Optimisation of an Environmentally Friendly Foundry Inorganic Binder Core Making Process for the Replacement of an Organic Binder

Abstract

There is a need to introduce modern sand binder systems in the South African foundry industry as a means of improving its competiveness through the reduction of scrap castings and compliance to environmental regulations. According to the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP). The foundry industry will play an important role with regards to the economic infrastructure priority advocated in the National Development Plan (NDP) of South Africa. In this study a new generation water glass binder is introduced in a local foundry for production of cores for export plumbing casting production. The new water glass introduced is unique in that it contains an inorganic breakdown agent. The core making operating parameters including binder content, temperature and cycle time are optimised through core making trials without any alterations on the coremaking machines. Production data was evaluated using an optimization feature of Microsoft excel software. The results provided a set of optimum operating variables to manufacture 80-100% good quality sand cores for casting applications with an environmentally friendly binder. The most favourable binder content is above 2.60%.The most favourable operating temperature range is 160–174 °C. Therefore temperature and related energy costs can be reduced. The shortfall is reduction in cycle time.