vol 16 no 6 - castings sa sa...2 castings sa vol 16 no 6 april 2016 editor’s comment exploring new...

castings sa vol 16 no 6 April 2016 1

Castings SAvol 16 no 6ISSN 1605-7589

Publishing EditorBruce Crawford

Online EditorDamon Crawford

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castings sa, published every second month, is the official journal of the South African Institute of Foundrymen (SAIF). The information and ideas presented in castings sa do not necessarily reflect the position of the SAIF staff, executive, advisors, sponsors or members.

4 cover storyHigh performance mould and core coatings — providing superior casting finish

6 industry newsPressure Die Castings; Scaw Metals Group; Industry 4.0; Mineral-Loy; Endeco Omega equipment; MRA oppose ITAC; Policy over scrap metal; Scaw Metals; ArcelorMittal South Africa; Locally manufactured valves and actuators; IMP/Bruker Elemental Day; VDMA Foundry Machinery division

30 international news49th Census of World Casting Production; Al-Li performance; 2016 International Aluminium Diecasting Competition winners; AFS; Corrosion-resistant magnesium; Ferrous scrap values; Global strategic partnership; GMTN; ACTech; ASK Chemicals; Scrap aluminium alloys

44 product review Prevent the wrong alloy from causing environmental disaster; Vulcan Engineering; ASK Chemicals; General Kinematics Vibra-Drum®

castings saA specialised journal covering the technology,

processors and materials field for castings

volume 16 number 6April 2016

2 castings sa vol 16 no 6 April 2016

EditOR’S COMMEntExploring new ideas in your foundry

To coin a phrase from the latest Nando’s radio advert: “South Africans have a lot of

'Gates' to get through these days… luckily our doors are always wide open.” How wide open are your doors to exploring new ideas in your foundry? I know of one foundry that practices open-book management with an emphasis on product delivery and quality. They have a strategy that is focused on increasing factory productivity and training employees, which ultimately leads

to improving quality and reducing costs.While the topic of robots and automation continues to spur

intense development, innovation and debate, say “automation,” and the picture of a robot is probably what comes to mind. Automation is, of course, a much bigger idea than this, and there are different and simpler ways to realise a more automated process than robotic automation. That said, a robot is among the most powerful and versatile automation tools, and there’s no denying that robotics shine when applied in situations with repetitive tasks, such as load handling in production runs.

However, there are other possibilities for you to consider. Let the employees on the floor see exactly the same production metrics that the facility’s managers are watching. One way to do this is with a monitor displaying the performance in real time. Put their performance on display. Just making the metrics public and visible often leads to direct and measurable improvement in those numbers. Put their performance on display.

Bring discipline to devices. The distraction of employees’ personal devices can be a source of inefficiency. The cameras in those devices pose a security risk in the case of sensitive parts. If you banned cellphone use in the foundry you will see measurable productivity gains and probably some surprising feedback.

Inefficient equipment is easy to spot. Inefficiencies resulting from software limitations are harder to notice. Hardest of all to see are the inefficiencies resulting from software that your foundry lacks altogether.

Non-value-added activity is pervasive in manufacturing. Many of the wasteful steps are invisible, because they are an unexamined part of what the foundry does routinely. Walk through your foundry and your processes specifically looking for various types of waste.

Use a 3D printer. Once you buy a 3D printer, even a small and relatively inexpensive one, it will be difficult not to use it. The freedom it gives you to generate customised, functional objects can provide the answer to many nagging problems that previously went unaddressed.

Identify the challenge that suggests the next advance. Challenges often arise gradually. It is easy to accept some slowly growing difficulty as just a chronic problem that has become a bit worse over time. But that growing difficulty might be a sea of change.

This particular foundry has deployed robots on its foundry floor, continued to develop and implement new technologies and is reaping the benefits.

As the company says: “With the recent capital investment and automation programme that we have embarked on, coupled with a better organisational performance, we have found that we are very competitive against components and products being imported from the East, even with their relatively cheap labour costs.”

The aim of the SAIF is to promote and develop within Southern Africa the science, technology and application of founding for individuals and involved industries.

Membership Fees for 2016Junior MemberR100.00 per annum

Individual MemberR750.00 per annum

Small Company Member – 1 to 20 employees R3 300.00 per annum

Medium Company Member – 21 to 75 employees R5 000.00 per annum

Large Company Member – 76 and above employees R6 600.00 per annum

Retired Member R350.00 per annum

International Member – on application

All prices include VAT

Council Appointments for 2015/2016President - Takalani Madzivhandila Vice President - Janley Kotze Treasurer - Justin de Beer Constitutional Members

Immediate Past President - Enno Krueger

Elected MembersAndrew McFarlane Adrie El Mohamadi David Mertens Colin Smit Bruce Crawford Cyprian KyaluJohn Davies Dalmari McQueenKevin van Niekerk Joshua van FlymanNigel Pardoe

Address detailsUniversity of Johannesburg Metal Casting Technology Station - Metallurgy Room G101, John Orr Building, Corner Siemert and Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng. Postal Address: P.O. Box 14863, Wadeville, 1422.

John Davies - Tel: +27 (11) 559 6468; Cell: 083 630 2809; email: [email protected]

Executive Secretary - Tel: +27 (11) 559 6455; Fax: +27 (11) 559 6526; email: [email protected]

Website: www.foundries.org.za

Dates for SAIF future activities24 May 2016 – SAIF AGM: Reading Country Club03 June 2016 – SAIF Annual Awards Dinner: Emperors Palace10 November 2016 – SAIF Annual Golf Day: Reading Country Club14 – 17 March 2017 – Metal Casting Conference/WFO 2017 Technical Forum/BRICS Foundry Forum 2017: Emperors Palace

south african institute of foundrymen


cover story

High performance mould and core coatings for the elimination of surface defects providing superior casting finish

The foundry industry encompasses many metal types and production processes, producing an array of cast components in a multitude of different sizes. To

acknowledge this diversity, Foseco have developed a variety of coating ranges to ensure that product and process are optimised. These include:

RheotecA range of water-based coatings with superior dipping

properties, designed specifically to meet the demanding requirements of the production iron foundry.

Semco and TenoSemco water-based and Teno solvent based coatings are

available in a full range of application rheologies and refractory combinations to offer superior performance to individual foundry requirements.

Specialist coatings for:• Lostfoamandfullmouldprocesses• Spunpipeproduction• Theenhancementofmetallurgicalproperties• Theprotectionofrefractoriesandmetaltools

All Foseco products are supported by a team of technical experts who can advise and help you to develop optimised coating practices.

SteelThe high casting temperatures associated with steel

foundries requires careful selection of refractory materials, to

ensure full protection against metal penetration and burn-on defects. The Semco and Teno range of coatings for steel applications utilise high purity zirconium silicate refractories to offer protection under the most extreme casting conditions.

A full range of specialist products is also available to cover specific applications, such as the high demands of manganese steel, highly alloyed stainless steels or metal penetration due to hot spots or high metallostatic pressures.

These products are formulated to ensure rheology is optimised for specific application methods.

Jobbing ironThis segment of the market is typified by the variety of size

and shape of cast components, ranging from many tons to less than a kilogram. The processing of such components in short runs requires flexible manufacturing techniques. This variety and flexibility is reflected within the coating product ranges on offer from Foseco.

The Semco and Teno product ranges utilise precise blends of refractory fillers to ensure ultimate protection of both mould and core. In the case of heavy sectioned castings a combination of high purity zirconium silicate and graphitic fillers provide optimum refractoriness and prevention of metal penetration, whilst maintaining a good strip and reducing “white shining”. As section thickness is reduced, alternative fillers such as alumino silicates can be introduced to improve insulation properties and help to eliminate sand expansion defects, whilst maintaining excellent strip and casting surface finish. A full range of specialist products is also available to cover specific applications, such as prevention of flake reversion in ductile iron.


All these products are formulated to ensure rheology is optimised for specific application methods.

Production ironHigh production foundries with a large proportion of cored

castings, typify this segment. The production unit is typically highly automated and the application of coating is normally via a dipping operation. The Rheotec, Semco and Teno range of coatings are focused on providing exceptional dipping characteristics, whilst ensuring internal surfaces are free from casting defects.

Refractory filler combinations are carefully selected and controlled and rheological properties are designed to apply a controlled coating layer. Specific coatings are available to offer superb protection against a number of common defects.

An example of this is Rheotec XL, which offers unparalleled protection against the formation of veining defects.

Metallurgical coatingsA full range of specialist products is also available to cover

specific applications, such as localised chill and grain refinement. Tellurit chill-promoting coatings for grey cast iron are ideal for producing a wear resistant surface.

Molco 50 dressings are designed for the localised densening of grey cast iron. They can eliminate the use of metal chills and are useful for treating heat centres affected by open grain structure that are difficult to feed.

Full mould and lost foam processesSemco perm is a range of water based coatings designed to

promote excellent surface finish and dimensional stability whilst avoiding common problems such as lustrous carbon formation, metal penetration and premature mould collapse.

Permeability and composition have been specifically designed to meet the requirements of lost foam. The coatings can be applied by spray, dipping or brush.

Spun pipeSpuncote are specialist products formulated to provide a

permeable coating with very low gas evolution for the centrifugal casting process. They can also assist metal flow and promote easier stripping of the finished casting.

Tools and refractoriesFracton coatings are used for the protection of refractory

surfaces, metal dies and launders, pig moulds and other metal tools.

EquipmentFoseco offer a wide range of equipment for the handling

and application of refractory coatings, ranging from containers and mixer units to spray equipment, flow coating units as well as automated application control systems.

Flow coatingPioneers in the development of

flow coating technology, Foseco’s Flow Coating Unit is specifically designed to meet the needs of the foundry such as consistent, operator independent application of the coating, even coverage of all mould surfaces including vertical walls and deep pockets, reduced mould abrasion and subsequent sand and refractory inclusions, absence of unsightly brush

or swab marks and the enhancement of finer detail such as numbering and lettering.

ProtectionA refractory coating provides a protective barrier between

the molten metal and the mould or core substrate during the casting process, and ensures the integrity of the as cast surface.

Defect preventionThrough the use of carefully selected refractory fillers,

Foseco coatings are designed to deposit the correct coating structure onto a given substrate, to ensure cast surface integrity and help in the reduction and elimination of a number of casting defects such as metal penetration, poor casting strip, mould erosion, gas defects, metal/mould reactions, sand expansion defects, metallurgical defects and scabbing defects.

ApplicationTo deposit a consistent layer of coating, which is free of

runs, drips and other discontinuities, products have been developed with specific rheological properties to suit a wide range of application methods including dipping, flow coating, brushing and spraying.

ControlThe thickness of the coating layer, when dry, should be

sufficient to supply the required protection. Within a production environment it is recommended that dry layer thickness is related to wet layer - film thickness comb, viscosity - flow cup and baume - baume stick.

For more information contact Foseco on TEL: 011 903 9500 or visit www.foseco.com


industry news

Pressure Die Castings invests in a new zinc HPDC machine and a chrome plating plant

“Ten years ago we made a strategic decision to move further up the value chain, with an emphasis on product delivery and quality.

The strategy involved reconfiguring the business, increasing factory productivity and training employees, which would ultimately lead to improving quality and reducing costs,” explains Pressure Die Castings (PDC) managing director Mike Wolhuter.

“We also employed a number of smart and innovative engineers who are constantly working on important areas such as energy savings and process design improvements. They are continuously pushing the boundary for implementing radical and new ideas, including automation. However, with the ever-increasing challenges of regulation and energy costs, the importance of continuing to develop and implement new technologies has never been greater.”

“The recent developments at PDC are as a result of a long term technical and business relationship with Cobra, a client of ours in the plumbing industry. Both Cobra and PDC are in the brass industry. However, our association goes beyond the normal client/supplier relationship in that we regularly share knowledge on brass processing, alloying and other technical aspects that can make improvements in the final component that we supply to them.”

“A few years ago Cobra decided to get out of high pressure die casting brass and focus on gravity and low pressure casting. We acquired their high pressure die casting equipment and tooling and continued to supply a selection of brass components to them.”

“During one of our recent discussions we were asked by Cobra to look into the feasibility of manufacturing HPDC zinc components with a chrome plating finish to help the client ‘reshore’ products from the east back into South Africa.”

“The revival of OEMs’ demand for domestically produced castings is gradually gaining traction in South Africa, although it is no sudden phenomenon worldwide. It does present an opportunity for local metal casting execs who are determined to improve their organisations’ competitiveness.”

“Executives of efficient foundries and die-casters who overcome organisational inertia and take steps needed to improve their competitiveness can meet the price and delivery requirements of casting buyers and take advantage of the ‘reshoring’ trend - casting orders once assigned to cheaper foreign metal-casters, but now returning due to rising Far Eastern labour costs, fluctuating foreign exchange rates and logistical difficulties.”

New zinc HPDC machine and a chrome plating plant“However it went beyond ‘reshoring’. Cobra had previously

tried the local route but soon became fed up with the local suppliers blaming each other for not delivering the quality that is expected of them. They operate in a very competitive area of supplying aesthetic sanitary and plumbing products and need to have a showroom finish.”

“As we have had many years of experience in high pressure die casting the proposal was put to us (PDC) that we manufacture a certain range of their zinc products as well as the finishing aspect. We agreed to take on the project where we would cast, polish and chrome plate the parts so there was no finger pointing.”

“We knew this would be a challenge as Cobra’s plating standard is the “Rolls Royce” of sanitary/plumbing in South Africa.”

“The project involved us purchasing a 160 ton hot chamber HPDC machine from Taiwanese manufacturer Producer CO Ltd. It is the first fully automatic HPDC machine that we have

The new chrome plating plant is capable of processing 500 000 components per month with an OEE of 80%. PDC is not a jobbing

operation and has reserved the full capacity for Cobra’s production

The project involved purchasing a 160 ton hot chamber HPDC machine from Taiwanese manufacturer Producer CO Ltd


installed at PDC and includes auto spray, auto cycle and auto picking and typically producing three components every 15 seconds on a three cavity die.”

“The machine has turned out to be reliable and able to produce parts of a good quality. This has pushed us to investigate fully automating our brass and aluminium machines to improve throughput rate and increase quality. We are currently automating an aluminium HPDC machine for business that we have received in the automotive industry from Toyota and Ford. Our next challenge will be to automate a brass casting machine — a lot more challenging!”

“The chrome plating process is a four stage plating process - Cyanide copper, acid copper, Nickel and then chrome plating. This gives you a 30 micron coating that is aesthetically stunning and has good corrosion resistance.”

“The plating plant is fully automated and includes off line filtering and heating on the process tanks, reverse plating of jigs, auto dosing of chemicals into the tank and reverse plating in the Nickel tank, all designed to achieve optimum quality.”

“The plating plant is capable of processing 500 000 components per month with an OEE of 80%. PDC is not a jobbing operation and has reserved the full capacity for Cobra’s production.”

“We have been contracted to initially manufacture six relatively small products, about 50mm x 50mm in size on average, with high aesthetic and high volume requirements. This contract will utilise about 50% of the plating plant, but we have an understanding with Cobra that we will be awarded further contracts once we have achieved their “Rolls Royce” status.”

“We have also installed a comprehensive effluent treatment

plant and are looking at reusing all the waste water wherever it is practically possible.”

Positive results with capital investment and automation“With the recent capital investment and automation

programme that we have embarked on at PDC, coupled with a better organisational performance, we have found that we are very competitive against components and products being imported from the East even with their relatively cheap labour costs.”

“Executives dissatisfied with the status quo need to understand that clients can be persuaded to purchase their cast products again from domestic foundries - from their foundry - not for patriotic reasons, but because they can make quick deliveries of quality products at reasonable prices.”

“This year we expect about 30% of our turnover to be in components and products that were previously sourced from the East. This is as a result of us reconfiguring our business, increasing factory productivity, including automation, and training our employees.”

“The most successful business executives I have met are never fully satisfied with current results. They have a gnawing sense that if they had only made an extra effort here, had asked their managers to execute faster there, had been less accepting of excuses, and had insisted on better performance rather than resting on dubious laurels of current profitability (that is often marginal), their firms would have lower per-unit costs, better delivery records, and more orders taken at more profitable margins.”

For further details contact Pressure Die Castings on TEL: 033 397 5500 or visit www.pdc.co.za


The Scaw Metal Group, a leading South African steel manufacturer is making waves in the steel sector through its structured graduate training programme, honing core

competencies in niche areas, such as analytical chemistry, non-destructive testing, metallurgical, engineering, and support services discipline.

The steel industry directly employs more than two million people worldwide, plus two million contractors and four million people in supporting industries. Together with industries such as construction, transport and energy, the steel industry is a source of employment for more than 50 million people worldwide says Scaw.

Scaw Metals Group CEO, Markus Hannemann says, “The steel sector has much to offer in terms of job opportunities and training. We are committed to creating a competitive and sustainable industry, by tailoring a training programme that coversvitalareasthatwillequipstudentswiththesufficientknowledge for the working world.”

As Scaw Metals advances in the steel industry, so do their efforts at introducing graduates to the opportunities offered in the steel industry. Manufacturing is a key

determinant of future growth and competitiveness in the provision of a skilled technical workforce. Engineers, technicians, artisans and production professionals constitute the core of the technical workforce, ensuring innovationandefficiencyoftheproductionprocessthroughthe optimal use, design and maintenance of materials, equipment, capital and personnel.

The graduate training programme has been popular since inception. In 2014/2015, 96 enrolled on the programme and in 2015/2016 there are currently 113 enrolled in the internship programme. The programme is engineered to build youth’s core competencies that

South Africa needs as a whole. Scaw is a leading corporate that responded to

Government’s call for an aggressive campaign to develop employable skillsets in our youth. The success of the training programme is evident in the array of students who apply for the programme year on year. An area of excitement for Scaw is the number of female students that the programme attracts annually, which is aligned to Scaw’s vision of boosting female talent in the industry — once dominated by

males.To qualify for the internship,

graduates must have completed theirdegree/diploma/certificate /orhaveavalidqualificationsuitable to the industry in which Scaw Metals operates. The experiential learning covers some of the following disciplines - cost management accounting, admin and IT, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering, analytical chemistry, human resources management/development, non destructive testing,law,financialmanagement, draughting, logistics and public relations and corporate communications.

For further details contact Dudu Ndlovu of Scaw Metals on TEL: 011 621 1524, mobile 081 035 0579 or email [email protected]

Scaw Metals Group paves way for youth through graduate programmes

“The steel sector has much to offer in terms of job opportunities and training. We are committed to creating a competitive and sustainable industry,

by tailoring a training programme that covers vital areas that will equip students with the sufficient knowledge for the working world.”


It’s 7 AM, April 13th, 2025. Your smart clock rouses you from a dreamless sleep and you climb

from bed as your house comes to life. The bathroom light turns itself on and the shower begins to heat its water. After washing off, you throw onaT-shirtthathasbeenperfectlyfitfor your body. You check your phone, only to discover that its battery is abouttogiveout.Apushnotificationinforms you that there is no need to worry — a replacement is already on its way. You hear your car start in the garage, ready to take you down to the factory you manage, where, according to your phone, one of the machines has malfunctioned. Actually traveling to your place of work has become an increasingly rare phenomenon for you — most of the time the factory takes

care of itself.“What a pain in the ass,” you mutter as your car pulls itself

out from your garage. “Can’t these things get anything right, anymore?”

Welcome to life after the fourth industrial revolution, where all of the objects you use on a day to day basis are custom-made and constantly talking to one another for your benefit.

It is — we’re frequently told — the grand concept that’s going to usher in the next industrial revolution, change forever the way that we make things, and shape the world’s balance of industrial power in the decades to come. But what exactly is Industry 4.0?

Despite everyone — from politicians to captains of industry — trumpeting its transformative power for the last few years, it’snotoftenthatyoucomeacrossacoherentdefinitionofthe concept. And when you do, it often differs from someone else’scoherentdefinition.

Nevertheless, the technologies at the heart of the Industry 4.0 concept are already having an impact. Across Europe — and particularly in Germany — large manufacturers are increasinglyexploitingthebenefitsofsmartsensingsystems,andadvancedconnectivitytointroducenewlevelsofflexibility,speed and reliability into their production processes.

Things are moving fast. So far, mainland Europe, and specificallyGermany,leadstheway,althoughChina,whichrecently unveiled a bold ten-year industrial plan, is catching up. And there’s a genuine concern that the you could get left behind.

So what do we need to do to ensure that we stay in the race?

Whilst large multinationals frequently have the money and the structure to implement grand visions, Industry 4.0 won’t be truly transformative unless the whole of industry gets on board. The challenge is ensuring that the whole of industry is on-board — and this includes the many thousands of smaller

The fourth industrial revolution — Industry 4.0 Do you know what it is yet?Industry 4.0 is changing the world of manufacturing, but what — if anything — does it mean for you?


engineeringfirmsandmanufacturers that form a huge chunk of the industrial landscape.

What does Industry 4.0 look like?

One of the more tangible aspects of the fourth industrial revolution is the idea of “service oriented design.” This can range from customers using factory settings to produce their own products, to companies tailoring individual products for individual consumers.

The potentials enabled by this mode of production are enormous. For example, the communication between smart products on the Internet of Things and the smart machines manufacturing them on what GE calls the “Industrial Internet” means that objects will be able to monitor their own use and determine when they are going to give out.

If your phone knows that it is going to “die” in the near future, it can notify the factory, which can alter its production levelstoreflectthedatacominginfromthesmartobjectsproduced there. When your phone kicks the bucket, there

will already be another one waiting for you, meaning the days of back-ordering are numbered.

What’s more, as this process becomes more sophisticated and integrated, your phone will arrive already programmed with your custom settings, just like how you had it when it gave out on you a few hours ago.

This process is not just limited to phones and other sophisticated electronics, however. Everything from custom-fitclothingtocustomshampoosandsoapswillbeat the consumer’s disposal, without the added cost that has typically accompanied individually tailored designs in the past. Objects will increasingly be made just for you and in a very real way — it will no longer be about selecting one out of a handful of predetermined colours for your phone and calling it personalised.

Furthermore, the increasing integration of smart factories into industrial infrastructures could mean large reductions in energy waste. As the Industrie 4.0 working group noted in its report, many factories squander large amounts of energy during breaks in production, such as weekends or holidays, something that could be avoided in the smart factory.

According to proponents of this framework for totally integrated production, Industry 4.0 also has the potential tochangethedefinitionofhumanlabour.Sincemachines are able to perform repetitive, routine tasks in manufacturing withmuchmoreefficiencythantheirhumancounterparts,these tasks will increasingly be automated. Yet rather than putting people out of work, this will supposedly free them up for more creative, skilled tasks, rather than subjecting them to menial, low-skilled work. Moreover, as physical systems become digitized, workers will have to spend less time in a designated physical work environment — rather, managing a factory can be done remotely over the internet.

The foundry industry must respond by identifying the new developments and challenges of the markets we supply and adapt our processes accordingly — we must always operate a ‘changing’ system.

Last year Kurtz Ersa opened a new iron foundry. The Smart Foundry is particularly high-capacity with unit weights

from 1 to 10 tons that can be manufactured from all currently common iron casting materials

Siemen's electronics plant in Amberg, Germany, the poster child for Industry 4.0


Local raw material and consumable supplier Mineral-Loy has expanded its technical sales department by appointing a further two project engineers, one a

graduate from the University of Cape Town, and the other an intern from the University of Johannesburg. This brings the total to six in this department of the company. Mineral-Loy also has a chemical subsidiary that supplies product to a number of consumer related industries including toiletry, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, detergent and food.

“Just over three years ago we took a strategic decision to appoint graduates with a distinct technical background as project engineers within our sales departments. We had seen a trend within the foundries that there is an increasing demand for complete turnkey engineering solutions from the industry’s technology partners. This applies to both the capital equipment investment and the mineral and material suppliers,” explained Mineral-Loy’s Executive Director Rob Duff.

“To survive, foundries are looking to increase productivity, while at the same time reduce costs. Today, in the world of computers and software, especially in design and manufacturing software, there has been vast development. Therefore it’s no good having all this fancy equipment and casting process optimisation and simulation studies, if the raw materials and additives you use leave you with defects and you have to scrap the castings anyway,” continued Duff.

“At the same time foundries are reducing their staff complement on the technical side and relying even more on supplierstofillthisvoidandprovidethemwithassistanceand solutions, whether it be improving their processes or recommending alternative material use.”

“Whenweappointedourfirsttwograduates,PaulNieuwoudt (BSc Chemical Engineering Honours, UCT) and Samuel Moeti (National Diploma in Engineering Metallurgy (Physical) (UJ), to join Technical Sales Manager Hans Joubert’s department little did we know that such would be the

demand from the foundry industry that another three graduates would be added.”

“Joining the team this year are Lenned Kujoana, who holds a BSc Chemical Engineering degree from UCT and Stanley Booi, who holds a BTech Metallurgy diploma from UJ. Last year we appointed Philip Steenkamp, who holds a BSC Chemical Engineering, UCT.”

“In essence they are project and process engineers within the company. However the foundry department has evolved in this period and our young graduates are proving their worth. Mineral-Loy has become synonymous with supplying ferro-chrome manufactured by Samancor Chrome including chromite sand, medium and high carbon ferro-manganese and silico manganese, ferro silicon, nickel briquettes and powder from Impala Platinum, Sorelmetal high purity pig iron, and rutile and zircon sand produced by Richards Bay Minerals, and imported products that include inoculants and treatment alloys from FerroPem Europe, a range of copper, nickel and aluminiummasteralloysfromKBMAffilipsEurope,andceramicfiltersandslagcoagulantthatareimportedfromtheFar East.”

“Besides offering these traditional products, it has been the department’s brief to identify new products with a commongoalofefficienciesandproductqualityinthecastingprocess, so that a foundry is able to control the production process and variables in order to keep their customers, and makeaprofit.”

“We now offer a number of derivatives, sourced locally and internationally, as a result of the demand from industry. Theseproductsarefillingagapbutrequiremoreinputfrom our graduates. This includes inspection at source and educating the user on the technical aspects. As well as now being able to offer an alternative to our established clients, the development has opened up more doors for us in other industries, including steel manufacturing.”

“Today, the lack of skilled manufacturing employees is a major problem with fewer young people choosing manufacturing trades as a vocation. Indeed, the lean, technology-invested manufacturing facilities of today are dramatically different from the plants of the past. Even so, manufacturing continues to struggle at attracting talent.”

“It is encouraging that we have been able to attract these graduates, both for our company and the industry. Metalcasting has an eternal quality that fascinates those who make their careers in the science and the industry.”

For further details please contact Rob Duff at Mineral-Loy on TEL: 011 802 4050 or Sean Mackenzie at CIM on TEL: 011 708 1494 or visit www.mineral-loy.co.za

The Mineral-Loy technical team: Back: Brett Gait, Paul Nieuwoudt, Hans Joubert, Philip Steenkamp and Jaishal Naidu.

Front: Lenned Kujoana, Stanley Booi and Samuel Moeti

Mineral-Loy grows technical team


“Today’s chemically-bonded sand metalcasting facilities are under increasing pressure to reduce costs and their impact on the environment, while improving and

maintaining casting quality. One of the ways to meet these requirements is to invest in sand reclamation,” says Peter Petersen, Sales Director of Endeco Omega.

“Cost reductions after installing sand reclamation are made by reusing the sand after casting, buying less new sand and, with some systems, actually reducing the binder content at the mixer.”

“Due to less sand being dumped, there is an obvious reduction to the impact on the environment. Casting quality is improved by using less resin at the mixer and improving the sand grain’s characteristics so that it becomes more rounded. A more rounded sand grain has less surface area so requires less binder and can also lead to better compaction, which ultimately means less resin, less gas and bettersurfacefinish.”

Reclamation requirements

“In order to reclaim the sand, the equipment must firstreducethelumpsback to grain size, then remove all the coarse/agglomerated sand grains, dustandfines.Thesandmust be cooled before reuse, and a portion of the binder removed to stabilise the LOI”

Characteristics of the sand

“After reclamation, the shape of the grain changes due to the attrition part of the process, where sand grains rub against other sand grains. The effect is that all sharp edges are removed and extracted

from the sand as dust. It is also important that the AFS or average grain size does not change dramatically from that ofthenewsandfirstused.Thereforeitisimportantthetypeof reclamation is not too harsh or damaging to the sand grain. The silica content of the sand should be as high as possible, and the Acid Demand Value (ADV) should be as low as possible, particularly if an acid based system such as furan resin is to be used.”

Grain shape“The four main sand grain shapes are rounded,

sub-angular, angular and compounded. The best type of grain shape is rounded, and so long as the correct type of equipment is used, this should be the shape of the sand grain after processing. It is also useful to note that the cavities of the natural sandgrainbecomefilledwith resin, again leading to the more rounded shape, therefore requiring less resin absorption at the mixer.”

Options“Three main options

for sand reclamation include primary attrition, secondary attrition and thermal.”

Primary attrition“Primary attrition can

be further broken down into three main types: primary attrition — low level, primary attrition-high level, and combined shake-out/attrition.”

“High level refers to the loading height of the attrition unit. This type would typically be positioned in a pit and fed via a separate shakeout and vibratory feeder. It would not have its own shakeout deck and would

Endeco Omega equipment helps foundry to achieve cost savings

in the sand departmentEnvironmental and quality benefits accrue from investment.

Endeco Omega was engaged in 2015 to supply and install a new sand reclamation plant at Steloy’s Tungsten Road foundry facility


be used where heavy castings or high throughputs would be processed.”

“Low-levelunitsarefloormountedrequiringnospecialfoundations and can be used as a shake out as well as attrition unit. This type of plant is usually more compact, easier to maintain, and has a low investment cost. The main limitation is the maximum load capacity of three tons and a maximum throughput of 15 tons per hour.”

“Combined shakeout/attrition units are usually mounted in a pit but can take much higher load capacities.”

“All three types of primary attrition unit will consist of a heavy duty shakeout grid, a secondary perforated plate screen made from Hardox™ steel with 6mm diameter apertures, a third screen usually of stainless steel with 1.6mm apertures with a wedge cross section to enable a certain amount of self-cleaning, andfinallya1.4mmsquare aperture mesh screenforfinalsandclassification.Theactualattrition process takes place between the shakeout grid and the areapriortothefinalmesh screen. Here there shouldbesufficientretention to enable grain scrubbing and binder removal. With any type of attrition unit, there should always be the facility to remove flashmetal,chills,reinforcing bars and other non-sand contamination. Therefore, a clean-out door should be provided to enable quick and easy access to the screen areas.”

Secondary attrition“Secondary attrition

can be employed after

the primary attrition unit to enable further binder removal. These units are suitable especially for the alkaline phenolic process and can give typical levels of reclaim sand as the Furan process. Secondary attrition is also not as costly to purchase or

“Cost reductions after installing sand reclamation are made by reusing the sand after casting, buying less new sand and, with some systems,

actually reducing the binder content at the mixer.”


operate as thermal, so it can be considered a cost effective alternative to thermal reclamation.”

“The basic principle of secondary attrition is to use a spinning drum at high speed to propel sand against sand and the force of the rubbing adjusted via the patented system of internal ceramic wheels. This allows just the right force to be applied to remove the binder whilst not harming the sand grain.”

“The two types of secondary attrition are hard and soft. The soft system uses the centrifugal method only and is more suitable for the furan process where not as much binder removal is required. The hard system uses the centrifugal method, as well as a pair of squeeze rollers that force the sand grains together to give greater attrition and binder removal. This type of unit is more suitable for reclaiming alkaline phenolic, silicate and green sand back to the core shop.”

“In the case of the hard system, the spinning drum and the squeeze rollers have ceramic outer linings to give a much longer lifetime. Also, the pressure of the squeeze rollers can be varied to suit different sand grain structures and different levels of binder removal. The sand can be passed through the unit up to three times (three separate cells) to further reduce the binder on the sand.”

Thermal reclamation“One hundred percent of all binder and other organic

material is removed with thermal reclamation. The sand is generallybetterqualitythanwhenitwasfirstpurchased.”

“Typically, a thermal unit will run on either natural or propane (LPG) gas and operate at temperatures of between

600C and 750C depending on the type of binder used. The sizes range from 250kg/hour up to 12 tons per hour.”

“For alkaline phenolic systems, a special inhibitor must be premixed with the sand to prevent the alkaline salts from causing low temperature fusing of sand grains and ‘fritting’ of the sand bed.”

“Thermal reclamation with the addition of pre- and post-mechanical scrubbing can also be used for reclaiming green sand back to the core shop.”

Sand cooling and classification“Oftenoverlooked,thesandcooler/classifierisequallyas

important as the attrition unit because unless we remove all ofthedustandfineparticlesfromthesand,wewillnotseeareduction in loss on ignition (LOI) at the mixer.”

“Typically,acooler/classifierwouldbeafluidisedbedtype with a copper tube heat exchanger for sand cooling. The fluidisingairandtheextractedairmustbefinelybalancedtoprovideanegativepressureinsidethefluidisingchamber. This pressure can be adjusted according to the amount of finesinthesand.”

“Fluidised sand is not abrasive; therefore copper tubes can be employed as the heat transfer medium. Using copper, the cooling system can cool the sand from 300C to within 6C of the water supply temperature.”

“While no two metalcasting facilities are the same and all have different sand systems and requirements, many variations of sand reclamation plants are available. All that has to be determined is the amount of binder removal required and the level of investment.”

“Modern sand reclamation plants have evolved in such a

The Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor with

a throughput of up to 15tph and a deck loading of 5,000 kilograms.

Specifically fabricated for this machine is an acoustic booth

that accounts for industrial noise and dust reduction

The rear of the Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor

Accompanying the Omega Gamma 15LL

vibratory sand processor is a reverse jet type

dust extraction unit operating at 16,400m3 an hour

and a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor

The sand is transported to the G10 sand cooler/classifier with a throughput of up to 10 tons an

hour and includes an evaporative water-cooling tower. The reverse jet type dust extraction for the

cooler classifier operates at 5,500m3 an hour and also includes

a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor

Omega’s unique low level range of mechanical

reclamation plants mean that they can be installed

without pits or special foundations


way that even the smallest metalcasting facility can be accommodated in terms of floorspace,investmentandrunning costs.”

“We were approached by our client, Steloy Castings to help the company achieve cost savings in its sand department which would ultimately lead to an improvement in casting quality, minimise dumping and improve dust control. We had previously installed a mould pusher in the company’s Cobalt Street foundry. This facility produces static castings in stainless steel and high alloy metals for the petrochemical, pump and valve, pulp and paper, steel, and cement industries. Technical capabilities enable the production of sand castings ranging from 0.5 to 2,000 kilograms.”

“However we were tasked with upgrading the sand requirements for the Tungsten Street foundry, also situated in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng.”

“This facility was established in 1990 to produce castings in cast iron, SG iron, nickel iron and a variety of carbon steel castings for the railway, ferro alloy, pump and valve and petrochemical industries. The foundry allows for the

semi-automated mass production of castings from two kilograms to 50 kilograms and has three resin bonded moulding lines — light,mediumandfloor—forcastings from two kilograms to 2 200 kilograms.”

“Steloy Castings was founded 30 years ago and, besides the two foundries in Bronkhorstspruit, has another one in Krugersdorp, Gauteng specialising in the production of static and spun cast tubes in stainless steel, high temperature steel and highalloysteelsspecificallyfor the petrochemical sector.

The core of the facility consists of a fully equipped spun cast tube manufacturing plant and in-house pull boring and machining facilities. From this plant, they are able to produce sand castings from 0.5 to 2 400 kilograms and centrifugally cast tubes can be supplied in as-cast, partially machined and fully machined conditions.”

“The 460-employee company is one of very few foundries in the world capable of casting process tubes in high-alloy steel. The cast components that the company manufactures are supplied to customers in the pumps and valves, petrochemicals, chemicals, steel, power generation,

Inside one of Steloy’s foundries


ferroalloys, rolling stock, glass, aluminium and pulp and paper industries. Besides the OSHAS 18001 safety management standard, the company fully complies with the ISO 14001:2004 environmental management standard, the ISO 9001:2008 quality management standard and the OHSAS 18001:2007 occupational health and safety management standard. The company also fully complies with Pressure Equipment Directive EC 97/23. This means that the company is accredited to produce castings in materials that include carbon, low-alloy steels and stainless steels to manufacturers of pressure vessels for sale into the European common market.”

Rail Division and capital equipment investments

"Two and a half years ago, the company decided to increase its presence in supplying castings to the rail sector. Cast components play a small but crucial part in rolling stock, especially in bogies and motor components for coaches, wagons and locomotives. The company has been supplying cannon boxes, U-tubes, axle boxes, horn frames and other components to Transnet Engineering for more than 15 years.”

“A Rail Division was formed, and along with this a capital investment programme was implemented to increase capacity to improve product quality and NDT practices, to adhere to environmental requirements and to extend the production and manufacturing services with investment in machine tools to supplyfinished,machinedcomponents.”

“The company has now been selected by several original-equipment manufacturers to supply components for projects for new locomotives and metro trains in South Africa. One of the prerequisites was to acquire the International RailwayIndustryStandard(IRIS)certification,whichthecompany has now done.”

"Apart from being the third South African company to achieve thiscertificationthecompanyistheonlylocalfoundrywithIRISaccreditation. The IRIS standard focus is — among others — on human resource management, personnel evaluation, gap analysis and scheduled training, all factors that dovetail perfectly

with the existing skills development programmes in South Africa.”

Investment in sand reclamation plant

Endeco Omega was engaged in 2015 to supply and install a new sand reclamation plant at the company’s Tungsten Road foundry facility.

Included in the equipment lineup is an Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor with a throughput of up to 15tph and a deck loading of5,000kilograms.Specificallyfabricated for this machine is an acoustic booth that accounts for industrial noise and dust reduction.

Accompanying the Omega Gamma 15LL vibratory sand processor is a reverse jet type dust extraction unit operating at 16,400m3 an hour and a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor.

The sand is then transported to theG10sandcooler/classifierwithathroughput of up to 10 tons an hour and includes an evaporative water-cooling tower. The reverse jet type

dustextractionforthecoolerclassifieroperatesat5,500m3anhour and also includes a PV 10 pneumatic conveyor.

“Omega’s unique low level range of mechanical reclamation plants mean that they can be installed without pits or special foundations. The low level range is also very compact in design andcanfitintoverysmallareasinsideoroutsideofthefoundry,”explained Petersen.

“Omega’s mechanical reclamation plants use the non-aggressive, dry attrition method of binder removal, which means that fragile sand grain structures can be effectively reclaimed without sand degradation. In fact, the scrubbing action of the attrition units will round the sand grains and make them more suitable for no-bake moulding. Also, due to four stages of sand scrubbing, a good reduction in LOI can be achieved.”

“This new capital investment will massively improve our carbonfootprint,andleadtoincreasedefficiencyandreduceour dependence on deliveries of dried silica sand,” said Dannie Slabbert, MD of Steloy Castings.

For further information contact Roy Dias of Endeco Omega on TEL: 011 907 1785 or email [email protected], or Peter Petersen of Mondeco on 079 448 1277 or email [email protected] or visit www.endeco-omega.co.za

Steloy uses a CNC machining centre for pattern making

Steloy have also invested in new CNC equipment including a Victor Vturn-36

Steloy has invested in a CMM machine to meet the quality requirements for the rail transport industry


The Metal Recyclers Association (MRA), representing over 100 members making up 80% of the metal recycling industry, have made a formal submission to the

International Trade Administrative Commission of South Africa (ITAC) opposing amendments to the Pricing Preference System (PPS) guidelines on the Exportation of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Waste and Scrap.

Despite other industry organisations who have expressed theirsupportfortheamendmentswithspecificreferencetothecopper theft, the MRA not only disagrees with these sentiments as they believe that this will only encourage the growth of local, unmonitored copper melting practices to try and make up thedeficitwhichwillbecausedbyexportoptionsbeingmadeunavailable via these amendments, but are also of the opinion that‘stolen’copperwillbeexportedasunidentifiablecopperwhich has been remelted by unscrupulous traders.

The grounds on which the MRA has further opposed the proposed amendments not only highlight its impracticality and efficiencieswithinthecurrentPPSguidelines,butalsopayparticular attention to the legal foundations on which trade in ferrous and non-ferrous scrap are being impeded in relation to the International Trade Administration Act 2002, the World Trade Organisation and the South African Constitution. The PPS, which was implemented in 2013, has already proved flawedandunworkableandhasnotmanagedtoachievethe goals it was intended to achieve. At inception, the MRA requested an audience with the pertinent decision makers so all related associations and industry organisations could cometogetheranddecideamutuallybeneficialsolutionfortheindustry as a whole, and has done so again within this ITAC submission.

Although environmental, unfair trade practices, reduction in scrap prices and regulatory burdens have been highlighted as some of the general unintended consequences in the submission, it’s the effect these amendments will have on the informal sector that has been addressed as one of bigger concerns. The current amount of informal collectors amounts

to well over 400,000 people who are responsible for around 1.8 million dependents and these proposed changes with the PPS will have a direct effect on the ‘employment’ opportunities within this sector. The bigger picture with this scenario, is the risk that will be imposed on the sourcing of scrap metal — at this stage, it’s mostly digging through rubble and industrial area waste which this community is walking the streets of Johannesburg daily trying to collect. To suggest that crime will not increase as the price for scrap diminishes as scrap yards are forced to implicate this market with the massive price cuts, would be ignorant of our industry.

In addition to unemployment and job losses which are alreadyhavingasignificantimpactsincetheintroductionofthe PPS, the administrative burdens the amendment wishes to impose form unnecessary barriers to trade, are unrealistic and violate the proportionality principle embodied in the WTO which states that ‘regulatory measures being adopted have to be the least restrictive of trade’.

Furthermore, the proposed amendments which have presumably been designed to tighten controls would in fact limit, if not, make it impossible to engage in legitimate exports, and are not conducive to the facilitation of trade as envisaged in the ITA Act.

“Based on the comments outlined in our submission, plus the numerous requests by the MRA for an audience with ITAC and the pertinent government departments involved, it is not our intention to behave belligerently or be confrontational,” says Quintin Starkey, Chairman of the MRA.

“As representatives for the majority of scrap metal dealers in South Africa, we would like to encourage industry consultation before decisions like the proposed amendments be made, which can and will have a detrimental effect on the interests of an already fragile industry,” says Starkey.

“In addition to violating several domestic and legal rights: the right to conduct their trade; the right to just administrative treatment; the right to freedom of trade as embodied in both the ITAC Act and our membership of the WTO; and the

right to take further action should our concerns, as expressed within our submission, not be taken into account?” he concludes.

Specific comments raised by the MRA within their submission can be obtained from the MRA.

For further details visit www.mra.co.za or email the Chairman Quintin Starkey [email protected]

MRA oppose ITAC on amendments to PPS policy guidelines


Policy over scrap metal requires industry input

The road to the preferential pricing system policy for scrap metals was paved with the best intentions, according to a Business Day article. In August 2013, amid vociferous

protest and unsuccessful legal challenges from the metal recycling industry, the Economic Development Department pushed through a new directive that gave the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) the power to bar exports offerrousandnonferrousscrapmetalunlessitisofferedfirstto domestic purchasers at a 20% discount to the prevailing international price.

The discount has subsequently been increased to up to 30% on some types of scrap metal in a 2014 amendment to the guidelines. Itac will approve an export permit only if domestic users have not taken up the offer to purchase the scrap after 15 working days.

The policy is an attempt to stem the tide of SA’s continuing deindustrialisation, against a backdrop of many domestic foundriesandotherbeneficiatorsclosingshopordecreasingproductioncapacitysignificantly.

Oneofthemainissuesidentifiedwasthathighvolumesofscrapmetalexportsweredeprivingthedomesticbeneficiatorsof affordable and quality inputs in the manufacturing process.

Scrap metal accounts for a large percentage of the beneficiators’inputcosts,andthestrugglinganddistressedbeneficiationsectorwelcomedthe20%-30%reduction,butrecognised the system was an imperfect long-term solution.

However, more than two years later, the system has experienced noticeable teething problems. There has been an insignificanteffectonthetonnageexportedbeforeandafteritsintroduction.

According to Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, replying to a question in the National Assembly, Itac approved from September last year more than 94% of applications to export scrap metal.

Thebeneficiationindustrycomplainstherestrictionshavehad little or no effect in reducing the price of input costs for beneficiators,andsomehaveevencomplainedofpricesincreasing.

Scrap dealers complain of tons of waste metals piling up inscrapyardsduetothetimedelaysinvolvedinfirstofferingdomestic industry, then applying for a permit and waiting for it to be granted.

The scrap dealers argue that, although most applications may be approved, all delays in the movement of the metal increase their exposure to commodity market risks and precipitatecash-flowissues.

Thebeneficiatorshaveaccusedscrapmerchantsofcircumventing the system with a range of tactics that force beneficiatorstoforegothemandatorydiscountedoffer.

Thescrapmerchantshaveinturnblamedbeneficiatorsformaking frivolous offers to purchase scrap just so that Itac will deny or delay the permits and thus frustrate their exports. They complain some local buyers object to the permit, but do not provide payment terms and do not collect the goods, or fail to pay on time.

What everyone agrees on is that the system is not working.To tackle these concerns, amendments to the system policy

were proposed in December. The deadline for comments on the proposed amendments was February 5. Itac is now collating

and processing the input it received from stakeholders.It is already apparent from the proposed amendments that

the government’s response to the failure of the system has not been to attend to the economically unsound root of the issue and approach its goals from a new angle, but to tackle thesymptomsofaflawedsystemandrampupenforcement,increase controls, and to crack down on illegal exporters.

Examples of such measures are the proposed new requirements for more detailed documentation to be submitted to Itac before export permits are granted, a ban on cash payments for scrap to make the money trail easier to trace, and the requirement that all scrap metal be exported only through the Port Elizabeth harbour.

What the government has missed is that the tension betweenthescrapmetalsindustryandthebeneficiationindustry has its source in a solution foisted on them by the government, instead of a comprehensive negotiated partnership between the sectors.

Such a negotiated, industry-driven solution was imminent beforethegovernmentfirstintroducedthepolicyguidelinein2013. Industry players such as the Metal Recyclers Association of SA, the South African Institute of Foundrymen, and Business Unity SA, were engaged in discussions about a way forward.

AreportwasalsocommissionedfromexpertanalyticalfirmConningarth Economists to advise on solutions that would have the least detrimental effect on all sectors of the economy.

Thediscussionsandreportdidnotinfluencethegovernment’s original proposals.

There is another opportunity for the government to craft industry-driven solutions instead of pursuing failed policies more zealously in an empty bid to salvage them.

If the government fails yet again to avail itself of this opportunity to heed the voice and get the buy-in of the scrap metalsindustryandthebeneficiationindustry,theproposedamendments could be open to legal challenges on the ground that they restrict freedom of trade unnecessarily.

• Article written by Virusha Subban, a partner specialising in customs, excise and international trade and Yonatan Sher, a candidate attorney at Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group.


Steel manufacturing major Scaw Metals is supporting the proposed amendments to the price preference system (PPS) policy guidelines for local scrap metal it has said in

Engineering News. The PPS will govern future exports of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal from South Africa through one harbour — Port Elizabeth.

The amendments aim to align the PPS with the Second-Hand Goods Act and government’s black-economic-empowerment policy, while also tightening up permit application and administration processes.

Scaw Metals CEO Markus Hannemann says the company fully supports the PPS framework because its intent is to ensure the steady supply of high-quality scrap-metal material to local users; it also proposes reasonable prices that will enhance support for the local steel industry.

Headdsthatthelocalsteelsectorwillbenefitfromtheamended PPS policy because it will result in securing jobs, based on increasing South Africa’s competitiveness in handling localvolumesofscrapmetaland“levellingtheplayingfield”interms of international scrap metal handling.

“With competitive scrap prices, the industry will undoubtedly grow, thus creating additional jobs that are sustainable, and

boosting the knock-on effect for the supporting industries, including refractory companies, sand and chemicals companies, machine shops, spares departments and consumables,” Hannemann elaborates.

Scaw Metals is serious about value addition, as opposed to the large-scale export of raw material to the detriment of industry, he states. Scrap is a precious resource, says Hannemann, adding that, by limiting or halting exports, the domestic volumes of scrap metal will increase and, subsequently, the price of local scrap metal volumes will drop.

He says there is no risk in losing international trade because the countries to which South Africa exports scrap metals ban exports of their respective scrap metals outright. He mentions that this “recipe” will assist the steel manufacturing industry in regaining its footing.

Seeking stabilisation Scaw Metals, like many other steel manufacturers in

SouthAfrica,recentlysuccumbedtostrainingprofitmarginsandovercapacity issues, implementing a restructuring programme that saw the issuing and enforcing of a notice in terms of Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act.

The company stated in August last year that the unfortunate decisiontofileforaSection189Awasnecessitatedbylocaland global conditions in the steel industry. Hannemann notes that Scaw Metals is currently in a post-Section 189 stabilisation phase: “We are focused on ensuring the high morale of the remaining workforce, and alignment of the business’ objectives remains the priority.”

Beyond Section 189, he states that all Scaw Metals’ businesses are working towards improved performance.

“We recognise the need to adapt to a dynamic, changing and competitive landscape,” says Hannemann, adding that the company can now explore new business prospects beyond its traditional boundaries.

Imports and exports Scaw Metals’ exports are increasing year-on-year,

compensating for weak domestic demand, Hannemann says, adding that the company’s largest overseas clients include North America, Europe, Australia and numerous African countries. However, the global economic slowdown, as a result of the China market crash, has affected Scaw Metals’ largest client base — mining. The market is further being crippled by China’s large-scale dumping of steel, which is reducing steel value and impacting on other sectors served by Scaw Metals. Therefore , Hannemann suggests that incentives to export value-added products should be considered by the South African government to mitigate further industry harm.

“We encourage the use of 100% locally manufactured steel products. Local value addition is key to developing South Africa’s economy. The current local designation policy is inadequate to sustain the industry, and further designation opportunities exist and need to be implemented urgently,” he concludes.

Scaw Metals is supporting the proposed amendments to the price preference system (PPS)


The South African unit of world number one steel producer ArcelorMittal has named a new chief executive to help the loss-making company battle with cheap imports and

rising costs.ArcelorMittal South Africa hired Wim De Klerk to the top

job, replacing Paul O'Flaherty who resigned from his position to pursue other interests in December 2015, less than 18 months after being appointed.

DeKlerkwasthefinancialdirectoratSouthAfrica's second largest coal producer Exxaro Resources and was previously a manager at Kumba Resources, which was later split into Exxaro and Kumba Iron Ore. De Klerk also worked at former state-owned Iscor, where he managed Iscor Quarries and the Grootegeluk mine, which was later bought by ArcelorMittal.

Former AMSA CEO Paul O’Flaherty stepped down in February, but remains an executive director. Dean Subramanian had been appointed interim CEO. The steelmaker has now appointed its third CEO in less than two years.

The local unit of ArcelorMittal in February posted a full-year lossthatwas23timeswiderthanayearearlierduetoaninfluxof cheap steel imports mainly from China.

Steel companies around the world are grappling with a global supply glut but South African producers are under even more pressure as Chinese imports threaten demand and hammer margins.

Reviews Saldanha operationThe steelmaker is also reviewing the future of a major steel

export facility on South Africa's west coast due to low prices and rising electricity costs.

The ArcelorMittal unit revealed the review of its SaldanhaWorksasitflaggedadeeperlossfor2015.It expects a headline loss per share of 1 250 cents for the year ended 31 December 2015, 22 times higher than the previous year. It also said it had written down 3.6 billion rand ($228 million) on Saldanha Works, which sits on a major iron ore export line.

“The future of the operation is currently being reviewed,” the company said.

Saldanha Works, which produces around 1.2 million tons annually with a staff of more than 500, is the company's newest plant and the only one focused on export.

South Africa's government in August last year agreed to a 10 percent steel import tariff as trading authorities continue to investigate several Chinese steel products on anti-dumping grounds.

ArcelorMittal South Africa said such imports were a factor in its performance.

“The local steel industry continues to be threatened by the weak international steel environment with imports primarily from China continuing to enter our local market,” ArcelorMittal South Africa said in a statement.

ArcelorMittal South Africa appoints new CEO


The Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Cluster of South Africa (VAMCOSA) has announced that on 11 February 2016, National Treasury published the

updated Instruction Note stipulating the minimum threshold for local production and content for valve products and actuators.

The updated Instruction Note provides clarity on topics such as how local content should be calculated and what constitutes local content, whilst at the same time provides some protection for major suppliers such as foundries, forge shops, and steel/stainless steel suppliers.

Clarificationregardinghowthe70%localcontentismadeupincludestheuseoflocallyproducedandcertifiedcastings,forgingandfabricationaswellasverifiablemanufacturingactivities such as machining, drilling, coating, assembly and testing.

Further, the averaging-out of local content either across any number of valves and gearboxes / actuator combinations or locally made and imported valves or other items is not permitted. Each individual valve, manual actuator or pneumatic

actuator is subject to the minimum 70% local content threshold.

In addition, the valve type list has been updated to include the “also known as” names of valves. For example a check valveisalsoknownasanon-returnvalveorrefluxvalveor tilting disk valve and so on. This to curb the number of state-owned-entities, departments, including municipalities as well as contractors working with state-spend, assuming that by changing the name of the valve in the tender or request for information process, that designation does not apply.

“Thefirstinstructionnotecameoutin2014.Ithadmanyloopholes in it and did not stipulate how the 70% local content should be adhered to,” said Vamcosa member Mark Wilson.

“This most recent note clearly states what the criteria for local content should be,” he said. Saceec CEO Eric Bruggman added that, currently, there was no penalty or consequence for State-owned companies that did not procure enough local content. “Currently, 20% is local and 80% is imported and we are hoping to change that,”

National Treasury has published the updated Instruction Note stipulating the minimum threshold for local production and content for valve products and actuators.

Based on the know-how of many decades, Bruker Elemental now offers a complete portfolio for elemental analysis instruments. Their innovative solutions enable a

wide range of customers in the metal, automotive, chemistry, pharmacy, and semiconductor industries to focus on elemental analysis of metals and materials.

Christian Heiting from Bruker Elemental, Germany recently

visited South Africa to discuss the methods and newest developments in sample preparation for achieving best results on a spectrometer.

Close to 50 delegates attended an IMP sponsored half day symposium at the Reading Golf Club, Alberton, Gauteng where Heiting gave an overview on optical emission spectroscopy (OES), whether you have a portable/mobile or a stationary instrument.

Heiting also discussed and gave tips on the do’s and don’ts of sample preparation as well as elaborating on grinding versus milling samples.

The audience was introduced to the company’s various instruments which include the Q4 Mobile and the various stationary instruments Q4 Tasman, Q8 Magellan and Q8 Coronado.

In addition, Heiting gave an overview on gas and combustion analysers for the determination of CS/ONH using the company’s G4 Icarus (determination of carbon and/or sulfur), G8 Galileo (determination of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen) and the G4 Phoenix (determination of diffusible hydrogen in solids).

For more information, contact your nearest IMP Branch, Gauteng TEL: 011 916 5000, KwaZulu Natal TEL: 031 764 2821, Western Cape TEL: 021 852 6133, Eastern Cape TEL: 041 364 2544, Free State TEL: 018 293 3333 or email: [email protected] website: www.imp.co.za

IMP/Bruker Elemental Day

Terrence Stopforth of McWade Productions, Christian Heiting from Bruker Elemental, Germany and Donald Osmond from IMP

Procurement of locally manufactured valves and actuators strengthened


Dr. Timo Würz, the Managing Director of the VDMA Foundry Machinery Association and Ines Polak, who is in charge of market information, statistics, marketing and exhibitions

for the same association, visited South Africa in March 2016. While in the country they hosted a business breakfast for the South African foundry industry at Emperors Palace, Gauteng, which was organised in conjunction with the Southern African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the South African Institute of Foundrymen.

The challenges that foundries are facing today, e.g. inefficiencyimprovement,inresourceconservationandin overall productivity enhancements, are the drivers of innovations in machinery development. German foundry machinery manufacturers see themselves as suppliers of enabling technologies and for them the understanding of their customers' needs, partnership and cooperation are key to successful and sustainable foundry strategies.

The breakfast, attended by 50 delegates, were given an overview of the German foundry industry as well as an insight intoworldfoundrytrendsandfiguresbytherepresentativesofthe VDMA.

The VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau, German Engineering Association) represents over 3 100 mostly

medium-sized companies in the capital goods industry, making it the largest industry association in Europe.

The Foundry Machinery division within VDMA is the competent partner for approximately 50 manufacturers representing more than 80% of the turnover of the sector in Germany.

VDMA Foundry Machinery division representatives visit South Africa

Jens Müller-Späth (G-U-T), Harmut Polzin (Freiberg University), Timo Würz (VDMA), Ines Polak (VDMA) and John Davies (SAIF)


In 2014, global production increased to more than 105 million metric tons, an increase of 2.3% when compared to the previous year, according to this year’s

Modern Casting Census of World Casting Production. The total production in 2014 represents an increase of 2.4 million metric tons compared to 2013. This rate of growth is a slight decline from 2013’s 3.4% boost.

This year’s census includes 37 countries from four continents. Of the 34 nations that provided data for the past two years, 23 reported expanded production in total shipments when comparing 2014 and 2013. Fourteen countries, meanwhile, saw their industries contract in the last year.

Countries with developing metalcasting industries and smallertotaloutputs,asexpected,hadlargerfluctuations,

with Bosnia & Herzegovina having the largest jump (40.7%) and Serbia the biggest drop-off (35.9%). China, the world’s leader in total production of castings, increased its output by 1.7 million metric tons, a steady overall increase of 3.8%. The U.S. (1.6%) and India (2.2%), the next largest nations in terms of overall production, also reported modest growth.

Three of the world’s mid-tier countries in terms of production — Ukraine (14.3%), Turkey (13.4%) and Taiwan (14%) — boasted robust gains in 2014, while the majority of the largest casting producers showed more modest improvements. Brazil, meanwhile, the world’s seventh largest metalcasting nation, lost 10.9% of its total production in 2014, erasing the gains made in 2013 when it expanded by 7.4%.

The rest of the top 10 list remained unchanged, with Japan producing 5.54 million metric tons,

Germany 5.25 million and Russia 4.2 million. Behind Brazil, Korea (2.63 million tons), Italy (2.02 million) and France (1.73 million) round out the list.

Plants by nation and trendsAtfirstglance,thetotalnumberof

metalcasting facilities worldwide appears tohavefluctuatedwildlyoverthecourseof the last 10 years. At 47,145 for 2014, that total represents an increase of nearly 13,000 or 38.3% since 2004.

But much of the up-and-down can be pinned to China’s rate of growth over the past decade. The world’s largest producer of castings saw its number of metalcasting facilities grow exponentially, from 12,000 to 30,000 in 2013. But recent consolidation and slower growth in the Chinese market caused that number to dip slightly in 2014, settling in at 26,000, which still accounts for 55% of all the world’s casting operations.

The North American market has continued its slight decrease, with the

49th Census of World Casting Production shows modest growth in worldwide casting market

international news

Global casting production continued its upward trend in 2014, growing by 2.4 million metric tons, a 2.3% increase compared to the previous year’s total.

The slight decline in the number of metalcasting facilities coupled with growth in overall production can only mean one thing: metalcasters are producing more

tonnage per plant. Facilities are able to fulfill demand with available capacity as underperforming facilities exit the market place. The industry emphasis

on efficiency also helps explain how less are producing more

Production per plant


Germany remained, far and away, the nation that produces the most castings per plant, shipping 8,818 metric tons per plant

U.S.droppingbelow2,000forthefirsttimeinthehistoryofthe World Census. Other established metalcasting nations, including much of Europe, also saw their total facilities decline modestly.

Slicing the data another way, instead focusingon2014’stotalversusthatoffiveyears ago, the global metalcasting industry has held steady in the wake of the economic recession of 2009. Total production has exceeded post-recession levels, while the total number of casting facilities has increased by 1,104 since 2009.

Increasesinefficiencymeansexistingoperations are producing more tonnage per site though the casting industry may continue to contract in total number of facilities.

Production per plantThe slight decline in the number of

metalcasting facilities coupled with growth in overall production can only mean one thing: metalcasters are producing more tonnage perplant.Facilitiesareabletofulfilldemandwith available capacity as underperforming facilities exit the market place. The industry emphasisonefficiencyalsohelpsexplainhow less are producing more.

Germany remained, far and away, the nation that produces the most castings per plant, shipping 8,818 metric tons per plant. The U.S., No. 2 in average production per plant, produced 6,059 metric tons per site, a slightdecreasefrom2013’sfigure.

China experienced the largest growth in production per plant in 2014, thanks largely to the contraction of its metalcasting facilities by 15%. Chinese metalcasters produced an average of 1,777 metric tons, up 294 tons from 2013. China and Italy, both with relatively different metalcasting industries, produce the smallest casting volume per facility.

Brazil, due largely to its 10.7% drop in overall casting production, experienced the biggest decrease in production average (229 tons per site), with its overall number at 2,043 tons. The U.S. and Brazil were the only

two nations in the top 10 to see a decrease in production per plant.

Tables courtesy of Modern Casting


It will be the fourth project launched by LIFT, the Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow initiative, established in 2014 as a “manufacturing innovation institute” operated

by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute. It coordinates academic and institutional research with likely and/or available industrial partners, withspecificdevelopmenttargets.Tounderstand aluminium-lithium alloy performance, LIFT appointed the United Technologies Research Center and the University of Michigan as the lead research partners in a two-year program.

Last year, LIFT initiated industrial-academic research to optimise production techniques for lightweight ductile iron casting, and to develop vacuum-aided diecasting technologies for aerospace, defense, and automotive applications. In January it started a project to identify lower-cost design and testing methods for titanium alloy parts, in order to improve the development and manufacturing cost for aircraft engines and other aerospace applications.

In the new research project LIFT will undertake advanced computer simulations to predict the performance of aluminium-lithium under operational conditions. Their work also will include process modeling and simulation of the material’s evolution during industrial operations.

Other research participants are Lockheed Martin, Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, and Southwest Research Institute.

Alex Staroselsky, principal research engineer at United Technologies Research Center said, “Any company interested inthesealloysmaybenefitfromwhatwedevelop,butwearereally focused on improving turbine engine components for the aerospace industry.”

Aluminium-lithium alloys are not new: they have been adopted in recent years to form commercial airframe parts, including for the Airbus A380 and A350 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Aerospace manufacturers have adopted the material too, to form fuel tanks spacecraft and rockets for defense systems.

“The future of aviation is being built with aluminium-lithium, and Alcoa is making big moves to capture that demand,” stated chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld in 2014, when opening a new casthouse in Lafayette, IN, specificallyforthelighteralloys. It casts round and

rectangular ingots for forging, extruding or rolling. “This state-of-the-art facility positions Alcoa as the world’s

premier aluminium-lithium supplier, offering the broadest portfolio of aluminum-lithium components for next generation aircraft.”

Lithium, it is widely noted, is the least dense elemental metal, and when it is alloyed with aluminium it creates a material that has a lower structural mass, but also stronger and more strain-resistant than more standard aluminium alloys, though achieving the latter quality requires careful aging.

According to John Allison, LIFT technical leader for Integrated Computational Materials Engineering, “Earlier aluminium-lithium alloys sometimes had issues with cracking or performing in high temperature environments. The latest generation of these alloys show great improvements in several areas, but we really need more integrated computer models to predict their performance at a number of steps, from their atomicstructurerightuptoafinishedcomponent.”

He continued: “Aluminium-lithium alloys often have a microstructure analogous to the grain in wood. It behaves differently when you bend it in one direction rather than another. The unique interdisciplinary team expects to develop what’s called crystal plasticity modeling to predict thefinalmicrostructureinanalloy.That,inturn,definesthemechanical properties of the alloy as it’s formed into a part.”

LIFTchieftechnologyofficerAlanTaubsaidthetwo-yearprogram would identify “the right computational tools” that will make it possible to design lighter jet engine components, “both faster and better.”

Research aims to predict Al-Li performance for jet engines

New industrial-academic research will seek to predict the performance of aluminium-lithium alloy parts in jet engines and other critical applications.


The American Foundry Society (AFS) has appointed Doug Kurkul to be its new CEO effective 1st May 2016 following a period of transition with current CEO Jerry Call.

In 2015, Call announced he would be retiring on 30th June 2016.

“WebelieveKurkulisatremendousfitforAFSandwhatit plans for the future,” said Bruce Dienst, AFS president and president and CEO of Simpson Technologies Corp. “He is well-equipped to take our organisation into a new phase of service to our membership.”

“On behalf of the AFS board, I would like to thank Jerry for his years of dedicated service to the society and the metalcasting industry. Under his leadership, AFS has thrived asaninfluentialinnovator,advocatefortheindustryandkeysource of metalcasting education.”

Kurkul has enjoyed a 30-year career as a leader, advocate and communicator on behalf of American manufacturing and economic vitality. In recent years, he has served as president or CEO of business advocacy groups in Reno, Nevada (Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce); Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock Chamber & Economic Development Partnership); and Dallas, Texas (Printing & Imaging Association of Mid

America). For 20 years of his career, Kurkul served in a variety of capacities with the National Association of Manufacturers, culminating in his role as vice president for member communications and marketing and editor of Leadership for Manufacturers magazine.

Speaking about his new role, Kurkul said: “AFS is respected for its innovative programs and superb member service. I look forward to building on that record of achievement and to serving this vitally important industry.” For more information visit the website www.afsinc.org

The German Aluminium Association has named the winners of its International Aluminium Die Casting Competition 2016, an event timed to coincide with the recent biannual

Euroguss Expo in Nuremberg. Prizes were awarded by a jury of experts in diecasting research and manufacturing. The three top designs are diecastings produced by well-known manufacturers, and three more entries were recognised with special commendations.

The GDA organised the competition for aluminium diecastings in partnership with the Association of the German Foundry Industry. The Austrian Economic Chamber and the Swiss.

Aluminium Association also supported the competition.The goal of the competition is to raise new interest in

aluminium as a versatile material with potential for new designs and for converting existing designs to the lightweight material.

For many years, the Aluminium Die-casting Award has proved to be a successful platform for demonstrating the high quality standards of aluminium die-castings.

Thefirstprizewasawardedtoapartcontainingalargenumber of integrated functions, which was achieved by means of a highly complex die concept. It includes gating via aslide,slide-in-slidetechniqueandanunderfloorslidewithlocking.Otherdistinguishingfeaturesofthefinishedcastcomponentareasealinggrooveandarequiredflatness.Inaddition, the component has to meet very stringent cleanliness requirements and exhibit tightness at oil pressures in excess of 50 bar. Here, die-casting contributes to increasing the payload of commercial vehicles by use of intelligent applications.

Thefirstprizeisacomponentofanoil-coolantassemblyfor medium-duty commercial-vehicle engines manufactured by Hengst SE & Co. KG, Nordwalde, Germany. The winning

entry has dimensions of L 254mm, W 220mm, H 303 mm, has a weight of 3996 grams and the alloy used is EN AC-Al Si9Cu3(Fe)

2nd Prize: Upper and lower XNF parts for a car battery case manufactured by Georg Fischer Druckguss GmbH, Herzogenburg, Austria. The second prize was awarded to this large-surface, ready-to-install cast battery case. The jury rated the tight tolerances achieved, and the fact that the mechanical properties needed to satisfy the crash requirements were achievedwithoutheattreatment.Duetothelongflowpaths,the die temperature control is designed so that the gating area iscooledandtheareasthataretobefilledlastareheated.This casting is a vivid example of the importance of die-casting technology in electromobility.

The dimensions are: L 781mm (upper part), 774mm (lower part), W 508mm (upper part), 581mm (lower part), H 115mm (upper part), 177mm (lower part), weight: 6400 grams (upper part), 9140 grams (lower part) and the alloy used is EN AC-Al Si10MnMg

3rd Prize: Switch housing for a truck gearbox manufactured by DGS Druckguss Systeme s.r.o., Liberec, Czech Republic. The design requirements make this a complex component that can only be produced using a slide-in-slide die design. It was awarded the third prize because of the very high wall thicknesses, which are atypical for pressure die-casting and are achieved using two squeezers of different diameters. When in use, the component will be subjected to a pressure of 10 bar; it has a low pore density and is pressure-tight. The limits for utilising the die-casing process are thus utilised here to the full. The dimensions are L 250mm, W 170mm, H 115mm, weight: 1785 grams and the alloy used is EN AC-Al Si10Mg(Fe).

2016 International Aluminium Diecasting Competition winners

AFS finalises CEO transition plan


Magnesium is the lightest construction metal, but also the most reactive.

This means that it is very sensitive to corrosion, making itdifficulttouseincorrosiveenvironments. For more than a hundred years, magnesium producers have strived to improve its corrosion characteristics by developing new, more corrosion-resistant alloys, and developing various coatings.

Mohsen Esmaily, a researcher in Atmospheric Corrosion at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden has changed the microstructure in magnesium alloys to make them more resistant to corrosion. This could encourage the transport sector to use these materials to decrease the weight of vehicles.

“In cars where every kilo of reduced weight is important, a transition to magnesium, which is 30% lighter than aluminium, the most common lightweight metal today, would mean a great step forward to reduce fuel consumption,” says Esmaily.

By studying magnesium casts produced through a method called rheocasting, Esmaily discovered that the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys produced this way was up to four times better than the same material when produced by conventional high pressure die casting.

Rheocasting of magnesium alloys was developed at Jönköping University in order to increase the strength of the material, but Esmaily’s research shows that the technique also gives the alloys the ability to withstand corrosion. Now that the

connection has been mapped, new possibilities to optimise the microstructure for even better corrosion resistance have opened up.

“We will be able to create cast magnesium alloys that corrode much slower and that are stronger than ever before by controlling the microstructure of the alloy,” Esmaily says.

Greatscientificdiscoveriesin2015 to change the world

Meanwhile Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a super strong metal that is also very light. This new metal is made up of magnesium infused with a dense ceramic silicon carbide.

Magnesium infused with dense silicon carbide could

be used for trains, airplanes, cars, mobile electronics and everything that uses metals. New magnesium based metal is super-strong yet light structural metal with extremely high specificstrength.Lian-YiChen,whoconductedtheresearchsaid "The results we obtained so far are just scratching the surface of the hidden treasure for a new class of metals with revolutionary properties and functionalities."

Australian and Chinese researchers have discovered a magnesium alloy that they say is the world's strongest and lightest. Crucially, they say it doesn't corrode. If it proves possible to use it in vehicle manufacturing, the researchers say cars could weigh hundreds of kilograms less, saving motorists up to 40 per cent on fuel.

Corrosion-resistant magnesium could replace aluminium in decreasing vehicle weight

As the automotive industry comes under increasing pressure to raise energy efficiency and lower CO2, materials used in

vehicle construction are coming under closer scrutiny. A recent version of the Range Rover Sport makes extensive use

of aluminium and lightweight technology in general. The aluminium body is around 350 kg lighter than on the

preceding model; the lighter body has a direct benefit in terms of allowing the reduced weight of other parts, e.g. lighter

suspension and braking components. Together with the body, these reduce the weight of the vehicle by 420 kg. One of the many specific components that has been subject to a major reduction in

weight is the rear sub-frame, made by Martinrea Honsel. This part is 15 kg lighter than its steel predecessor

International ferrous scrap prices haveralliedsignificantly-andfor many, unexpectedly. Experts

appear divided on whether the upturn may be short-lived or whether there is even more upside potential.

In Recycling International’s market report concluded on February 24, cfr price indications for shipments from Europe to Turkey were US$ 170-175 per ton for standard quality HMS I/II 80/20 scrap and US$ 175-180 per ton for shredded, with Baltic Sea and US suppliers commanding just a few dollars more. In some cases, however, Turkish buyers have since been prepared to pay more than US$ 200 per ton for

shredded and the customary US$ 5 less for the HMS I/II 80/20 mix.

The upward move is said to reflecthigherChinesebilletpricesandrestrictedflowsofscrap.Early-March indications are also for higher ferrous scrap prices on the domestic US market. Increases typically in the US$ 10-20 per ton bracket have been attributed to a combination of low scrap availability among dealers and rising US steelmaking capacity utilisation.

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, utilisationwas72.7%inthefinalfullweekofFebruarycompared to 69.5% for the year to date.

Surprise recovery in ferrous scrap values


Gifa, Metec, Thermprocess and Newcast to be held at the same four year interval in future and “The Bright World of Metals” exhibitions will be taking place in Dusseldorf, Germany again from 25 to 29 June 2019.

The organisers of GIFA, the International Foundry Trade Fair, have rescheduled the dates for the next staging of that event and the three related industrial expos that share

the venue in Düsseldorf, Germany: GIFA, Metec, Thermprocess, and Newcast will maintain the four-year cycle that has been the custom since 2003.

The decision alters the plan Messe Düsseldorf announced last November to position the four expos on a three-year cycle, with the next staging to take place in June 2018. Of that decision, the organiser explained it was reacting to changes in the target industries (metalcasting, primary metal production, thermal processing, and engineered component design) and creating “appropriate platforms for good business and cutting-edge innovations.

The four successful technology trade fairs Gifa, Metec, Thermprocess and Newcast are to be held at the same four-year interval in future and will be taking place in

Düsseldorf again, from 25 to 29 June 2019. In taking this decision, Messe Düsseldorf is responding to numerous requests from the industrial exhibitors.

Messe Düsseldorf Director Joachim Schafer: “For some time now, switching to a three-year interval has appeared to us to

be necessary, because the innovation cycles in the foundry technology and metallurgy sectors are shortening too. It has proved to be the case that a shortening of the interval would put too much pressure on the corporate exhibitors. Since Messe Düsseldorf always acts in line with its customers’ requirements, it has decided to maintain the four- year interval with the four leading trade fairs Gifa, Metec,

Thermprocess and Newcast — at the request of large numbers of exhibitors.”

The 2015 staging of the same four events drew 2 214 exhibitors and 78 000 visitors from more than 120 countries to Düsseldorf.

About turn on GMTN three-year cycle due to pressure from exhibitors

Allied Mineral Products, Inc. and Hagenburger Feuerfeste Produkte announce global strategic partnership

Allied Mineral Products, Inc. and Hagenburger

Feuerfeste Produkte GmbH have announced a new global strategic partnership in which Allied Mineral Products now holds an equity position in Hagenburger GmbH.

ThispartnershipwillallowAlliedtooffermetalflowandcontrol technology solutions as well as leverage the strong Hagenburger name in Europe. In turn, Hagenburger will have access to Allied’s global sales and service networks to expand their technology offerings worldwide.

Jon R. Tabor, President and CEO Allied Mineral Products, Inc. says, “Allied has had a strong business relationship with Hagenburger for over 16 years and our corporate and business cultures are well aligned. This strategic partnership will bring newvalueandbenefitstotheglobalfoundry,steel,industrialand copper industries. Customers will gain from the synergistic technologies, advanced service offerings and the global reach of our two companies. The combined 132 years of refractory experience will serve as the foundation for growth in new and adjacent markets and industries throughout the world”.

Allied Mineral Products, Inc. founded in 1961 and headquartered in Columbus Ohio, USA is a leader in the design and production of monolithic refractories and precast shapes. Allied has nine manufacturing facilities and sells its products into the foundry, steel, copper, aluminium and industrial markets. Allied has over 140 direct sales and service engineers located in more than 20 countries, and sells its products into

over 110 countries throughout the world. “Hagenburger and Allied have both developed their own

special refractory technology over many decades. We clearly feelthesedifferenttechnologiesandfieldsofapplicationwillcreate an even better perceived customer value by moving forward together. Over the past years we have had a successful relationship that has been built on mutual respect and trust. This partnership will continue to allow us to provide the very best products and service to our customers as well as the best culture and future conditions for our employees,” said Klaus Hagenburger, Managing Director, Hagenburger Feuerfeste Produkte GmbH.

Hagenburger Feuerfeste Produkte GmbH was founded in 1937 in Eisenberg / Pfalz in Germany, an area with high quality refractory clay deposits. Hagenbuger is located in Grünstadt, Germany where the company manufactures a wide range of extruded plastic, dry pressed and isostatic pressed products for specialty iron and steel applications. These include complete gating systems for large hand and machine cast parts, isostatic pressed alumina graphite monobloc stopper rods, nozzles and manyotherpressedandfiredcomponentsinironandsteelfoundries. Precast and unshaped products complete the variety of products for the metal casting market.


The ExOne Company, a global provider of three-dimensional ("3D") printing machines and

3D printed and other products to industrial customers has announced the installation of the first machine running with the new binder agent, cold hardening phenol (“CHP”). The printer was installed at the ACTech GmbH premises in Freiberg, Germany.

ACTech is a leading global rapid prototyping company, which designs and produces casting prototypes and small batches for customers from various industries. Worldwide, this is the first 3D printer using the new class of phenolic binder, eliminating the curing process for the cores and moulds. As a result, ACTech is now able to provide prototypes of even challenging parts much faster and more cost-effectively. Compared to traditional rapid prototyping procedures, this new technology enables the production of high strength moulds and cores for sand castings, which until now were achievable only with laser sintering.

With ACTech having years of experience in additive manufacturing, it was the perfect partner for ExOne to collaborate with in developing the cold 3D phenolic printing process. This process uses less binder while producing resistant cores and moulds, which stand up to the complex load of the casting process. Compared to the former procedures, ACTech reduced the use of binder significantly, which is a positive effect that reduces faulty parts caused by gas occlusions. Eliminating the curing time, ACTech can now produce more challenging and fragile moulds in less time and with a decreased reject rate.

Faster production of flexible to use mouldsCHP combines advantages in productivity with

high-standard characteristics of the produced moulds. As a result, formative parts such as cores are now also suitable for iron and steel casting. Previously, this method was limited with conventional 3D printing systems.

Rainer Hoechsmann, Chief Development Officer of The ExOne Company, commented, "With our focus on accelerating the adoption rate of our technology particularly in the foundry markets, we are excited to offer this new binder solution. Our customers are pleased with the strength, surface finish and high temperature resistance of our cores and mould packages printed with CHP, particularly for light metal castings, such as aluminium, magnesium, iron and steel. We view this as an important offering in our technology, and expect a shift in

demand toward our machine platforms that allow this type of production."

About ACTechACTech designs and produces casting prototypes

and small batches for customers from various industries including the automotive industry and its suppliers, for the aerospace industry and for machine and equipment manufacturers. As one of the leading global rapid prototyping companies, they provide all design and production processes, under one roof, necessary for the speedy production of a complete casting prototype. From the 3D data set, the company produces complete castings, which are ready to be installed and tested. State-of-the-art rapid prototyping processes, combined with CNC pattern making and CNC machining, provide for extremely fast production of prototypes that, from the very first casting, are comparable to series production.

For further details visit www.exone.com or www.actech.de

ACTech invests in innovative 3D cold printing technique ExOne machine

Moulding technique of the future: 3D cold printing with phenolic resin

CHP accelerates the production process, reduces the risk of rejection and decreases the consumption of resources


Japanese recycler Harita Metal Co. has stepped on board a national project that is focusing on the mutual separation of scrap aluminium alloys with

support from a consortium of the country’s universities and research institutes. The initiative combines an appearance recognition system with a neural network analysis (ARENNA) sorter as well as a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) sorter.

“The new ARENNA system can detect many metals like copper, iron, lithium, manganese, magnesium and zinc,” entrepreneur Matoko Harita told delegates at the biannual Sensor-Based Sorting congress in Aachen, Germany. The system was developed at the National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and essentially performs 3D image

Sensory overload! A new chapter in sorting scrap aluminium alloys

The roots of the present ASK Chemicals GmbH in Hilden, the headquarters of the ASK Chemicals Group, go back to the founding of ADM Giesserei Chemikalien GmbH with

participation in Kernfest KG in 1966.Only four years later, the company changed its name to

Ashland-Süd-Chemie-Gießerei-Chemikalien GmbH & Co. KG. The two chemical concerns involved, Ashland and Süd-Chemie, agreed on wanting to supply the global foundry industry a joint and comprehensive range of products that complemented each other, servicing the market with products for core making and mould sand binders.

The company changed its name again in 1975 to Ashland-Südchemie-Kernfest GmbH and then made its goal to developandproduceinnovativeandefficientbindingagentsand refractory coatings.

Solutions for sustainable successToday, 50 years after the emergence of the company and

against a background of changing and growing requirements on foundries and suppliers, ASK Chemicals provides a variety of innovative and technologically sophisticated solutions that bring its customers sustainable success. Solutions that contribute to process safety, casting quality or increased efficiencyinproductionand,mostimportantly,solutions

that are invariably developed in close collaboration with the customer.

Consequently, the company has succeeded in recent years in introducing major innovations in the areas of organic and inorganic high-performance binder systems, refractory coatings,andmini-risersandfiltersystems.Withitsbroad range of foundry consumables, it is making a key contribution to ensuring that the foundry industry can satisfy future ecological and economic demands.

A strong partner in futureIn 2014 ASK Chemicals was acquired by Rhône

Capital — “a positive step for the future development of the company,” to quote ASK Chemicals CEO Frank Coenen.

“Our owners are providing ASK Chemicals with valuable resources to make our company more successful long-term. To that end, we are deliberately investing in our presence in key markets, in R&D, and in our manufacturing capacities. For only in this way will we be able to offer our customers solutions and services in the future that bring lasting success.”

For further details contact Chem Systems on TEL: 011 922 1600 or visit www.chemsystems.co.za

ASK Chemicals reaches 50 year milestone


analysis and density measurement with a neural network system to identify shredded scrap aluminium alloy particles.

Recent experiments involving samples of seven wrought aluminium alloys and one casting alloy showed “a lot of potential”, Harita announced. Nearly all wrought alloys (apart from the 2000 series) were separated with a separation probability of around 96%. “Perhaps the 2000 series alloys were mistaken for casting alloys,” the CEO offered by way of explanation.

The speed of the sorting system has been measured at 1 metre per second and costs approximately 15 Euro cents per kg. These results were achieved with the assistance of German firmSECOPTAwhoseMopaLIBS sorter prototype was used in fivetrials.TheLIBSsorting project started in April 2014 and was due to be completed in March.

Harita Metals Co. alsoconfirmeditsplansto invest in a pilot-scale facility to pursue ‘a more precise’ mutual separation system for scrap aluminium alloys. This recycling plant would have a capacity of roughly one ton per hour and would accommodate an energy-saving sorting process to partially replace conventional energy-intensive smelting processes.

“In Japan, the majority of aluminium scrap is recycled via cascade recycling in which various kinds of aluminium alloys are mixed to create casting alloys for manufacturing combustion engines,” Harita noted. Demand for wrought aluminium has increased while demand for casting combustion engines

has ‘gradually decreased’.Harita currently owns two recycling facilities with a total

capacity of 120 000 tons per year. Annually, these produce over 4000 tons of high-quality aluminium alloys from mixed metal scrap.

“The new ARENNA system can detect many metals like copper, iron, lithium, manganese, magnesium and zinc,” entrepreneur Matoko Harita told delegates at the

biannual Sensor-Based Sorting congress in Aachen, Germany


Prevent the wrong alloy from causing environmental disaster

Optical emission spectrometers can contribute decisively to prevent accidents. Bruker Elemental’s Q4 Mobile provides the petrochemical and metals industries with

a compact metal analyser, capable of analysing the critical carbon content in used steel. The smallest concentrations of carbon in the ppm range impact the steel’s durability, strength and weldability.

In April 2010, seven employees were killed in an explosion caused by a high-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) in a refineryintheUSStateofWashington.Sincetheaccident was caused by metal fatigue, mobile OES instruments were needed. Since then, relevant equipment, especially process piping systems have to be tested in accordance withthe"MaterialVerificationProgram"(guidelinesAPI578) of the American Petroleum Institute. Components that donotmeettherequiredspecificationsareidentifiedandreplaced.

For this task Bruker Elemental´s Q4 Mobile performs rapidmetalanalysis,identificationandsorting.Thehighlightis its mobility. With an optional four-wheeled trolley, the spark

spectrometer and accessories easily roll to the place where analysis is needed.

Controlled by an intelligent energy management system, Q4 Mobile can use any standard power source, even a cigarette lighter in a car. Adaptive Ambient Control (AAC), which adjusts the optics automatically to the ambient temperature, ensures a short preparation time. Long setup times are a thing of the past. Work is carried out with the help of a handy probe, which allows ergonomic handling thanks to thelightweight,flexiblehybridcable,evenduringprolongedactivity. Depending on the requirement, whether in spark or arc excitation, the quick change adapter allows switching the analysis mode in seconds.

ForshorterwavelengthssuchasUV,arapidlymodifiableprobe with high resolution optics is available. Thus even the most demanding applications, such as C, S or N determination, are possible. This underlines strongly the outstanding Bruker analytics of the Q4 Mobile spectrometer.

"For 316 and 316L stainless steel alloys, the difference in the carbon concentration is indeed minimal, butthisdifferenceisofdecisiveinfluence on the respective corrosion behaviour," says Bruker Product Manager Hans Dominick.

"Our Q4 Mobile analyses carbon contents in the corresponding ppm range and can thus clearly determine the respective alloy. The use of components with incorrect element composition is prevented and expensive failures or dangerous accidents avoided. Via a display on the probe, the analysed alloy designation is directly shown. Nothing could be faster.”

“High capability, practical relevance, ease of use and functional mobility — these are the strengths of the Q4 Mobile. Thus Bruker fulfilsallcustomerrequirements.Notonlythepetrochemical industry appreciates the Q4 Mobile in the implementation of current guidelines for material control and material testing on oil rigs or pipelines.ThePositiveMaterialIdentification(PMI)in incoming goods inspection or metal sorting is another important use for material traders, in which rapid analysis brings clarity and ensures functional processes. Downtime costs a lot of money, and this can be avoided with Q4 Mobile.”

For more information, contact your nearest IMP Branch, Gauteng TEL: 011 916 5000, KwaZulu Natal TEL: 031 764 2821, Western Cape TEL: 021 852 6133, Eastern Cape TEL: 041 364 2544, Free State TEL: 018 293 3333 or email: [email protected] website: www.imp.co.za

Bruker Elemental's spark spectrometer Q4 Mobile analyses 316 / 316L alloys.

product review


Increased safety measures in cut-off technology

Vulcan Engineering incorporates the latest in advanced safety features while still offering reliable, efficient equipment.

The Fox® Air Float Cut-Off machine is ideal for gate and riser removal on small to medium size castings, or castings on runner bars or trees. It is well suited for

processing castings that are too heavy for operators to handle, astheairfloatfeaturemakesmovinglargeweightsalmosteffortless. Compressed air is used to “lift” the gondola to allow theoperatorto“float”itaroundthetable,andusethelaserguide to align the casting into the proper cutting position. Once in position, a vacuum is used to securely hold it in place during cutting. The saw uses hydraulic down pressure for fast efficientremovalofrisersandgating.

The saw shown is designed to be installed in its own room. Other models are available with full enclosures for installation around other workers.

Fox® grinding and cutting equipment has proven reliability, and is designed to work effectively in rugged, dirty foundry environments.Precisecuttingandefficientprocessingisonlypart of the design. To truly enhance this system Vulcan has added several advanced safety features.

Rotary wheel guard: This machine incorporates a rotating wheel guard. This allows the operator to move, re-align, and

change castings safely without having to turn off the motor each time. The wheel guard technology includes sensors that are connected to a safety circuit. When pulling the handle down to start cutting the guard opens, allowing the operator to perform a cut.

Operator safety door: The operator safety door has a Lexan window with an easily replaceable Plexiglas splatter shield. This allows the operator to be protected from debris while still being able to see the material being cut. The safety door is interlocked with the safety circuit allowing the saw to only be operated when it is closed.

Operator console with safety lockout key: When the operator has to change the cutting wheel, the system must be shut down. To ensure all operations are powered off or de-energised, a safety key is incorporated into both the console and the outer wheel guard. The safety key must be inserted into the dead bolt lock on the wheel guard to allow the guard to be opened to change the wheel. Once the wheel is changed and the guard properly closed, the key can be removed and inserted into the control console allowing the saw to operate again.

E-Stop functionality: There are three different E-Stop switches that can be utilised in this system. There are two push-button stops, one on the operator console and the other located on the electrical panel. The third option is an emergency kick switch tied to the E-Stop system for quick, hands free use.

All of the above features, as well as incorporating redundant safety shutoff valves with monitoring, make this one of the safest cut-offs on the market. Formoreinformationoncuttingandfinishingequipment,please visit www.vulcangroup.com

For further details contact the local agent Eric Benvenuti of Globen Engineering Services and Supplies (Pty) Ltd on TEL: 082 450 8232, or email [email protected], or Vulcan Engineering Co. USA on email: [email protected] or visit www.vulcangroup.com


ASK Chemicals expands its product portfolio with the addition of pre-coated sand that is used in the

shell molding process. The new Askroning pre-coated sands are characterised by their efficientandeconomicaluse.

Askroning pre-coated moulding sand for the shell moulding process is especially suitablefortheproductionoffiligreecomponents in all commonly available casting alloys. The pre-coated sands from ASK Chemicals have the advantage of high dimensional accuracy, with good hot and cold bending strengths and good disintegration and decoring abilities. A furtheradvantageisitsnearlyinfinitelylongbench life and storage possibilities.

Tailor-made pre-coated sandsAs a reliable partner to the foundry

industry, ASK Chemicals develops tailor-made solutions for its customers and their specificapplications.Askroningpre-coatedsands are specially adapted to the individual processes of customers and in-view of their parameters like AFS number, loss on ignition, and hot and cold bending strength.

Special sands for special requirementsCertain process requirements can

necessitate the use of special sands. These special sands, compared to quartz sand,arecharacterisedbyotherspecificphysical-thermalproperties,andinparticular,bythesignificantlylowerthermalexpansion behavior in certain temperature ranges. Thanks to the company’s access to a large variety of special sands, ASK Chemicals is able to offer individually developed and adapted Askroningpre-coatedsandblendsforspecificrequirements.

“Our Askroning products represent a valuable supplement

to our product portfolio. A special advantage that has to be highlightedistheefficientandeconomicaluseofthesenewpre-coated sands. ASK Chemicals is constantly seeking to combinetechnicalperformanceandeconomicalefficiencywhendeveloping products for its customers,” comments Jörg Brotzki, Executive Vice President Europe at ASK Chemicals.

For further details contact Chem Systems on TEL: 011 922 1600 or visit www.chemsystems.co.za

ASK Chemicals expands its product portfolio

“ASK Chemicals is constantly seeking to combine technical performance and economical

efficiency when developing products for its customers,” comments Jörg Brotzki, Executive Vice President

Europe at ASK Chemicals


General Kinematics’ Vibra-Drum® sand and casting equipment has revolutionised high volume mould and sand handling for foundry applications, says the

company. Proven in hundreds of applications around the world, this versatile two-mass system provides a shakeout system which prevents damage to castings, reduces sand lumps to grain size, and equalises shakeout sand and casting temperatures,allinonecontinuous,energy-efficientoperation.

The Vibra-Drum® delivers a high range of shakeout capacity from 30 TPH to 400 TPH, plus material motion for efficient sand and casting processing and achieves four key objectives:

1. Provides a gentle shakeout, gradually reducing surface defects. This is accomplished by keeping the casting immersed in a bed of sand, never allowing the casting to drop, thus eliminating impact between other castings or equipment surfaces.

2. Accomplishes a cooling environment. Achieved with evaporative cooling of moisture from the sand, and the conductive transfer of heat from the casting to the sand. Casting temperatures will be reduced to an average below 100° C.

3. Castings are cleaned in the Vibra-Drum® from the vibratory agitation of sand on the outer surface of the castings.

4. Sand lumps are broken down providing a homogenous mixture of sand. This is achieved through continuous agitation and drying of the sand from the transfer of heat from the casting to the sand.

The Vibra-Drum® is a natural dust containment system. The tubular body construction and non-rotating design allows cooling and evaporative air to be directed into the material. Additionally this design is easier to feed and easier to unload. Designed with a rolled AR400 liner system, which is easy to inspect and replace if necessary. Lastly, the drum design does not generate excessive casting noise as the parts are immersed in sand, preventing impact noise.

With two key patents (5,591,074 and 6,237,749),

the Vibra-Drum® is engineered around General Kinematics’ unique two-mass design. Two-mass refers to a style of vibratory equipment where one mass (an exciter) is used to drive a second mass (drum body). The exciter mass typically contains a motor and is connected to a trough using a combination of springs. Combining the two masses and the springs, a

responsive sub-resonant system is created which responds to changes in load.

The unique two-mass sub-resonant

tuned system only General Kinematics

can engineer, means the Vibra-Drum® is designed to compensate for variations in load size and weight.

The natural frequency drums have few moving parts. Maintenance for the Vibra-Drum® is contained to bearing lubrication and monitoring of motor and drive components. The otherkeybenefitofthetwo-massVibra-Drum® design is the dynamic balancing of the active drive side, preventing the transmittal of energy into foundations.

For further details contact Lauds Foundry Equipment on TEL: 011 8241238 or email [email protected] or visit www.laudsfe.com or www.generalkinematics.com

General Kinematics Vibra-Drum®

vol 16 no 6 - castings sa sa...2 castings sa vol 16 no 6 april 2016 editor’s comment exploring new...

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