrication lab. The focus of research there is on lightweight materials, such as magnesium, and electric-vehicle batteries, amongst other advanced technology vehicles.

“The successful production of a part made from magnesium alloy is an important breakthrough for the ATC in lightweight automotive materials research. Satisfying the demands of our customers through new technological achievements is significant for GM’s on-going growth in China and the Chinese automotive industry,” Du said.

Good news for GM and the environmentGeneral Motors also announced it had, in collaboration with Meridian Lightweight Technologies Inc (Canada) and the Ohio State University, secured a US$2.7m US Energy Department grant to explore magnesium diecasting technology. The project will be part funded by cost sharing and will be to develop an integrated super-vacuum diecasting process using a new magnesium alloy. The process will be used to substitute steel inner panels in car doors for thin-walled magnesium castings resulting in an estimated 60% weight saving, giving benefits in fuel economy and carbon emission output.


News

Forgemasters completes mammoth mill housing

Sheffield Forgemasters has completed manufacture of a mammoth mill housing, securing strategic re-entry into an existing geographic market and trouncing competition from Asia.

With a £multi-million value, completion of the contract firmly re-establishes Forgemasters in the American metal rolling mills sector, which it hasn’t operated in for some years.

The order, for three mill-housing castings weighing between 150 and 300 tonnes for the ATI Allegheny Ludlum (an Allegheny Technologies company) advanced hot-rolling and processing facility in Pennsylvania, was awarded by Siemens VAI based on the extremely high quality of the Forgemasters castings, unmatched by competition.

Michael Holloway, senior sales manager at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The Allegheny Ludlum rough mill stand is one of the largest of its kind using mono-block mill housings and required finish machining to extremely high tolerances. Servicing such contracts is precisely why we installed our twelve million pound north machine shop.

“The facility to cast such large components and then to undertake the machine finishing of them in this way exists in very few engineering facilities globally and it is a key selling point for Forgemasters as it dramatically reduces the need to outsource the work, thereby providing an economic advantage.”

Structural integrity of the ultra-large castings is critical as the rolling forces applied during the mill’s operation will be among the highest ever to be applied in a hot-strip mill.

The ATI Allegheny Ludlum mill components include two 13.5m tall x 5.2m wide roughing mill housings at 300 tonnes each and one smaller edger housing casting at 160 tonnes.

DavyMarkham supported Forgemasters in further finish machining the castings, fitting them with additional components, trialling a full assembly and painting them prior to despatch from its Prince of Wales Road facility en-route to Brackenridge where they will form the main body of a vast reversing roughing mill.

Holloway added: “Securing a foothold into the market for rolling mills within the United States is a key strategic lead for us. This is an existing market, which the company has supplied to in previous years.

“However, changes in technology and Forgemasters’ development of castings and ultra-large castings, through a dedicated research and development programme, enabled us to produce components which far exceed the quality offered by competitors.

“The contract was secured on the back of a previous contract, to supply smaller 67 tonne rolling mill castings to Siemens VAI, for the AHMSA steel mill in Mexico and the quality and level of finish for those castings set a new standard which impressed the client.”

The new USA mill will be part of an advanced speciality metals hot-rolling and processing facility and will be built at Brackenridge, Pennsylvania (USA) for Allegheny Technologies Incorporated. It will be capable of rolling a wide range of stainless steels and other specialty alloys at widths exceeding 2m.

Forgemasters has invested heavily in an on-going research and development programme since a 2005 management buyout to refine its processes and create highly complex casting solutions for industries ranging from hydro, civil nuclear and thermal power generation, to offshore oil and gas exploration.

The company has supplied some of the largest single steel castings in the world and has the capacity to pour up to 600 tonnes of molten steel in a continuous pour.

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated is one of the world`s largest producers of speciality metals which are used in the aerospace and defence, oil, gas and chemical process industries, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, construction and mining markets.

The Allegheny Ludlum mill housings at DavyMarkham’s Prince of Wales Road facility in the UK


What eatsaway at your profits?Synchro ERP can tell you.

What eats

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At Synchro ERP all development and upgrades are provided for customers without additional cost. Here are examples of new key features created in the last few months:

Latest modules / functionality - Synchro ERP Family platesThis is a highly complex area of development which does not exist elsewhere. It gives the ability to define the tooling types and configure their set up in relation to the production of multiple parts manufactured at the same time. Information stored against tools and products allows Synchro to utilise forward order book requirements to manage the batch manufacturing so the scheduling tool can combine full and partial tools for casting production. This is an extensive facility and full demonstrations are always available.

Frame & box registerThese are registers recording the availability of frames and boxes used in moulding. Once registered these link to the moulding processes in production routes to enable the scheduling of their availability.

Moulding box schedulingThis new function allows for the storage of moulding boxes in a register (these can optionally be comprised of one or more sets of frames which would be stored in a separate frame register). These boxes can then be allocated to production jobs that require them using the Synchro ERP scheduling tool. Synchro then uses the usage cycle information stored against each box type and takes care of their release back into storage/maintenance or further production.

Equipment maintenance management

The module has been designed to log all equipment at a facility and track its usage to facilitate and monitor both its planned maintenance and any required breakdown maintenance. Document librarySynchro has always offered a full historical view for all the commercial documents it produces. This new facility extends the existing functionality by allowing customers to access an external PDF library (automatically maintained by Synchro) that can be accessed outside of Synchro software.

Future developmentsDevelopment to be released over the next few months includes the following:

CRM – customer relationship management This facility will extend the existing customer, contact and documentation functionality to include new features such as document and contact timelines, email integration (including automatic attachment processing and document management), sales and production information integration, subject threading and ownership, and escalation policies.

Least cost mix Synchro’s existing melt management and batch traceability features have already been extended with furnace, ladle, and inventory control. The least cost mix module will leverage existing target specifications and batch analysis to create recipe suggestions for production requirements. By using external and internal targets and having the ability to force melt heels and other elements the new module is set to be a very popular, and profitable, addition.

www.SynchroERP.com

Advertorial


Three events come together when Subcon returns to the NEC, Birmingham (UK) 4-6 June 2013 alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Show and a new world-class technology and innovation conference.Subcon is the UK’s only annual event focussed on contract and subcontract manufacturing services. It covers every aspect of outsourced manufacturing services, from design and prototyping to finished assembled products, including prototyping, 3D printing, machining, moulding, fabrication, electronics assembly, casting and forging, finishing, treatments and testing.

With a strong core of UK subcontractors – around three-quarters of the exhibitors at this year’s show – the show also offers access to global markets, with 13 overseas countries represented this year including the USA, France, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, India, Taiwan and China.

The new Advanced Manufacturing Show complements this with an event that features machine tools, tooling, metrology equipment, software and ancillary equipment from the leading names in the sector. Visitors will have the chance to see the latest product innovations and live demonstrations from exhibitors that include Yamazaki Mazak, Trumpf, Renishaw, WNT, Delcam, Hexagon Metrology and XYZ.

Over 300 companies will be exhibiting at Subcon and the Advanced Manufacturing Show, providing production and sourcing professionals with a comprehensive showcase of manufacturing technology and services.

Together the two events will provide

years and is targeting TS 16949 automotive accreditation this year.

Darian Global Sourcing UK (stand D2) which supplies pressure diecastings, precision machined items, pressings and stampings. The company has recently won contracts that include precision machined iron castings, with a painted finish, for safety critical applications in wind turbine braking systems.

Dean Group international (stand G40) manufactures high quality investment castings in low and medium volumes, including rapid prototyping and specialist alloy processing and higher volume manufacture with long established supply partners in China.

Wall Colmonoy (stand E14) offers engineered cast or fully machined components designed to optimise wear, corrosion, abrasion and heat resistant properties.

For more information on Subcon visit www.subconshow.co.ukFor more information on the Castings UK Pavilion contact: Pam Murrell at ICME on Tel: +44 (0) 121 601 6979, email: [email protected]

New events join Subcon

Castings UK showcased at SubconA number of UK foundries will be showcasing their capabilities as part of the Castings UK pavilion (stand G10) hosted by ICME at Subcon 2013, including Norse Precision Castings Ltd, PMT Industries Ltd and HI Quality Steel Castings Ltd alongside BAS Castings Ltd. Norse Precison Castings and Hytec Castings is a manufacturer of high integrity and precision, thin walled and instrument finished aluminium sand castings ranging from 20g to 500kg in weight. The company has in-house, single site facilities for casting, heat treatment, machining and painting / powder coating.

HI Quality Steel Castings Ltd is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of high integrity castings in stainless and duplex stainless steels, low alloy and manganese steels and chrome irons. The company has two manufacturing sites in the UK producing castings from a few kilos to 9000kg and the castings are exported all over the world for use in the most demanding industrial applications, where durability against corrosive and wear environments is required, such as in the oil and gas, mining and mineral extraction, marine and power generation industries.

PMT Industries is based in Bolton and has one of the largest melting capacity medium frequency electric furnace installations in Europe. The twin 9 MW inverter powered and computer controlled furnaces melt 38 tonne of iron per hour, with each 12 tonne charge being melted to 1450°C in just 38 minutes. The company specialises in very large iron castings and Yankee and MG dryers for the paper industry, and its highly skilled and motivated workforce is committed to providing a high class technical and manufacturing service for the production of quality castings from initial enquiry to completion of order.

Buyers or users of castings can pick up a free copy of the Foundry Yearbook and Casting Buyers Directory 2013 listing all the UK foundries, worth £99.00, as well as find out about training on castings processes and design for casting. The pavilion will have information about all the UK foundries and their capabilities for all your sourcing needs.

Plus - free copies of Foundry Trade Journal, information on membership of ICME and much more. We look forward to meeting you at the show.

www.icme.org.uk

a single point of call for visitors looking to invest in the latest manufacturing technology, find world-class manufacturing partners and refine their make/buy strategies.

A programme of free practical seminars runs alongside the shows, covering business trends, best practice in sourcing and getting the more from manufacturing processes. The topics covered include lean supply chains, supplier development, Nadcap certification, 5-axis machining, REACH, 3D printing, programmed maintenance and plastic moulding.

Complementing these two exhibitions, and highlighting new ideas and breaking technologies is The Engineer Conference, taking place over two days, aimed at engineers and manufacturing management across all sectors and disciplines. This will include high-level speakers from blue chip engineering organisations – including Jaguar Land Rover, Astrium, BAE Systems and Airbus – and pioneers and innovators in fields ranging from additive manufacturing and plastic electronics to manufacturing in space and the creation of Team GB’s Olympic-medal-winning carbon fibre bikes.

Visitors just need to register for one show to get free access to both and to reserve places at the seminars and The Engineer Conference. Registration is now open online at www.subconshow.co.uk and www.advancedmanufacturingshow.co.uk

Exhibitors at Subcon include:Alucast (stand D6) a specialist in aluminium casting and machining which is growing its business over the next three


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59970 Subcon Foundry Trade Journal 210x297 v1.indd 1 11/04/2013 16:11


OEM Engine Details CGI Component

Audi 2.7, 3.0, 4.2 & 6.0 L Passenger Vehicle Diesel Engines V6 and V8 Cylinder Blocks

Caterpillar Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Liners

Chrysler Group 3.0L V6 Passenger Vehicle Engine Cylinder Block and Bedplate

DAF 12.6 L I-6 Commercial Vehicle Engine Cylinder Block

DAF 12.9 L I-6 Commercial Vehicle Engine Cylinder Block & Head

Daimler 9, 12 and 14 L Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Heads

Ford-PSA 2.7 L Passenger Vehicle Diesel Engine V6 Cylinder Block

Ford 3.0, 3.6, 4.4 & 6.7 L Passenger Vehicle Diesel Engines V6 and V8 Cylinder Blocks

Ford 7.3 & 9.0 L Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Blocks and Heads

Hyundai 3.0 L V6 Passenger Vehicle Diesel Engine V6 Cylinder Block

Hyundai 3.9 & 5.9 L Commercial Vehicle Engines In-line Cylinder Blocks

Hyundai 5.9, 9.9 & 11 L Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Heads

MAN 10.5 & 12.4 L Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Block

Navistar 6.4, 10.5 & 12.6 L Commercial Vehicle Engines Cylinder Blocks

Scania 16.4L Commercial Vehicle Engine V8 Cylinder Block

Compacted graphite iron for highly stressed cylinder blocks and cylinder heads

More power, less weightThe demands for downsizing and power-up continue to pose challenges for engine designers and for the materials they choose. The present state-of-the-art for highly charged diesel engine performance is 60-65kw/litre and 150Nm/litre. This is forecast to rise to 80kw/litre and 200Nm/litre in the next generation of DI diesel engines and will surely reach 100kw/litre during the next decade. These performance demands will result in significant increases in thermal and mechanical loading and will require

began during 1999. Today, more than 40,000 CGI cylinder blocks are produced each month for OEMs including Audi, DAF, Ford, Hyundai, MAN, Mercedes, PSA and Volkswagen.

Series production of CGIThe successful development of CGI production and manufacturing technologies has resulted in series production programs in Europe, Asia and the Americas. A summary of publicly announced CGI programs is provided in Table 1.

The current production volume equates to approximately 500,000 CGI engines per year. Although the current production is limited to diesel engines, and primarily based in Europe, several new programs have been approved and CGI production will expand to other components and other geographical regions. Specific examples include commercial vehicle cylinder heads and V-diesel cylinder blocks for North American SUV and pick-up applications.

Table 1: CGI Series Production Programs

new material solutions.The advent of modern measurement

electronics and computer processors has enabled advanced process control technologies to become available for stable foundry production which has now allowed the application of compacted (vermicular) graphite iron for high volume complex components such as cylinder blocks and heads. Following the development of foundry techniques and manufacturing solutions throughout the 1990s, the first series production of CGI cylinder blocks

The application of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) provides approximately double the fatigue limit of conventional grey iron and aluminium alloys and therefore satisfies bottom-end durability requirements without increasing the size or weight of the main bearing region. The strength and stiffness of CGI also improve the dimensional stability of the cylinder bore to reduce piston slap, bore wear, oil consumption and blow-by. This article, by Dr Steve Dawson and Prof Fritz Indra, provides a review of CGI material properties, engine results and comparisons to grey iron and aluminium to show how CGI can contribute to future performance, refinement and emissions objectives.


Engine Engine First Torsional Sound PressureSize (Litres) Type Frequency Shift Level (dBA)

1.8 I-4 Diesel +12% Same2.0 I-4 Petrol +8% -1.0 to -1.52.0 I-4 Petrol +7% -1.0 to -1.52.2 I-4 Petrol +16% -1.0 to -1.52.4 I-4 Diesel +9% -1.0 to -1.54.6 V-8 Petrol +12% Not Tested5.8 V-8 Petrol +18% Not Tested12.0 V-6 Diesel +8% -0.5 to -1.013.8 I-6 Diesel +8% Not Tested

Focus on Iron

Engine design considerations for CGI compared with grey ironRelative to conventional grey cast iron, CGI provides opportunities for:• Reduced wall thicknesses at current

operating loads• Increased operating loads at current

design• Reduced safety factors due to less

variation in as-cast properties• Reduced cylinder bore distortion• Improved NVH• Shorter thread engagement depth and

therefore shorter boltsAlthough the specific damping capacity

of CGI is lower than that of grey iron, the increased stiffness of CGI also contributes to NVH performance, the higher elastic modulus effectively stiffens the block, making many webs and ribs redundant and this increased stiffness contributes to NVH performance and the engine operation becomes quieter as shown in Table 2, both for passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle engines.

Compacted graphite cast iron compared with aluminiumDue to the considerable density difference between CGI (7.1 g/cc) and aluminium (2.7 g/cc), it is to be expected that a CGI cylinder block will be heavier than a similar displacement aluminium block. However, because of the higher strength and stiffness of CGI, the main bearing thickness (and in V-engines the cylinder bank off-set angle) can be reduced to provide a significantly shorter cylinder block. Accordingly, all of the components that span the length of the cylinder block – such as the cylinder heads, crankshaft, camshaft and bedplate – can also be made shorter, and thus lighter. This is particularly advantageous in V-blocks with two cylinder banks. This is evident from Table 3 which shows that the Audi 4.2 litre V8 TDI based on a CGI cylinder block is actually 4kg smaller and lighter than the Mercedes 4.0 litre V8 CDI aluminium engine.

With current recycling rates, each tonne of cast iron (grey, CGI or ductile) accounts for an equivalent energy content of approximately 10,500 MJ/tonne. The corresponding value for aluminium is approximately 90,000 MJ/tonne. Assuming that a CGI cylinder block weighs 35kg and the corresponding aluminium cylinder block weighs 28kg, the net global energy

penalty for the aluminium block is approximately 2,150 MJ/block.

Design for casting – some considerationsAll CGI cylinder blocks for passenger car applications are produced with a minimum wall thickness of 3.5 mm (-0.5, +1.0). This is the same as for conventional grey cast iron and confirms that CGI has sufficient fluidity to fill complex state-of-the-art moulds. The higher strength of CGI allows designers to reduce weight by focusing on the relatively thick load-carrying regions of a casting that are not yet limited by moulding considerations. Although every kilogram is important in a casting, and thick and thin sections must both be addressed, the most effective contributions to weight reduction are those made to the thick sections, as enabled by the improved mechanical properties of CGI.

The natural tendency of CGI to solidify with higher nodularity in the faster cooling sections may result in the thin outer walls (less than ~5 mm) having up to 50% nodularity. Where the thin sections are not thermally loaded and do not require extensive machining, the higher nodularity only serves to increase the strength, stiffness and ductility of the castings.

Table 2: NVH results for identically designed CGI and grey iron engines

CGI microstructure specifications should therefore focus on performance-critical sections such as the cylinder bore walls and main bearings and, whenever possible, take advantage of the increased nodularity in thin wall areas.

Thermal fatigue failures in grey iron are often rectified by adding material to reinforce strength and stiffness. However, the lower thermal conductivity of CGI causes thermally loaded CGI components to operate at higher temperatures. Therefore, if thermal fatigue is an issue with CGI designs, the solution may lie in reducing - not increasing - wall thicknesses to improve heat transfer. It is also important to optimise the design of the cooling water channels to ensure that the cooling water is introduced as close as possible to the heat source to maximise the cooling efficiency.

Another consideration related to thermal loading is that many bench tests for heavy-duty cylinder heads rely on severe thermal cycles to minimise the test duration. However, rapid heating and cooling rates favour materials with high thermal conductivity (in contrast, higher absolute temperatures and longer holding times favour materials with higher mechanical strength). Therefore, the design of many bench scale thermal fatigue tests favour

Parameter Audi 4.2 V8 TDI Mercedes V8 CDI

Performance (kW) 240 231Specific performance (kW/litre) 57 57Torque (Nm @ rpm) 650 @ 1600 580 @ 1600Acceleration (0-100 km/hr, sec) 5.9 6.1Bore pitch (mm) 90 97Overall length (mm) 520 640Engine weight (kg) 255 259Power-to-weight (kW/kg) 0.94 0.89

Table 3: The Audi 4.2 litre CGI V8 is 4kg smaller and lighter than the Mercedes 4.0 litre aluminium V8


Focus on Iron

Property Units GJV 450 GJL 250 GJL 300 A 390.0Ultimate Tensile Strength MPa 450 250 300 275Elastic Modulus GPa 145 105 115 80Elongation % 1-2 0 0 1Rotating-Bending Fatigue (20ºC) MPa 210 110 125 100Rotating-Bending Fatigue (225ºC) MPa 205 100 120 35Thermal Conductivity W/m-K 36 46 39 130Thermal Expansion µm-m-K 12 12 12 18Density g/cc 7.1 7.1 7.1 2.7Brinell Hardness BHN 10-3000 215-255 190-225 215-255 110-150

Mechanical and physical properties of CGI in comparison with conventional grey cast iron and aluminium at 20ºC(1)

Microstructure and propertiesThe graphite phase in compacted graphite iron appears as individual ‘worm-shaped’ or vermicular particles. The particles are elongated and randomly oriented as in grey iron, however they are shorter and thicker, and have rounded edges. The complex coral-like graphite morphology, together with the rounded edges and irregular bumpy surfaces of the compacted graphite particles, results in stronger adhesion between the graphite and the iron matrix, inhibiting crack initiation and providing superior mechanical properties(1).

CGI always includes some nodular (spheroidal) graphite particles. As nodularity increases, strength and stiffness increase, at the expense of castability, machinability and thermal conductivity. The production requirements and performance conditions determine the microstructure specification, e.g. 50% nodularity for CGI exhaust manifolds, whereas for a cylinder block or head the following, narrower, specification may be typical(1):• 0-20% nodularity, for optimal castability, machinability and

heat transfer• No free flake graphite, flake type graphite (as in grey iron)

causes local weakness• >90% pearlite, to provide high strength and consistent

properties• <0.02% titanium, for optimal machinability

This general specification will result in a minimum tensile strength of 450MPa in a 25mm diameter test bar, and will satisfy the ISO 16112 Compacted Graphite Iron standard for Grade GJV 450. The typical mechanical properties for this CGI grade, in comparison to conventional grey cast iron and aluminium are summarised in the table below.

Standards and terminologySeveral national and international organisations have developed and published standards for CGI. These standards specify the CGI grades in terms of the tensile strength and the microstructure, expressed as percent nodularity. The currently available standards are summarised next.

Historically, CGI has been known by the names ‘compacted graphite iron’ and ‘vermicular graphite cast iron’, with the ‘compacted’ terminology primarily being used in English speaking countries and the ‘vermicular’ terminology

predominating in most other languages. Most recently, during 2006, the new ISO standard for CGI was published using the combined name: ‘compacted (vermicular) graphite cast iron’. The ISO designation for CGI has been abbreviated as ‘GJV’ and five grades have been specified based on the minimum ultimate tensile strength obtained in separately cast test pieces, including: GJV 300 (ferritic), GJV 350, GJV 400, GJV 450 (pearlitic) and GJV 500 (alloyed). CGI is now formally recognised by many of the leading standardisation bodies related to the international automotive and foundry industries including the ISO, SAE, VDG and ASTM. In 2011, China published a new standard for CGI which specifies a 0-20% nodularity range. The older JB 4403-87 standard, which allowed a 0-50% nodularity range remains for components with simple geometries and limited thermal and mechanical loading. However, the new GB/T 26655-2011 standard applies for complex components such as cylinder blocks and heads, thus aligning China with the other standards.

Beyond the standards issued by the national and international organisations, several OEMs have also established their own internal CGI specifications, including: Audi, BMW, Caterpillar, Cummins, DAF Trucks, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Electric, General Motors, Hyundai, John Deere, Opel, Rolls Royce Power Engineering and Volkswagen.

Reference1. Dawson S and Idra F, ‘Compacted Graphite iron - a new material

for highly stressed cylinder blocks and cylinder heads’, pub Sintercast 2012, www.sintercast.com

Summary of CGI standardsCountry Issuing Body Number YearInternational ISO ISO 16112 2006International SAE J 1887 2002Germany VDG W 50 2002USA ASTM A 842-85 1997China JB 4403-87 1987China GB/T 26655 2011Romania STAS 12443-86 1986

Compacted graphite iron fact file

grey iron while the actual in-service duty-cycle would favour CGI. Re-designed CGI components have confirmed this premise. Care must therefore be taken to ensure that short-duration bench tests do not wrongly condemn a CGI component.

Summary The improved mechanical properties of

CGI relative to grey iron and aluminium provide many contributions to the design and performance of internal combustion engines for passenger and commercial vehicles. Since 1999, series production experience has established CGI as a viable high volume engine material. Perhaps the most compelling statistic regarding CGI cylinder blocks is that no OEM has only one

CGI cylinder block in its line-up. Without exception, every OEM that has launched the production of a CGI engine has also proceeded to develop, approve or launch additional CGI engines.

Contact: Dr Steve Dawson, SinterCast Ltd, London and Prof Fritz Indra, Honorary Professor, Vienna University of Technology. www.sintercast.com


Need to understand more about the castings industry?Need help with sourcing castings?

The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers’ short course, ‘An introduction to the castings industry’, may be just what you need.

The one-day course will be held on 10 July 2013 at the National Metalforming Centre in West Bromwich, West Midlands (UK) and will include the following topics:

• Principlesofcastingasaroutetomanufacture• Sandcastingprocesses• Diecastingprocesses• Investmentcasting• Introductiontodesignforcastingsomedo’sanddon’ts• Globaltrendsinthecastingsindustry• Wheretogethelpwithsourcingcastings

The course is priced £245.00 per person and includes course notes and all refreshments.

For full details and a booking form contact Nicci Taylor at ICME onTel: +44 (0) 121 601 6979,email: [email protected]

HIGH QUALITY CASTINGS IN FERROUS ANDNON-FERROUS ALLOYS Cannop FoundryBased in Cinderford, Gloucestershire thefoundry 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 LtdCrabtree Road Cinderford Glos. GL142YQT: +44 (0) 1594 823966 F: +44 (0) 1594 824200E: [email protected]

www.cannop.co.uk


The Replicast® process was developed by Cti (Castings Technology International), in the UK, many years ago to mitigate the quality and machining problems associated with sand-moulded steel castings, and to circumvent the carbon pick-up from the polystyrene pattern in the lost foam process that has such a detrimental effect on most steel casting grades.

The aspiration was to achieve the high standards of integrity, surface finish and precision of the lost wax investment casting process, and for much larger and far heavier castings than can be made with the current lost wax technology. This was successfully achieved by replacing the wax pattern used in the lost wax process with one made from polystyrene – a precise replica of the casting required by the customer – and on which a thin ceramic mould is produced in a like manner to the lost wax process.

Over the years, it has been proven time and again that the physical characteristics of polystyrene enable manufacturing costs to be reduced to a level competitive with sand moulded castings; that the use of a replica pattern provides greater freedom in the design of the feeding system, thereby reducing shrinkage defects; and that the use of a fired, inert ceramic mould reduces sand inclusions and gas defects associated with resin bonded sand moulds. These and other attributes enable higher as-cast integrity to be achieved reliably and consistently, resulting in more predictable and shorter lead times due to a substantial reduction in weld-

repair, factors that are becoming of greater commercial significance with the tightening of acceptance standards following the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the enforced customer acceptance of severe penalty clauses for late delivery or under-performance.

In the Replicast® process, the polystyrene patterns are formed in aluminium dies, and in such a way that a high degree of accuracy is achieved that is consistent in the long term because no wear is experienced on the dies. This results in weight and machining savings that reduce end-product costs significantly.

Many Replicast® castings are now being produced in high volumes by licensees of the technology around the world. The benefits of the technology, particularly the reduction in machining and fewer problems encountered during machining operations compared with sand moulded castings, provide a compelling case for vertically integrated operations and this is particularly in evidence with pump manufacturers in the West and in low-cost countries such as India adopting the technology. It is noteworthy that recently a very small (less than 30 employees) manufacturer of pumps in the UK has invested in the process. Their Replicast® manufacturing facilities are scheduled to come on stream imminently.

Replicast® Ltd, a new subsidiary trading entity of Cti, is currently producing about £2.5m of high-duty and safety-critical Replicast® parts for sectors such as power generation, oil and gas, defence and rail-transport, and has retained the same global customer base for almost 20 years. The profits from Replicast® Ltd, combined with income from licensing know-how, are necessary to maintain a market-relevant R&D programme, now that Cti can no longer depend on public sector support. Indeed, over the past three years, Cti has sustained itself and its R&D activities on the income it has generated solely from the private sector. That it has succeeded in doing so is a measure of the company’s agility and resilience in adapting to circumstances where dependency on public sector support has become a high risk strategy for a ‘member-based’ research-performing SME.

The main drawback to Replicast® is the high cost of aluminium tooling compared with a wood pattern for sand moulding. This combined with the fact that most of the volume production of steel castings has migrated

Replicast® and MEGAshell® - real innovation at work!

© 2012 Castings Technology International Slide 1

Dimensional tolerances and surface finishes potentially achievable with MEGAshell® compared with the standards for lost wax and sand moulds. (Copyright: Castings Technology International)

Replicast® Benefits:• 25%lightercastings• 50%lessfeedmetal• 40%morecastingspermelt• 45%lowermachiningcosts• Inertceramicmouldsmorecompatiblewith

special steel alloys • Improvedmachineability• Highas-castintegrity• Excellentsurfacefinish(3.2–7.6µin;130-300µm)• Consistentlyhighdimensionalaccuracy(ISO8062

CT5 – CT8) • Reducedwaste

Lost Foam


to low cost countries, reduces the Western demand for a technology such as Replicast®. It is not surprising therefore, that the number of licensees and the increased interest in adopting the technology is more plentiful in countries such as India and China. Most of the steel casting business that remains in the West can be characterised generally by low volumes, high inspection standards, challenging alloys and short lead times for which sand moulding is used almost universally, especially for large castings. To satisfy these market conditions, Cti has been evaluating the possibility of replacing a polystyrene pattern produced in a die with one machined from polystyrene for economical production of low volume, precision, high integrity castings – customised with respect to design, alloy, contractions relevant to specific alloys, etc. The objective was to achieve all the benefits of Replicast®, even for one-off production of steel castings.

Over the past two years, it has been proven that modern, high-speed 5-axis machining systems are ideally suited to the production of large polystyrene patterns, large or small. To date, ceramic moulds have been produced on numerous high precision replica patterns up to a nominal maximum size of 2 x 2 x 2m, with a target of 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5m within Cti’s sights. The point has been reached where just 10 coats of ceramic are used on even the largest of shell moulds, and these have proved capable of enduring the thermal and mechanical stresses associated with pouring up to 2½ tonnes of molten steel (the limit of Cti’s melting capacity). Developments are underway that are likely to reduce the number of coats to eight, resulting in lower costs, higher productivity and lighter moulds. Indeed, a measure of the challenges faced in this development is the weight of such a shell mould, the largest so far being more than 300kg. Cti has had to overcome handling and other issues to bring this technology to a level of functionality and cost competitiveness that will ensure its adoption. The measure of progress towards this objective is the success in licensing the technology, registered as MEGAshell®, to five companies (one of which is using it for the production of very large titanium castings), with discussions underway with a further five companies. Foundries in the UK will soon be able to take advantage of the MEGAshell® technology by Cti supplying ceramic moulds for them to pour, in the same way that Cti has provided a service to foundries by supplying vast numbers of rapidly printed precision sand moulds and cores for more than six years. Thus far, nearly 100 large ceramic moulds have been shipped more than 100 miles to a third party foundry in the UK, none of which have been damaged during transport or handling at the foundry. Also, all the moulds made at Cti’s site on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham (UK) have been transported by road to the company’s original site in Sheffield to be poured without any problem.

Siemens in Lincoln, a manufacturer of industrial gas turbines, continues to play a vital role in the development of MEGAshell®. In the context of commercial contracts, their design, procurement and production personnel have been supportive of Cti in ways that have driven progress faster and in a more disciplined way to meeting real market needs than would have happened in any other circumstances. The application of the MEGAshell® technology to production castings is enabling Siemens to verify and quantify the benefits, and to evaluate its competitiveness. The headline points at this stage are that a considerable reduction in machining allowances can be achieved and that wall section thickness can be reduced,

which together can lead to weight reductions of 30% or more. In addition, in components where gas flow is critical to the performance of the end product, the improved surface finish and precision of form compared with sand cast parts can provide an uplift in operational performance. Further substantiation of the opportunities afforded by MEGAshell® will result in proven products and the MEGAshell® technology migrating into wider supply chains at minimised risk and cost.

Cti believes that similar gains could be realised in the manufacture of ‘specials’ in the valve sector. Collaboration with a valve producer similar to that with Siemens could reduce end product and life cycle costs, achieve enhanced product performance and reliability, and reduce environmental impact.

For more information on either the Replicast® or MEGAshell® processvisit www.castingsdev.com

Replicast® and MEGAshell® are registered trademarks of Castings Technology International. The processes and know how are the intellectual property of Cti and may only be used in accordance with the terms and conditions of a licence agreement.

This 300kg ceramic mould requires 2½ tonnes of ASTM A217 Grade C12A steel to be poured to achieve a 27% weight saving in the finished casting over the sand cast equivalent. Firing the ceramic mould at 1000oC removes all traces of carbon that would otherwise prevent the use of polystyrene patterns for the manufacture of steel castings. (Copyright: Castings Technology International)

A finished MEGAshell® casting in a sub-assembly of an industrial gas turbine. (Copyright: Siemens Industrial Gas Turbines)

Lost Foam


A Kanban-style online supplier stock system is helping one diecasting company to keep a grip on its stock control of components for a leading customer, helping them to effectively manage their transport and production schedules.

PMS Diecasting prides itself on what it describes as ‘fluid thinking’ and the Kanban system used to monitor its production supply for Gripple Ltd, a market leader of wire joiners and tensioners for the agriculture and viticulture market and wire rope suspension solutions for the construction market, is proof of the company’s desire to stay abreast with technology.

Kanban systems are widely used to comply with lean manufacturing and just in time production. They are much more than inventory control systems; they are a scheduling system which allows users to determine what to produce, when and in what quantity. The principle inspired Gripple and PMS to come up with the system they currently use to ensure stock levels are never depleted.

PMS Diecasting’s operations director Richard Moore told Castings Buyer: “We have an order commitment for diecast housings from Gripple at the beginning of the year and we keep on top of deliveries thanks to the supplier stock system that has been developed by them. It helps us to hit 99% on time deliveries for them.”

Armed with a log in code and an iPad, Moore demonstrated the simplicity yet ingenuity of the system which is so visual it is hard even for a technophobe to misunderstand. The online system lists the part number, description, the number of parts the customer used on the previous day and the previous seven days, the stock count, the stock days left, quantity required and a comments section. Using colour coding of red (about to run out), amber (reduced levels of stock) and green (ample levels of stock) it is easy to see which parts need replenishing at any given time. The MRP system at Gripple automatically updates and PMS monitor it on an on-going basis throughout the day meaning the onus is on them to supply to their customer’s needs.

Other supplier information is also included so they can monitor any supply problems which may occur although pricing information is not accessible for obvious commercial reasons.

Gripple not only benefits from the knowledge that their stocks will always be kept at the required level but there is also no need for them to

employ armies of purchase clerks to keep on top of the situation.

Gripples are devices used to join and tension wire, and also to terminate and suspend wires and wire ropes, and to support false ceilings, cable baskets, and similar items. Utilising four 20t, four 80t, one 50t and one 125t Frech diecasting machines, PMS Diecasting produce over 36 million zinc diecastings annually for Gripple Ltd so maintaining an accurate and reliable stock control system is imperative.

Kevin St Clair, operations manager at Gripple explains

Taking the tension out of supply

Gripples being made at PMS Diecasting Ltd


what makes PMS such an ideal supplier for them: “We were initially interested in PMS because they were a small local company investing in the best equipment around, and were especially interested in using robotics – they seemed a bit like us. We’ve been working with them now for about five years, and in that time we’ve both gone through real changes. We’ve doubled our turnover and so our requirements of PMS have grown too, and we’ve had to deal with the issues that come from that kind of growth. Now, they represent a win-win situation for us – a high quality product made locally, so we can meet face to face, and enjoy the benefits of regular, quick deliveries through a shared online Kanban system. What we get from them is excellent.”

Invest to be the bestEmbracing Kanban and working closely with the customer are just two of the ways in which PMS are demonstrating a culture of continual improvement. Managing director Gordon Panter sums up the company’s attitude: “We very much believe in working in an environment where everyone at the company feels involved. We are a cohesive team,” he said. “All members of staff have shares in the business and the share price is calculated with a formula that is based on profitability. Everything is profit-driven so employees understand the importance of their role.”

With a firm eye on the bottom line, Gordon and the team are committed to investing in the latest equipment and technology to improve production capabilities with the most recent investment being a Nikon 3D laser scanner which is accurate to 2.5 micron. The equipment will be used to test products and manufacture accurate tooling.

With quality diecasting machines, six-axis robotics, automated part separation, 100% visual quality control and management control systems, PMS Diecasting is shaping

up to be one of the best equipped zinc diecasting facilities in Europe and it now has its sights set on the automotive market.

The right tools for the jobLast year the Rotherham, UK-based company launched a tool making business, Go Tools Ltd, to manufacture its own high performance tooling and provide tooling options for other companies. This year sees a relocation to new premises over the road giving both PMS and Go Tools an extra 10,000ft2 to play with, providing room for further expansion and a dedicated training room, a crucial part of the plans for continual development of employees.

In the past 12 years PMS Diecasting has continually expanded thanks to a progressive attitude and a determination to drive the business forward. It’s clear to see why an internationally successful company like Gripple is keen to keep a grip on a supplier with such high ambitions and capabilities.

Contact: Gordon Panter, PMS Diecasting Ltd, Braithwell Way, Rotherham S66 8QY UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1709 701901, email: [email protected] web: www.pmsdiecasting.co.uk

A selection of the equipment at PMS Diecasting Ltd

Logistics

Unit 11 Braithwell WayHellaby

RotherhamSouth Yorkshire

S66 8QYTel: +44(0)1709 701901

Fax: +44(0)1709 [email protected]@laser-scanning.co.uk

www.pmsdiecasting.co.ukwww.laser-scanning.co.uk

“As one of Europe’s leading diecasters we ensure outstanding quality at every stage ofour process, from the critical aspects of design, engineering, finishing and beyond.”

Sub-Contract Measuring and Laser ScanningService accurate to +/- 5 microns

Scan Actual Product Generate Point Clouds Create Global Compare

Project1_Layout 1 29/04/2013 17:12 Page 1


A 114 tonne cast steel clamp for use on an offshore subsea structure has won the Best UK Casting Award 2012. Manufactured by Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering Ltd the component is a remarkable one-off casting requiring considerable ambition and skill to produce, say the judges of the annual Cast Metals Federation (CMF) Awards.On a very tight weather window deadline and with no margin for error, bearing in mind the structural role this casting would perform, the component was modelled, cast, machined and then delivered to the Danish Siri Oil Field in October 2012. The judges were particularly impressed by the scientific approach and the confidence and ambition of the company to take on and deliver such a difficult project.

“Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering produces remarkable large components, and this clamp casting is world-class,” said John Parker, CMF chief executive. “Every year UK foundries produce some incredible

castings that lead the world for innovation and technical achievement, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is manufacturable. This is modern engineering at its finest.”

Ideal engineering solutionThe component was the result of a multi-million pound contract, secured by Sheffield Forgemasters (UK), for crucial components to upgrade a sub-sea structure at the Siri oil platform in the middle of the North Sea.

The six metre long and 2.8 metre radius casting which picked up the Best UK Casting Award 2012 is a crucial part of the new substructure. Forgemasters’ casting is part of the clamp connection to the existing substructure which will be braced to offer a permanent engineering solution.

In addition to the clamp, Forgemasters also won the contract to manufacture 35 flange and spacer castings for the second phase of construction for the project for Dong E&P A/S.

Ian Nicholls, managing director of Vulcan SFM, Forgemasters specialist subsidiary for bespoke products for offshore oil and gas, said: “As a design and manufacturing specialist our particular expertise is in high integrity steel castings and forgings for this sector.

“The particular operating conditions for this clamp mean that high fatigue resistance is critical to the successful operation.

“Castings offer the ideal engineering solution for this type of situation, but the quality of the component is extremely important. Using the known properties of fracture toughness for the cast material and the extreme loading scenarios for the particular operational conditions an engineering critical assessment has been carried out to determine extremely high quality standards.”

The extreme size and shape of the casting means that an understanding of the dimensional changes that can take place is extremely important to a successful manufacturing effort. RD26 Ltd, Forgemasters’ new R&D subsidiary,

A remarkable one-offcasting wins top industry award

Simon Alexander and the team from Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering celebrate their success


carried out computer simulations of expansions and contractions through cooling after casting and through heat treatment, and provided valuable information for the successful production.

The cast material was developed by Forgemasters specifically for this type of operation, combining strength, toughness and weldability. Vulcan and Wilton Engineering, who will fabricate the final assembly, are co-operating in a new range of weldability tests that will extend the weld thickness.

The supply is part of a substantial structural repair project undertaken by DONG E&P A/S and contracted to Subsea 7.

Vulcan has worked closely with Subsea 7 who have performed engineering critical assessments to determine the appropriate non-destructive testing requirements for this application.

Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering won the Best Casting Award from a shortlist which included a lightweight aluminium handheld thermal imager for soldiers by Wrexham-based Tritech Group; a large brass planter panel from Brass Founders Sheffield, and a boron steel storage rack by Lost Wax Developments in Bridgnorth.

“The four shortlisted components involve four very different metals, three different processes and ranged in weight from 1.25kg to 114 tonnes showing the strength of the UK foundry industry,” Parker enthused. “The industry has weathered the recent economic storms and is looking to the future.”

Company achievement honouredGrowth, investment and employee involvement enabled Saint-Gobain PAM to win the Company of the Year Achievement Award which was also announced during the Cast Metals Industry Annual Awards Dinner on 29 November 2012.

In a competition between foundries which consistently showed growth and investment in both their production and their people, Saint-Gobain PAM stood out for its staff engagement and process improvement programmes right across the company.

Manufacturing a wide range of iron drain, soil, rainwater and access cover castings, the judges discovered how the company has made remarkable strides over the last twelve months on improving its internal processes right across the board. From environmental and health & safety, people development to customer satisfaction, cost reduction to process improvement, the management has led a transformation of the business in a vast number of areas.

“The many entries received for the 2012 Company Achievement Award had a number of consistent themes of growth, investment and improvement which is excellent news for the future of the UK foundry industry,” Parker told Castings Buyer. “Saint-Gobain PAM showed how, by investing time and money, they had ensured a better service for their customers and a better business for their employees, creating secure employment into the future.”

The company won the award in the face of massive competition from foundries large and small who had achieved a range of goals from full order books till 2018, sales up 60% through to introducing whole new production processes to the market. The other three shortlisted foundries were: aluminium automotive foundry Castalum from Welshpool, Andover-based MRT Castings and Wrexham-based Tritech Group.

Onwards and upwardsCMF chairman Martin Shenton said the level of entries in the 2012 CMF Industry Awards was an encouraging sign for

the UK castings industry along with a clear move towards investment in people with the help of ICME in developing suitable training and development programmes.

“As we all know the present economic climate is uncertain. We in the UK have as a nation had four hard years and a double dip recession. To be fair a large section of our industry, having suffered greatly in 2009 and 2010, emerged from the recession stronger and more competitive with many companies reporting record outputs and excellent profits in 2010 and 2011.One thing is certain there is still a long way to go before we enter again a period of sustained growth.

“There is an enthusiasm to train which has been lacking in the past. As you will know apprenticeships are growing at a great rate giving structured training to youngsters.

“But it does not stop there. With ICME tacking the lead role we now have a pathway from apprenticeships to NVQs, to advanced diploma, to foundation degree, to full degree. Entrants to the industry can see a pathway forward in training which they can follow as far as they wish to.”

He said Westminster’s desire for an export led recovery was a valid one but that the substitution of British products for foreign imports was just as important a goal. “There is still a large cost differential against UK foundries but with the large increases in commodity prices which affects foundries equally all over the world, together with wage inflation in China this has helped to narrow the gap. This price difference is going to stay for some years but the way companies are winning back work is through quality castings of the highest standard made right first time and delivered on time every time. All foundries can achieve this and we must.”

Industry Awards

Shortlisted component: large brass planter by Brass Founders Sheffield

Shortlisted component: steel storage rack by Lost Wax Developments


Aluminium continues to be developed as a modern decorative and structural material. Designers of bespoke furniture are finding more interesting uses and awards and other decorative items are in popular demand as the images in this article demonstrate. Designers of novel structures and equipment are keen to use the light weight and strength of aluminium alloys to realise their visions. Two notable examples are Green-Tide Turbines (GTT) and Trekinetic Wheelchairs which have both recently undertaken projects with New Pro Foundries (UK).

Involved in tidal stream and run of river technology, Green-Tide Turbines Ltd’s mission is to provide the means to generate renewable power at a cost competitive to power generated from fossil fuels. Environmental sustainability and ethical business practice is at the core of their business.

Most recently Green-Tide Turbines has been the lead partner and has worked with New Pro Foundries and others - The Welding Institute (TWI), Net Composites and Alpha-Electro Tech - in a collaborative project entitled Tidal Design sponsored by the Technology Strategy Board.

A great deal of further R&D is required to overcome many technical challenges presented by the aggressive environment in which these devices are installed. Currently there is often a brute force approach to the design of such devices, a common marine engineering approach and typical in the off-shore engineering sector such as the oil and gas industry.

Green-Tide Turbine’s approach is to design flexible structures that move with the applied forces, deflecting them rather than absorbing them. An analogy would be how we used to design bridges at the turn of the 20th Century – stiff, heavy and very strong. GTT’s design approach would be more like the flexible and lighter weight modern suspension bridges, leading to stronger yet lighter and cheaper structures.

The structure considered in this article depicts an outer shroud, flow conditioning blades (stators) and rotating blades, the whole assembly

ideally having neutral buoyancy and being tethered to the sea floor.

New Pro’s contribution was to assist in the selection of an appropriate material, to assist in the blade design, to advise on the manufacture and to produce one quarter scale blades for testing.

The material selected was an aluminium silicon alloy which is already used in marine environments so there was considerable data on which to base the design. It was also decided to concentrate on the rotating blades as they would be subject to greater stresses.

Two blade designs were selected for manufacture and testing - fishbone and hollow blade - both being one quarter size. The fishbone design consists of an aluminium core upon which a foam and plastic structure is bonded the whole thing then having a marine type rubber coating applied. The hollow blade has a solid root blending into a blade with 5mm wall thickness and also rubber coated; both blades are 400mm long.

The fishbone pattern was produced first because of the additional manufacturing routes involved. New Pro was also involved with the manufacture of the aluminium tooling for the composite manufacture.

The hollow blade was produced from a pattern and core box. The core was supported by core prints which following advice from TWI were welded closed.

Both blade designs have been mechanically tested to determine deflection under various loads. There has also been impact simulation work undertaken by TWI.

The current position is to establish likely manufacturing costs for a full size 3m diameter unit.

Design and production in motionTrekinetic Wheelchairs is the brainchild of Mike Spindle, an

New innovative products featuring aluminium alloys

CAD models of a fishbone and hollow blade Hollow blade casting

Aluminium


The Trekinetic StoryThe Trekinetic company was set up to bring the everyday, manually propelled wheelchair into the 21st Century.

Dispensing with the common tubular metal chassis, the six-year R & D programme centred on an untested technology, namely a 3-wheel, carbon fibre ‘Monocque’ seat design. Unusually, the large propelling wheels were placed at the front and at the rear, a single rear castor is connected to a nitrogen shock absorber.

The chair features a patent granted, ‘tilt in space seat’ that enables users to change their weight distribution automatically, a valuable feature for negotiating inclines. Additionally an innovative variable wheel camber mechanism and dynamic braking system completes the practicality focused remit.

Making the seat out of composite has resulted in an anatomically formed inner seat moulding which is the chair’s ‘most loved’ feature.

Front wheel propulsion offers a 30% improvement in propulsion efficiency, but has only been made possible by extensive development of the rear castor.

FWD offers unexpected off road ability and the chair owes its worldwide success from this attraction.

In developing its recently launched GTE power model, Trekinetic opted for a new generation hub motor, with a quick release wheel design. With the wheels removed, users are left with a lightweight, foldable and manageable centre tub which can be lifted into an ordinary car. This means customers no longer have to spend their mobility allowance on an especially converted and expensive vehicle.

At a mere 35kg, the GTE weighs a third of its competitors, making it quite likely, the lightest of its type ever made commercially available.

experienced F1 supplier of machined components, who was distressed at the sight of a young disabled man struggling with his wheelchair at an airport terminal. He subsequently became determined to use his vision and skills to design a better product.

He found that if he made the seat out of a super strong, lightweight carbon fibre, three things could happen.• It would be so strong that we could attach all the

mounting hardware to it and dispose of the chassis idea entirely.

• As it is a solid form it can be sculptured to support the user’s body, to offer enhanced comfort and support.

• It would be reasonably cost effective to offer a range of foam liners, to suit differing user requirements.He also noticed that sports wheelchairs have wheels

that tilt in at the top, the more we can tilt the wheels on a wheelchair inwards, the wider they are at the point where they contact the ground and the more stable the chair is in extreme conditions. The problem however with this is that they won’t get through doorways as they are too wide. So he set out to design something that would offer the best of both worlds - zero camber in the street and maximum negative camber when off road or doing sports. The idea isn’t that new, but previous offerings required the user to dismantle their chair with tools and bolt on wedges

Side tableCAD model of a generator module

Hairdressers award

Aluminium

or perform other hefty adjustments.

Mike developed his VARICAM system. With this revolutionary system, you can go from zero to hero by just rotating the cross shaft under the seat. Before the user gets in, they simply decide whether they’re going to town in and out of shop doorways, or they need the full sports stance with a monster 24 degrees negative camber!

At zero degrees the chair is 710mm (28”) wide and at 24 degrees it is a full 870mm (34”)!

As an existing supplier Mike approached New Pro to supply the rear castor and support strut castings. Patrick Helly of the UK-based foundry takes up the story: “In view of the all-terrain abilities of the chair we recommended that L169 be the alloy of choice. The strength and toughness of this alloy being the most suitable of our current alloys. The castor has been through some development, a slightly wider wheel and lock mechanism being added and the wheelchair has won the following awards: 2007 Morgan Stanley/Daily Telegraph Great Briton award, Trekinetic’s founder and driving force, Mike Spindle, was nominated for the 2007 Morgan Stanley/Daily Telegraph Great Briton award, in the field of Science and Innovation; February 2007 - TREKINETIC wins Best Product Innovation Award, 2007 US-based Frost and Sullivan product Innovation Award – Europe.”

www.newpro.co.uk


The eyes of the world are on BrazilTake 41 Brazilian foundries, 15 casting buyers from the UK, USA, Jordan, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Germany representing the automotive, construction, mining, machinery and equipment, agribusiness, energy, oil and gas sectors and what have you got? The answer is a golden opportunity to generate export growth for the Latin American powerhouse and a new supply base for those with the global responsibility of sourcing castings.The 3rd Foundry Brazil Round Table Business Event, an export initiative from Abifa (The Brazilian Foundry Association) in partnership with Apex-Brasil (The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) was held in São Paulo in November. Castings Buyer editor Lynn Postle was invited to attend to help showcase the opportunity for Brazilian foundries to demonstrate to the world what they have to offer.

The event is part of an initiative by Abifa and Apex-Brasil to generate increased export business and introduce the capabilities of Brazilian foundries to high profile representatives tasked with sourcing castings from around the world. Organised as a round table meeting whereby all parties were brought together in a semi-formal organised meeting format, the event proved a popular way to ‘break the ice’ and generate dialogue which may well lead to significant business opportunities for all concerned. During the two-day event there were 270 meetings with participants reporting positive impressions in terms of both the organization and the professionalism of the event, and with the quality of the Brazilian foundries taking part.

As with any of the BRIC countries one of the main areas of concern for those looking to source from the region is confidence in the country’s ability to perform at the highest level to engineer and deliver components to strict customer specifications and timescales. Indeed, for Brazil the theme throughout the event was the country’s ability to compete with powerhouses such as China and offer global casting component sourcing experts an alternative to the East as a preferred supplier.

More than Pelé and carnivalIt’s not just the party atmosphere and the world-leading football skills that make Brazil an exciting place to be. The country’s general exports such as automobiles, textiles, iron ore, steel and, of course, coffee are booming, so now seems an appropriate time for the castings industry to follow suit. This fast emerging economy is currently reported to have the fourth largest car market in the world.

Brazil is now ranked seventh in the world castings census table with the country housing 1,325 foundries which produced around 3.3m tonnes of castings in 2011 split as follows: grey iron 1,986,733 tons, ductile iron 812,467 tons, steel 270,302 tons and non-ferrous 274,183 tons. Welcoming delegates to the 3rd ABIFA/Apex-Brasil event ABIFA president Devanir Brichesi of Brazilian foundry Deluma said the objective was to generate business and promote the work of the association and capability of the participating foundries.

“The industry is worth $12bn estimated for 2013 so not particularly relevant for the country’s GDP,” he said. “But the country has a great deal of potential to develop an export programme. We have raw materials such as iron ferro alloy and over 70% of our energy is generated from water – a big sector in Brazil. We are also fortunate to have schools of engineering focussed on foundries with people keen to work in the sector.” In addition, thanks in part to high import taxes, the industry has become self-sufficient in terms of many of its supply needs thus is not reliant on external equipment and machinery suppliers.

Brichesi said that the country had been dogged by a macro economy and political issues which had held many foundries back in terms of export success in the past but that significant changes to this attitude and hindrance were imminent. Brichesi is particularly optimistic following meetings with government ministers. He said the Economy minister is quoted as saying: “the economy needs to be detoxified.”

With any real success reliant on the country’s currency performing well against the US dollar all eyes are on the monetary situation.

Approx 35% of cost of casting production is labour and Brichesi warned: “When our currency depreciates we can expect more.”

History and expectations2008 saw record production but this has since dropped following the global economic crisis. At that time 22% of production was exported, evidence that the industry has


Country Profile

Brazil is a South American country of 8.5 million km2

190 million inhabitants

GDP 2.052 US$ trillions (2011) Industry : 22 % GDP

It has the largest economy in Latin America and the 8th biggest economy in the world.

Brazil is the 2nd largest producer of iron ore Vehicle fleet : 32.1 million in 2010

Total Exports in 2011 : 256 billion U$ Total Imports in 2011 : 226 billion U$

Brazil in Figures

7th world production 2010

57

6

14

8

13

2

AUTOMOTIVE INFRASTRUCTEXPORTS OTHERSCAP GOODS STEELMAKERS

Distribution of the Production

Foundry in Brazil General Characteristics

*estimated

2011 * 2012

* 2013

Direct jobs(th) 68.8 70 73.5 Revenue

(US$ billion) 13.33 11.8 12.1

US$/employee/y (thousand) 193.8 168.6 164.6

Production t/y 3.3M 3.3M 3.6M

Ton/employee/y 48.0 47.1 49.0

Install. Cap./y 5.0M 5.0M 5.4M

Companies 1277 95% Small/Medium

Foundry in Brazil Exports (2011 – th ton)

Metal exports exp/prod (%) Iron 428.2 15.3 Steel 41.6 15.4 Aluminum 14.0 5.6

Total 483.8 14.5

Exports by Countries (% )

USA 58%

SOUTH AMERICA

15%

EUROPE 14%

OTHERS 7%

AFRICA 6%

the capacity to cope with an increase in production and export achievements.

Working with ABIFA, Brichesi is one of the country’s foundrymen who are working hard to promote the opportunities in the region and show the rest of the world the level of competition that is set to rise in the country in the coming years.

“We believe that what we are doing now is the right thing in the right place and at the right moment,” Brichesi told Castings Buyer. “Brazilian products are good and there is a high level of professionalism in the industry. Our foundries are capable and we want to be competitive.”

He teased that there are plenty of investments planned to 2017 to bring the industry to a 7.7m tonne capacity – a large part of which is intended for export.

Upcoming events like the World Cup and the Olympics will demand castings. Brichesi is confident the industry in Brazil will grow to such an extent that it will double the 2008 figures. “We believe we are going to be much more competitive in the coming years – it’s a challenge but we are very focussed in the industry.”

There is much concentration in the largest of the Latin American countries on developing the industrial sector and its impact on the economy, for example, the project “The Bigger Brazil” which includes large levels of investment in certain sectors such as aerospace. The significance of the automotive industry is also clear with some 55% of foundry products destined for the automotive sector. Brichesi and his ABIFA colleagues are adamant that this is one BRIC country that is very prepared for an increase in production and global demand with the introduction of the latest equipment and processes.

One can’t argue with the protectionist philosophy - the country has in place import taxes to discourage imports and is now concentrating efforts on exporting more products.

International partnership – ripe for the takingJoão Antonio of Deluma welcomed ABIFA’s efforts to facilitate increased business for its members. “This is an opportunity for us to learn about the global system, about how to build relationships and collaborate with other cultures. It’s new for us and we need this kind of meeting. We need to get good international partners, make good business and ultimately make money. We welcome everyone to talk with us.”

With responsibility for sourcing casting supply from Latin America for valves and measurement giant Cameron, Fabian Aceves understands the cultural aspects of Brazil and says he is particularly impressed with Brazilian foundrymen’s ability to adapt and respond to customer needs. “The foundries are widely knowledgeable,” he said. “You can see the influence of European manufacture and I think we will have good opportunities here.”

Cameron has already delved into the market and is currently working with Brazilian foundries but looking to grow this. “Our experience is that the people are hard-working and have excellent communication skills. The foundries we are working with have quality systems in place and they know their stuff.”

Certainly the geographical position of most of the foundries in Brazil means they are only a two hour time difference from the UK, three from mainland Europe and three from eastern sea board USA - a bonus in that any issues arising can be communicated and dealt with on that day. Communication, Aceves says, is the crucial aspect of trading with any nation. “Vertical communication is very important for us. We want to deal with one person who understands our needs and our business.”

Cameron is also keen to work with companies which can offer all facilities under one roof. “We are developing

integrated suppliers. We want our castings fully machined. When you have invested in quality, logistics and production you don’t want to discover at the last minute that there is a problem with the casting.” Although he said Cameron was optimistic with the casting sourcing opportunities in the region he said improved technology in machining was an important requirement for the company.

Cameron International is broadening its supply base in Latin America and Cameron’s new V&M facility in Salvador do Bahia (Vescon) is an example of the commitment to its expansion in Brazil. Aceves said the way to increase the business the company does with Brazilian, or indeed any foundries, was continuous development. “Like any customer, we want


The role of ABIFAABIFA was established in 1969 to assist the industry in technical development and encourage the exchange of ideas.

The ABIFA/Apex-Brasil Foundry Brazil project has been established to attract international business and foreign investment. Collectively, those companies involved in the programme have witnessed an increase in exports of around 6.3% on the previous year.

Commenting on the event Abifa reported: “Certainly Brazilians’ achieved their mission to promote a good foundry quality image that perhaps some foreign buyers might not have realised.

The event moved around US$1million of concrete business, and the future prospect could generate around US$ 46million, accordingly to the surveys filled out by the Brazilian foundry participants.”

The 4th edition of the event will be held at the end of 2013 along with the 16th ABIFA (Brazilian Foundry Association) Metalcasting Congress and 15th Latin American Foundry Fair, 15-18 October at the Expo Center Norte, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

faster response, better quality and improved deliveries.”

Forthcoming challenges and barriers to export successOne of the challenges for the promotion of Brazil as a supplier of castings is the country’s internal infrastructure which Brichesi says is unsatisfactory. “I am very unhappy about our infrastructure but I am very happy with the government position on the problem as they are committed to improving it. The forthcoming international sporting events will need this. The airports are being further developed. The 30,000km of railroads and 184,000km of paved roads are no longer state run and are now managed by private companies looking to improve them. Aside from their importance to encourage export trade, the development of the country’s infrastructure will be of further benefit to the foundry industry because the nature of the task will in itself demand more castings.”

Alberto Arellano, director of Latin America Castings Supply at Pentair Ltd was keen to see what Brazilian foundries had to offer but warned of the demands that would be placed on them: “When moving our supply base from other areas such as Asia, our expectations are shorter lead times. Better quality and good lead times incorporating the whole process from development to logistics is critical.” Headquartered in Switzerland, the global operations of Pentair Ltd purchase approx $230m of castings/year, of which only $12m is currently supplied from Brazil.

Brichesi appreciated the honesty of those global buyers taking part: “We are appreciative that price/lead time/quality are the key factors in winning orders. We must not suffer from lack of understanding of lead times from the customer. We cannot deny that lead times are important but we can reduce this for many countries such as Mexico and Argentina purely based on our proximity to them.”

For Saleh Awwad of Control Links Engineering, based in the Middle East, reliability and quality are paramount with his customers citing cost as less important. “We are supplying the power, energy, gas, oil and petrochemical sectors so our primary focus is the need for high quality castings supplied in suitable time frames to our customers’ expectations,” he told Castings Buyer.

The Brazilian foundry industry is currently focussing on material cost reductions after starting to lose competitiveness in the 1990s. At that time the government focus was on production of goods locally with an international price structure but local industry could not remain competitive at this level. The industry was then around 30% of GDP and is now just 14%.

Like their predecessors in other emerging nations such as China, Brazilian foundrymen recognise the need to highlight their capabilities and their abilities to adapt to European and North American requirements to be competitive.

Following an extensive period of development including the most recent $500,000 investment in robotics, one Brazilian foundry - Granaco- is looking to branch out into the wider world but recognises that labour costs could hinder export success. When questioned on the main barrier to achieving increased levels of export business owner Fernando K Oenning told Castings Buyer that automation was the key to growth at his 200-strong employee foundry. “Labour cost and our tax structure are issues for Brazilian foundries and we are looking to automate our processes and production more to combat this. We must do this to be more competitive. Energy is also expensive but we must invest to grow our business.” He said the Foundry Brazil meetings had far exceeded his expectations.

Thomas Mochen of KML Brasil, who works with foundries in the country, echoed Oenning’s praise. “ABIFA has done an excellent job organising this event which has proved very positive for us,” he said. “The calibre of the buyers here is very high and our expectations have been exceeded by 200%.”

They are optimistic about the future of the industry in the country. “The eyes of the world are on Brazil and we must live up to this and provide them with a new region to source castings from,” said American Mochen who has spent many years working in Brazil. “Quality and dependability are not the problem, price will be the issue we must concentrate on but the government has recognised this and is taking steps to change things. There is a lot of space for growth in Brazil and the world is noting this.”

If the eyes of the world really are on Brazil they could do no better than to focus on the high level of professionalism and determination with which the 3rd Foundry Brazil Round Table Business Event was organised. With high caliber buyers from Cameron Valves and Measurement, Caterpillar Inc, Commercialisadora de Repuestos CDR, Control Links Engineering, Dake Diesel Frenossrl, Eagle Quest International, Eugen Klein GmbH, Indra Repuestos, Majorfax Ltd, Pentair Ltd, and Taurus International Corporation, the foundries taking part had a captive audience to pitch to and the perfect opportunity to make a case for international co-operation.


The rear subframe is one of the safety-critical chassis components in the new Range Rover manufactured by Land Rover. It joins the perfectly co-ordinated chassis of the luxury off-road vehicle to its bodywork.

Because of its size and complexity of assembly, Martinrea Honsel opted to produce the component as a greensand casting which is a highly cost-efficient process. The specialist in lightweight design casts the subframe (which measures 1188 x 805 x 332mm) in only one piece and forms the hollow structure by

Land Rover goes 'light metal': Martinrea Honsel combines highest safety standards with weight-savings in the aluminium rear subframe for the new Range Rover

inserting a solid sand core. The company installed a new production line with a high degree of automation in a new building specially for this project. The process is fully automated and interlinked, from core production through metal pouring to assembly. After undergoing extensive machining, press insertion of sleeves and the mounting of reinforcing elements, the subframe is dispatched to the customer's production line ready for assembly. Its design and production are geared to assure the prescribed mechanical characteristics as well as the required fatigue strength of the light-metal components.

At a weight of just under 29kg, the rear subframe is around 15kg lighter than its steel predecessor and makes a substantial contribution to reducing the weight of the finished vehicle and improving its environmental compatibility. "Our innovative lightweight solutions are the right response to the industry's demand for cleaner and more economical vehicles. 100kg less vehicle weight means up to 25g less CO

2 emitted to the atmosphere",

said Dr Heinrich Fuchs, director aluminium development at Martinrea Honsel.

Besides the subframe, the company also supplies the front shock towers and the V6 and V8 engine blocks for the Range Rover to Jaguar Land Rover. In its luxury-class off-road vehicles, Land Rover has made a conscious decision in favour of light-metal components, thereby complying with its corporate strategy for sustainability entitled "Our Planet".

www.martinrea-honsel.com

Mobility, environmental sustainability and comfort are the decisive aspects in the present-day development of automotive products. Reducing fuel consumption and cutting CO

2 emissions are

essential factors in automotive design which make it imperative to reduce vehicle weight. At the same time, there must be no compromise in passenger comfort and safety. Martinrea Honsel supports its customers with intelligent solutions in the field of lightweight design while fulfilling all the requirements of component safety. The aluminium rear subframes for the Range Rover are excellent examples of these priorities.

With the aluminium rear subframe for the new Range Rover Martinrea Honsel combines weightsavings and safety standards as an intelligent solution in the field of lightweight design


14 Bas Castings HPV 4/11/03 12:00 pm Page 1

Quality iron castings supplied

to worldwide market sectors that demand

the highest level of integrity of

product.

Castings are produced within a weight range of .5 kgs to 5000 kgs to the following material

specifications:• SG Iron • Grey Iron •

• Austempered Ductile Iron •• Ni Resist • Ni Hard •

• SiMo • CGI •

The following accreditations are held:• BS EN ISO 9001-2008 • DNV •

• ABS • Lloyds Register •• BV • TUV • GL •

We provide our clients with the following services• Assistance with product development to target

lower manufacturing costs.• Magma Simulation •

• Non Destructive testing •• Machining •

• Painting / Coating •• Assembly •

BAS CASTINGS LIMITEDWharf Road Industrial Estate,

Pinxton, Notts NG16 6LE

Tel: 01773 812028Fax: 01773 861948

Email: [email protected]: www.bascastings.com

BAS CASTINGS LTDTechnical excellence

combined with a strong focus on customer service

2013 marks the 40th anniversary of BAS Castings Ltd. Constructed on a greenfield site in 1973, the purpose-built foundry has grown to be a leading iron foundry in the UK.

Continued investment in modern manufacturing techniques, career training and a commitment to quality & environmental management systems has enabled BAS Castings to provide a cost effective and flexible approach to customer demands.

Specialising in high integrity castings in all grades of iron and alloyed iron, the company exports castings worldwide to a wide range of customers operating in technically demanding market applications.

All castings offered are manufactured under strict operating control at the company’s Pinxton facility.

Customers are valued partners and key to BAS Castings’ continued business development. Close liaison through all stages of the production cycle, including initial design, ensures the company is able to offer a first class product manufactured in the most cost effective manner. The aim is to ensure that commercial advantage and product dependability result in increased business opportunities for both parties.

If required, castings can be supplied either in the proof machined or fully machined condition. The company has a strong network of local machining companies on its approval register that they work with regularly providing competitive pricing and flexibility to provide fast turnaround times.

A major capital investment programme has been approved and is planned for 2014. This will result in the capability to increase the maximum casting size to 7.5 tonne and increase output from the foundry by 30%.

In order to take maximum advantage of the planned new facilities, BAS has just completed a two-year project to change the environmental status of the company from a traditional SME foundry operating under part B process to a more tightly monitored and controlled part A2 process. The new permit effectively lifts all production restrictions. The previous part B permit was concerned only with emissions to air but the new A2 permit now in place requires an integrated management approach to all environmental impacts. Independent organisations make regular assessments to ensure that the high standard of performance required is maintained.

An environmental management system is in place to ensure that measures are in place to meet current and future legislative requirements.For full company details please visit www.bascastings.com

Promoting the uk foundry industry


Industry in focus

Draycast FoundriesSince inception in 1964 Draycast Foundries has worked closely with customers to build close and open relationships, whilst understanding that they are looking for clarity, consistency and commitment from the foundry to ensure their products can be built with a minimum amount of disruption and rejection.

To facilitate that, Draycast emphasises the importance of communication and likes to get involved at all stages of development from the design to delivery. Thanks to this approach the company has enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years particularly in complex castings made in aluminium bronze.

Production facilities employ leading edge technologies and the staff understand the demands of the businesses they work with. Production methods and performance are continually analysed to ensure the foundry is constantly learning how to improve its processes. They look to invest in plant, techniques, processes and systems which will keep the company ahead of the competition.

Many of the castings made at Draycast are complex both in terms of the design and the materials used. Demanding applications require experience and expertise allied with the scientific approach afforded by the latest computer aided methoding.

The company enjoys close and loyal relationships with its customers who know they will be engaged with and that Draycast employees will go out of their way to help whenever they can. For more information visit: www.draycast.co.uk

Bellingdon Road Tel: +44 1494 786077Chesham Fax: +44 1494 791337Buckinghamshire Email: [email protected] 2NR Web: www.draycast.co.uk

Draycast offer a sub-contract aluminium & bronze casting service to companies throughout the UK and worldwide

Quality, service, value for money andreliability are the cornerstones

of the business.

draycast foundries limited.

Non-Ferrous Castings

Aluminium Castings Aluminium Bronze Castings Gunmetal Castings Brass Castings ASTM Alloys Sand Castings Die Castings Pattern Making NDT Machining Finishing

Expertise

Ingenious solutions from prototype through to production

Leadership

Spearheading innovation for more than 75 years

Service

Delivering superior components quickly and cost effectively

casting solutions in aluminium

For more information please visit www.sarginsons.com or call +44 (0) 2476 466 291

Sarginsons continues to deliver diecasting excellenceSarginsons Industries Ltd is one of the leading precision aluminium diecasters in the country.

A one stop shop for precision aluminium diecasting, consulting and advising from prototype to production, Sarginsons has been spearheading innovation for more than 75 years.

With state-of-the-art machinery and a workforce comprising some of the UK’s most skilled diecasting specialists, Sarginsons boasts unrivalled expertise. In addition, the firm’s flagship foundry in Coventry is the only site in Europe to provide low pressure, gravity and sand diecasting, all under the same roof.

As a low pressure diecasting centre of excellence, Sarginsons has recently undergone a £2.5million capital investment drive, which includes the installation of two LPM automated diecasting machines, a high-tech Kuka robotic finishing cell and electric environmentally-friendly furnaces.

Sarginsons is trusted by some of the most respected names across industries including automotive, petro-chemical, energy and engineering, with clients including Jaguar Land Rover, Rotork, Bosch, JCB and Caterpillar.

16610 SAR_CastingsBuyer_A5_AW.indd 1 25/04/2013 15:33


Industry in focus

www.majorfax.co.uk

Global Sourcing Specialistsof ferrous and non ferrous castings

Tel: +44 1922 645815

Majorfax LimitedMajorfax 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.

Brass Founders Sheffield Incorporating J. T. Barker

Gower Works, 189 Carlisle Street, Sheffield S4 7LJ Tel: +44 (0) 114 272 7557 Fax: +44 (0) 114 272 7811

Web site: www.brassfounders.com E-mail [email protected]

A Division of Europa Engineering Ltd

Web site: www.brassfounders.com E-mail [email protected] Registered Office: Europa Engineering Ltd

Holmes Lock Works, Steel Street, Holmes, Rotherham, S61 1DF

ISO 9001: 2008

GB00497

QUALITY IRON & S.G. CASTINGS

APPROVED TO ISO 9001:2008LLOYDS REGISTER AND GERMANISCHER LLOYD

Complete Heat Treatment ServiceExtensive Patternmaking and Machining facilitiesIndividual Weights up to 25 tonnes in Grey Iron,

20 Tonnes in S.G. Iron and up to 6 tonnes weight in alloyed irons

Coupe Foundry Ltd, Higher Walton,Preston, Lancashire PR5 4DQ.

Tel: Preston 01772 338151Fax: 01772 627609

Email: [email protected]

COUPEF O U N D R Y


Industry in focus

MRT CastingsMRT 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 five 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 13 CNC machining centres, MRT have an extensive range of Brother high speed 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. For further information: tel: (+44) 1264 324021; fax: (+44) 1264 333773; e-mail: [email protected]; web: www.mrt-castings.co.uk

Advertisement Feature

Your Complete Solution for Quality Non-Ferrous Components

MRT Castings Ltd Walworth Estate Andover SP10 5JT01264 324021 www.mrt-castings.co.uk

S M A L L A N D M E D i u M b A T C h S P E C i A L i S T S

Pressure Diecasting

sanD casting

graVitY Diecasting

cnc MacHining

FinisHing anD asseMBLY

SKA2307-MRT 1-4 A4 Rev.indd 1 18/7/08 09:48:25

quality sand castings and fully equipped machine shop

material specifications equipped machine shop grey iron bsen 1561 en gJL-150, 200, 250, verticaL boring UP to 3.2M Ø 300, 350 cnc eLga MiLL 10M beD sg irons bsen 1563 en gJs - aLL graDes cnc gantry MiLL 6M X 2.5M X 1.78M ni-resist – bs3468 cnc HoriZontaL borer WitH 4 aXis ni-HarD – bs4844 2.2M X 1.6M X 1.6M 5” sPinDLe cast steeLs tUrning bc 8M X 950 Dia over beD stainLess steeLs Lifting caPacity 20 tonnes HigH teMPeratUre steeLs

soLUtion ProviDers for aLL engineering ProJectsaPProvaL iso 9001:2008

UK and European Enquiries Welcome


Industry in focus

®

Cannop Foundry LtdCrabtree Road Cinderford Glos. GL142YQ

T: +44 (0) 1594 823966 F: +44 (0) 1594 824200 E: [email protected] www.cannop.co.uk

For More Information please contact:Mr Rod Meredith - Operations Director

M: +44 (0) 7899 665679 E: [email protected] Jay Kitchen - Technical Director

M: +44 (0) 7931 343799 E: [email protected]

Thoni AlutecUnit 10A, Ironworks Business Centre

Selby, YO8 4NNNorth Yorkshire, England

Tel Direct Line: +44 (0) 1757 702010Tel Mobile: +44 (0) 7931 343799

www.thoni-alutec.com

For More Information please contact:Mr Jay Kitchen - Technical Director E: [email protected]

Thoni-Alutec has seen significant investment over the last year which builds on its goal to be a provider of fully finished castings. 2012 saw the expansion of its machining capability with the purchase of a 25,000 sqM production facility in neighbouring Nisko. Here we ma-chine from solid materials such as titanium, superalloys, aluminium and magnesium to exacting tolerances to aerospace standards. Further operations such as assembly and processes such as joining casting to extruded parts are carried out here as well.

The Aerospace & Military business has seen significant growth with the addition of numerous new customers. The automotive and rail-way business is set to increase by 100% in 2013.

The low pressure foundry has doubled its capacity with the addi-tion of a new machine to meet the high quality demands and tech-nical specifications for today’s customers who recognise the advan-tages of this process.

The significant expansion born over the last few years is due to rec-ognition by customers of the advantages of not just having a cast-ing facility but also by encompassing further finishing process from machining assembly and painting the customer has the satisfaction that he can purchase a fully finished product ready to fall into their production plans. Thoni Alutec will continue to expand this philoso-phy and will continue to improve and innovate in the future.

It’s now been over a Year since Cannop foundry was acquired by Thoni-Alutec one of Europe’s premium casting producers. In this time Cannop has seen significant investment in infra structure equipment and personnel, as well as significant growth in its customer base. Im-provements to existing manufacturing facilities include the cleaning and refurbishment of the factory buildings including the office and laboratory facilities. The foundry has seen significant investment in moulding, melting and fettling equipment. Processes that were origi-nally subcontracted out are gradually being brought in house such as shot blasting, heat treatment and mechanical testing.

Cannop currently supply a very wide and varied product range to numerous market sectors such as automotive prototyping in engine blocks and heads, safety critical valves, heat exchangers, power generation engine components, exhaust manifolds, pumps, gear-boxes and general engineering sectors etc.

Cast components are produced from a wide range of ferrous al-loys and non ferrous alloys utilising the latest melting and casting techniques to ensure components are manufactured to the highest integrity. The Iron Foundry specialises in the manufacture of compo-nents in Grey, Ductile, (SG), CGI, SiMo, Wear resistant Alloys (Ni-Hard), Austempered ductile Irons (ADI). The Non Ferrous Foundry produces sand and gravity die castings in aluminium to BS1490 or BS EN 1706

The site currently holds approvals for the manufacture of castings to ISO9001:2008 along with several major worldwide Customer based approvals.

Industry in focus

Looking for a Casting Supplier?any metal, any quantity, any process

Since 1959 Archibald Young Ltd has been noted for quality castings in copper-based and aluminium alloys. As a result of investment and acquisition, our product range has extended to include iron alloys and high conductivity copper, produced at our Premier Castings and Peel Jones Copper Products foundries.

Over the years we have maintained our reputation for reliability by retaining the traditional foundry skills used to produce a wide variety of castings, ranging from 0.1kg to 3 tonnes in weight, for customers in marine, civil and general engineering, pump and valve manufacturing, steel making, shipbuilding, mining, tooling, lighting and architectural applications.

Variety and flexibility are our specialities. Whether one off or batch production, our service is second to none. Pattern-making and machining services are also available in-house to provide the complete foundry package, all of which is accredited to ISO 9001:2008.

Our foundries combine a rare blend of craft skills enhanced by modern technology to supply quality castings and suit all our customer requirements. The foundry group can cast up to 1000kgs in copper-based and aluminium alloys, 1800kgs in HC copper and 3000kgs in iron alloys. Our moulding and metallurgical skills have created a multi-disciplined foundry acting as a one-stop-shop to service our diverse customer base throughout the U.K. and worldwide.

Proof and finish-machined castings can be supplied from our conventional machine shop, which is fully equipped for milling, turning and drilling. Our C.N.C. capacity covers light to medium repetition work and produces components for our own range of ships’ valves and fittings for wet and dry riser systems.

Now in its 3rd generation of family ownership, the Archibald Young Group is committed to continual investment in training and facilities to ensure that we are building for the future and maintaining our reputation for customer service.

For further information: tel: +44 (0) 141 776 7701 fax: +44 (0) 141 775 1743. e-mail: [email protected]

Archibald Young Group

Modern Manufacturing facilities with 1200 employees based in Poland.

Aluminium and Magnesium Castings in: High Precision SandLow Pressure DieGravity Die

Capability: Design Pattern making Comprehensive inspection facilitiesCNC Machining Surface treatmentAssembly

Quality: NADCAP ISO9001 EN/AS 9100 IRIS DB

Markets: Medical Energy Railway AerospaceAutomotive Defense & Marine etc

For more information contact: Mr. Jay Kitchen,Thoni-Alutec UKUnit 10A, Ironworks Business CentreSelby, YO8 4NNNorth Yorkshire, EnglandTel Direct Line: +44 (0) 1757 702010Tel Mobile: +44 (0) 7931 343799E: [email protected]

For All Your Precision Alloy Casting Needs

www.thoni-alutec.com

Comprehensive inspection facilities