Improving the profitability with foundry chemicals

Foundries who want to cut costs, increase productivity, offer a high-quality product and at the same time lower the environmental impact must keep an eye on the entire value chain. Possible levers can be found at many points in the process – one crucial factor is the selection of suitable foundry chemicals and materials.

Foundry processes are complex, and there are many ways to cut costs, increase productivity and improve product quality. The selection of suitable foundry chemicals and materials is of great importance. "Simply looking at the direct costs for our foundry chemicals and materials often falls short, because many of our solutions help to optimize the total costs of ownership – in other words, the profitability along the entire process chain," explains Thomas Glattes, Executive Vice President at ASK Chemicals. "In this way, we help foundries to sustainably expand and further secure their competitive edge with our efficient solutions."

The total cost-of-ownership takes into account the entire costs, including recurring indirect or direct expenses. The calculation quickly makes clear the advantages generated across the entire value chain by the use of efficient raw materials.

Increasing efficiency

For years, ASK Chemicals has been pursuing the strategy of reducing material and emission loads by increasing efficiency. At GIFA 2023, ASK Chemicals will present ECOCURE BLUE PRO, the latest generation cold box binder system with optimized efficiency and very good casting performance. It allows foundries to lower the use of resources or materials without having to make concessions in terms of strength, reactivity or casting results. The binder reduction in conjunction with the product formulation enable a further reduction in emissions, especially of VOC, BTX, phenol and formaldehyde.

With PEP SET BLUE, ASK Chemicals is applying its efficient BLUE platform to PUNB no-bake binder technology. Part 1 of the PEP SET BLUE formulation thus eliminates aromatic solvents and phenols, significantly reducing odor and VOC emissions. Part 1 of the three-part PEP SET BLUE system is label-free. In addition to the environmental and occupational health and safety benefits, PEP SET BLUE offers foundrymen technical performance comparable to that of conventional PEP SET systems.

Productivity, quality and efficiency with MIRATEC BD

Key features of the MIRATEC BD series dip coatings are shortest handling and drying times to meet the productivity requirements of brake disc foundries. Thanks to the formulation as well as the precise handling and the high precision of the coating application, casting defects are avoided. An important lever for increasing productivity in series casting is the avoidance of coating residues on and in the casting. By adding special peel-off additives, ASK Chemicals has succeeded in formulating a coating that detaches from the surface of the casting without leaving any residue, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming rework. Thanks to the high material yield of MIRATEC coatings, foundries can produce more cores than before with the usual amount of coating.

MIRATEC series also offer the possibility to reduce formaldehyde emissions as needed.

VEINO ULTRA additives replace molding and auxiliary materials

Sand additives are usually used to prevent casting defects. With its new additives, ASK Chemicals goes one step further and gives its products additional valuable benefits that help optimize total costs of ownership.

At GIFA 2023, ASK Chemicals will present the new sand additive VEINO ULTRA MBM 2, which allows complete or partial elimination of expensive special sands. In addition, the hybrid additive, which consists of 70% inorganic components, impresses with a good casting performance and a lower emission load.

The patented sand additive VEINO ULTRA 2000 offers cold box core shops the possibility to increase productivity thanks to its cleaning effect in the core box. The innovative "cleaning effect” leads to a significant reduction of sand and binder build-up. Production interruptions and the duration of core box cleaning can be significantly reduced. What’s more, the use of release agents is minimized.

ASK Chemicals will present these and further solutions for more efficiency and lower total cost-of-ownership at GIFA 2023 in Hall 12, Booth A22.