Case Study – Foundry Plant

Foundry
A foundry is an industrial plant where metal is melted and cast into specific shapes by pouring it
into a mold.

History
The foundry and furnace originated from Mesopotamia and regions of Iraq and Syria. Clay castings and
hot fire pits worked to melt and shape copper, gold, and silver. These primitive foundries melted copper
and were capable of creating more complex forms, but it wasn’t until tin was introduced that metal
working made a significant advance. The addition of tin lowered the temperature at which the two
metals melted and formed bronze—the first alloy.

Vannoccio Biringuccio (1480-1539) is known as the “FATHER OF THE FOUNDRY INDUSTRY” as he became
the author of the first manual on foundries, from which the technology was further developed.

The first official foundry was known as the “Canon Shop,” which was built in Moscow in 1479.
The 14th and 15th century metal foundry industry in Europe became known for the production
of bronze and iron bells, canons, and cannon balls.

Developments in Foundry Industry

Foundry processes are continuously developing to improve the quality of products and production
efficiency, and take advantage of new technologies.

Furnace Developments
Cupola Furnace
The Cupola furnace was developed in 1720 by Frenchman, René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur. The
dome shaped structure has an opening to supply the charge and hinged doors at the base to empty the
furnace after shutdown. A coke bed supports the melting metal, coke, and limestone flux charge above
the tuyeres (openings where air is supplied). Although the Cupola furnace once dominated the foundry
landscape, it has now been largely replaced by more efficient Electric Induction and Electric Arc
Furnaces.

Induction Furnace
Electric induction furnaces use a high power alternating current flowing through a coil to induce eddy
currents in the metal thus generating heat, and are most commonly found in production foundries
today.
Electric Arc Furnace
Graphite electrodes create the electric arc and supply current as the energy source to melt iron. The first
electric arc furnace was created in 1900 by Paul Héroult of France. In 1907, a commercial plant was
established in the United States. These furnaces are more economical at lower production rates and can
be operated intermittently, giving more flexibility to metal foundries.

Casting Developments
In ancient times, metal casting was done in clay molds. As time progressed, technological developments
transformed the casting process—from sand castings to electromagnetic technology.

Sand Castings
Vannochio Birringucio, the late 15th and early 16th century foundryman, wrote a book about all
forms of casting and related work. The book describes the use of sand castings, the next major
phase of casting technology. Initially sand would be mixed with clay as a binding agent so that
the mold would keep its shape during casting, but over time new types of sand and bonding
agents have been developed.

Green sand is one of the most common materials in use today. Historically, green sand
consisted of silica sand, bentonite clay, water, and sea coal. However, sea coal is no longer
commonly used today and has been replaced by other materials. While green sand
casting remains in common use, “no-bake,” chemical set, or cold-set processes are becoming
predominant in today’s foundries.

Die Casting
Die casting and investment molding are modern techniques using newly available materials to improve
the quality of casting finish and the cost of production. Die casting is characterized by forcing molten
metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. A hot- or cold-chamber machine is used depending on the
type of metal being cast. Die castings are known for providing a good surface finish and dimensional
consistency.

Continuous Casting
Perhaps the most significant advance in the casting process has been the introduction of the continuous
casting machine. Molten metal is poured into a mold and slowly withdrawn to create continuous lengths
of solidified metal. The major advantage of this carbon steel casting method is the elimination of some
of the downstream processing steps. These semi-finished products can be more easily transformed into
finished products through rolling.
Permanent Molds
In the 21st century, casting processes took another leap forward through the introduction of
electromagnetic technology. An induction coil is wrapped around a water-cooled mold with
alternating current generating electromagnetic fields.

These electromagnetic fields pass through the cooling metal causing the formation of eddy
currents in the molten metal resulting in two positives outcomes:

 The contact between the cooling metal and the mold surface is “soft” giving a better
quality of finish. In standard water-cooled casting, a thick skin of coarse microstructure
forms due to “hard” contact with the mold. This skin is milled off prior to rolling, resulting
in significant wastage of product and an increase in costs.
 The homogeneity of the metal is greatly improved with a reduction in grain boundary
segregations.

Future Tech Trends

Efficiency is the predominant motivation driving technological advances in foundries. There is a
strong focus on reducing energy consumption due to an emphasis on sustainable
manufacturing, as well as the associated reduction in costs. A smaller labor force in foundries
will also reduce the potential for injuries and optimize production.

Improvements in automation and a movement towards computer simulations—such as

solidification simulation software—will reduce the dependence of the foundry industry on labor
and improve accuracy and efficiency. Computer aided process simulation offers process models
which are now sufficiently mature. This enables foundry engineers to use the virtual world in
preparation for the real world, therefore minimizing the number of trial iterations.

The coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is bringing a new level of precision measurement to
the shop floor in the machining industry. Inspection of holes, slots, welded parts, and
deformations can be done quickly—significantly reducing cycle time. The scanned data is then
combined with tactile results in graphical reports for easy interpretation. The CMM is a driving
force in increasing productivity and providing practical insight.