Part Buyers Authority Issue #2

Automation is possible in all areas of the foundry. Core room automation is becoming more prevalent in foundries of all sizes. In the core making area, robots can tend core machines and remove fins on the parting lines. Robots can coat the cores with liquids or dip them in coatings. Robots can assemble the cores using glue, staples or screws. Robots can also place the completed cores on racks or hard plastic trays for storage and transport to the casting machine. These plastic trays can also be used as fixtures to position the cores for automated core setting in the mold. In the aluminum casting area robots can set the sand cores in the mold. Robots can receive hot metal from one or more furnaces and pour sand or metal molds. Aluminum pouring is one of the most popular automation projects especially for small aluminum foundries starting with their first robot. Robots can extract molds, remove cores and quench them to cool. The casting finishing area has unlimited possibilities for decreasing finishing rejects, increasing productivity, and reducing costs. Finishing cells can be made to saw, deburr, grind, laser mark, and inspect aluminum alloy castings. Depending on the casting type, size, and volume, a finishing cell can be designed for any application. The following is an example of a foundry that started with a robotic casting cell, and received most of the benefits I listed. A foundry we work with that casts aluminum intake manifolds, cylinder heads and water pumps (over 2000 parts per day) for the automotive industry installed a new robotic cell with startling results. Prior to adding a new robotic cell, it took on average, 29 minutes to deburr a small block manifold with parting line flash 141 inches long. Additionally, quality suffered, which resulted in a high scrap rate. After installing the new robotic work cell: • Labor: Decreased, saving the foundry over $50,000 per year • Cycle Time: Reduced to 70 seconds (from 29 minutes) • Consumables: Reduced drastically as carbide burrs and sanding belts were eliminated. • Injuries: Reduced by 90% • Unfinished WIP: Eliminated, as castings were deburred and shipped next day after casting. Understanding how your parts are being made, and the types of automation deployed will tell you if the manufacturing methods are the ones that will take your part production into the future and yield higher quality at less cost. Contact: JOHN KUHN [email protected] 5 Click here to SUBSCRIBE o r CONTRIBUTE a s an author.