ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL ISSUE 19 • FALL 2023 Committed to sharing best practices for the metalcasting and die casting industry THE FOCUS IN THIS ISSUE: COMMUNICATION — The Good, Bad & Ugly
Lean manufacturing principles teach us to listen to the questions that our customers ask, to understand what customers value and their expectations. But what happens when expectations are not communicated or documented? A Harris Poll found that miscommunication costs US businesses upwards of $12,506 per employee…per year! And, there’s more than just cash that’s left on the table. The high cost of rework, finger pointing, and customers that chose to go elsewhere, are also on the line. In a nutshell, there is a direct correlation between communication and bottom-line results. Communicating effectively is an art form. Many times, a customer needs to ‘see it’ to believe in it. Some prefer a 3D drawing whereas others prefer experiencing it in actual production. There are many ways to ensure the customers’ needs are articulated and documented and our participants in today’s issue will detail the many ways to ensure what customers value and expect are understood. I would like to thank all of our contributors through the years for their insight and efforts. As always, thank you for reading our 19th issue of Simple Solutions That Work! Yours in Manufacturing, Jack Palmer President Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. [email protected] WELCOME TO OUR ISSUE ON COMMUNICATION – THE GOOD, BAD & UGLY Cover photo courtesy of Monitizer, Norican Group. WANT TO SEE MORE? VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO GET PAST ISSUES! palmermfg.com/simple-solutions PALMER MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY INC. PUBLICATIONS © 2023 Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Committed to sharing best practices for the metalcasting and die casting industry Act Now to be considered for the Simple Solutions That Work! Spring 2024publication and reach over 30,000 metalcasting/die casting industry contacts in North and South America. CALL 937.436.2648 or email [email protected] today. TABLE OF CONTENTS SIMPLE SOLUTIONS THAT WORK! ENGLISH Welcome to our Issue on Communication – The Good, Bad & Ugly....................................................................02 Jack Palmer - Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. Foundry Spotlight: The New Generation of Foundry.................04 Nate McLain - Dee Foundries Supplier Relationship Management Explained............................05 Sahil Shah - MESH Inc. What Did You Say?.............................................................................09 Jeff Keller - Molten Metal Equipment Innovations, Inc. Integrated Foundry Ladles for Higher Performance................... 13 Steven Harker - Acetarc Engineering Co. Ltd Determining a Customer’s Needs to Achieve Objectives & Goals ...................................................................................................17 Jeff Zurface - The Schaefer Group, Inc. Pneumatic Conveying Details For Improved Operation.............21 Jim Gauldin - Klein Palmer Inc. Using Sand Data to Communicate Performance Metrics..........23 Michelle Ring - Simpson, Norican Group Review, Restate & Verify....................................................................27 Jack Palmer - Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. Communication in the 21st Century is more than R&D...............31 Jerry Senk - Equipment Manufacturers International, Inc. Robotic Automation is Reshaping the Production Floor —how to get started ..........................................................................35 Christopher Clark - BHS Robotics Inc. Monitor Shot Blasting Machines Digitally for Higher Performance.........................................................................................39 Brian Kuptz - Wheelabrator, Norican Group Communicate Foundry Information—Turn Data Into Value......43 Nina Dybdal Rasmussen - Monitizer, Norican Group Eco-Conscious Pressure-Assisted Casting Machine ..................47 John Hall, Valentin Georgiev, Jay Fritzke - CMH Manufacturing Company Questions to Ask When Buying Melting or Holding Furnaces . 49 David White - D and S Consulting LLC Shop Floor Communication Improves Simulation Results.........51 Dave C. Schmidt - Finite Solutions, Inc. Better Lubrication Practices Improves ESG Reporting While Reducing Costs........................................................................55 Troy Turnbull - Industrial Innovations, Inc. New Technical Cast Iron Guide Showcases Design & Sustainability Considerations...........................................................59 Dr. Pam Murrell FICME - Cast Metals Federation ESPAÑOL Bienvenidos a Nuestra Edición sobre Comunicación – El Bueno, el Malo y el Feo..............................................................62 Jack Palmer - Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. Foundry Spotlight: La Nueva Generación de Fundiciones...... 64 Nate McLain - Dee Foundries Gestión de la Relación con Proveedores explicada...................65 Sahil Shah - MESH Inc. ¿Qué dijo usted?..................................................................................69 Jeff Keller - Molten Metal Equipment Innovations, Inc. Cucharas integradas para una mejor performance....................73 Steven Harker - Acetarc Engineering Co. Ltd Determinar las Necesidades del Horno para Alcanzar los Objetivos & Metas .......................................................................77 Jeff Zurface - The Schaefer Group, Inc. Detalles del Transporte Neumático para una Operación Mejorada............................................................................81 Jim Gauldin - Klein Palmer Inc. Uso de datos de arena para comunicar indicadores de rendimiento....................................................................................83 Michelle Ring - Simpson, Norican Group Revise, Reafirme & Verifique............................................................87 Jack Palmer - Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc. La Comunicación en el siglo 21 es más que I+D...........................91 Jerry Senk - Equipment Manufacturers International, Inc. La Automatización Robótica está Cambiando la Planta de Producción — Cómo comenzar ......................................................95 Christopher Clark - BHS Robotics Inc. Monitoreo Digital de los Equipos de Granallado para una Mejor Performance.....................................................................99 Brian Kuptz - Wheelabrator, Norican Group Comunique la Información de la Fundición - Convierta sus Datos en Valor............................................................................103 Nina Dybdal Rasmussen - Monitizer, Norican Group Equipo de Colado Asistido a Presión con Conciencia Ecológica ...........................................................................................107 John Hall, Valentin Georgiev, Jay Fritzke - CMH Manufacturing Company Preguntas que hacer al comprar Hornos Eléctricos de Fusión o Mantenimiento .......................................................... 109 David White - D and S Consulting LLC La Comunicación con Planta mejora los Resultados de la Simulación..................................................................................111 Dave C. Schmidt - Finite Solutions, Inc. Buenas Prácticas de Lubricación Mejoran los Informes ESG y a la Vez Reducen Costos......................................................115 Troy Turnbull - Industrial Innovations, Inc. Nueva Guía Técnica de Hierro Gris incluye Consideraciones sobre Diseño & Sustentabilidad.....................119 Dr. Pam Murrell FICME - Cast Metals Federation
Contact: NATE MCLAIN [email protected] Survival & growth requires networking, mentoring, and acceptance of new technology & processes. As many of our wiser founders find themselves entering their later years in this industry that we love, there are many opportunities to strengthen existing foundries. Unfortunately, many foundries have closed for many reasons over my 29-year tenure. It’s always sad news to hear about friends and colleagues as they have no plan in place for a smooth transition that sets the new leadership up for success. As a co-owner of Kansas Castings, and General Manager of Dee Foundries in Houston, TX. I can testify about how vital existing leadership can be to the survival of legacy foundries. Forward thinking business owners like Ron & Patricia Pomeroy who successfully ran Kansas Castings with a great team for 30 years did just that as we transitioned ownership. Their longtime customers and employees were key in their decision-making process. I would encourage current foundry owners, leadership members and vendors to begin by mentoring younger associates and to be creative when it comes to selling your foundry. There are lots of ways to keep our foundries running and have them setup for decades of future success. Times change, but one thing that we can’t control just happens to be something we can’t buy more of—Time! We are only here for a little while, therefore, pass on your knowledge, wisdom and leadership skills, and don’t forget to communicate those that failed. What was learned from mistakes and failures are much more beneficial than successes. Remember, that success typically doesn’t show up on the first attempt. True grit, determination, and humility will take us a long way in business and life. As I have entered the second half of my foundry career I’m encouraged and excited to share & mentor using technology and others wisdom via a new Podcast (Foundry Talk - if you have topics, questions or suggestions please email me: nate@foundrytalk. com) that will arrive in Q3/Q4 of 2023. If you don’t have a mentor, find one! If someone comes to you and asks if you would be open to mentoring them, definitely consider it! Perhaps it’s as simple as breakfast once a month. If you don’t live in the same region, use technology to meet face to face. One of the only good things that came out of the pandemic was Zoom, Teams, and other software that makes face-to-face meetings so easy. Understanding and using the latest technology such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, robotic grinding, enterprise software that can monitor all processes and equipment performance, solidification and flow analysis will take your foundry a long way. We can certainly embrace all these things and marry them together with reliable, robust foundry equipment to remain viable for decades to come. There aren’t allot of things that get me excited, but making something from piles of junk is gratifying and always puts a smile on my face! I love making high quality castings and pretty much everything in regards to the people that run and work in the foundry industry. Let’s collaborate and network so that we can strengthen existing foundries and grow the metal casting industry. FOUNDRY SPOTLIGHT THE NEW GENERATION OF FOUNDRY 4 By Nate McLain General Manager Dee Foundries deefoundries.com
5 COMMUNICATION ISSUE Continued on next page REDUCE WASTE & INCREASE RESULTS The pandemic has taught us many important business lessons. One of the most important lessons it taught us was understanding supplier relationships to get what you need—when needed. Many companies were shortchanged when they found their off-shore suppliers could not deliver. Things might have been different if they had a Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) in place to quickly source other local and qualified suppliers. Does that seem a bit too simple? Maybe. But it can be pretty simple if you have adopted a way to manage your suppliers cohesively, comprehensively, and collaboratively. From experience, we know that many companies, unfortunately, have their supplier information scattered in various spreadsheets, online shared documents and the inevitable folders in Outlook. A system like this doesn’t communicate with other team Supplier Relationship Management Explained members, track performance and RFQs, or is easily taught or explained to the newcomer on the procurement team. Today’s supplier management systems (SRM) solve this problem in easy-to-use online cloud-based systems, making them accessible as your company grows. These systems put your supplier information into a database, making it usable to all team members. These systems mean that companies big and small can now manage their RFQs, update supplier capabilities and track progress from one online portal. If your company hasn’t sent out an RFQ lately, it’s most likely symptomatic of a more significant problem that can easily be resolved with a cloud-based system. THE BASICS OF SRM Qualifications, certifications, and experience in particular industries – make sourcing much harder. If you are in the aerospace industry, for example, there are industry certifications, requirements, and required experience that is not common to other industries. Let’s face it, making parts for planes is much different from manufacturing parts for many other industries. An SRM system improves buyersupplier communication, increases collaboration with team members, and streamlines the entire process. Most companies that adopt an SRM note that they are able to reduce their sourcing staff, as they are no longer chasing down information stored in too many places and are instead focused on the task at hand. COMMUNICATION IS KEY Over time, a long-term relationship between your company and its suppliers allows for exchanging ideas and information. This creates a partnership between the buyers and sellers that has been proven to result in better pricing and faster, on-time deliveries. Using a cloud-based system, all communication from the buyer to the supplier is kept current, tracked, and traced to the project award. Supplier updates are easily added so that everything is current. Searching for suppliers with particular certifications or experience is quick and easy. A single portal streamlines the process and makes it easy to ensure you are asking for the same thing from the companies you are sourcing. It also keeps history intact for future searches. In this environment where staffing SAHIL SHAH President & CEO MESH Inc. ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • How to create a culture of partnership between buyers and sellers • Global sourcing requires a comprehensive and audited directory • Minimize risk with data in one portal versus shared documents
Contact: SAHIL SHAH [email protected] 6 is short, SRM is the essential central portal for new members to easily see what has happened in the past and where RFQs currently stand. RISK MANAGEMENT It’s not uncommon for Tier 1 suppliers to require that their data be protected and for you to explain how you are managing security to minimize risk. An online secured cloud-based system is ideal and a far cry from spreadsheets evenly distributed everywhere! If your suppliers have not asked you about this, expected to be asked soon, as risk management is an extremely hot topic. REAL-TIME REPORTING There are a multitude of problems associated with storing important data on spreadsheets, and on individual hard drives. One of the biggest challenges it presents is the inability to measure results. All manufacturing companies, for years, have adopted ERP systems to manage their production and CRM systems to manage sales and marketing initiatives. SRM is a way to manage your procurement initiatives in a quantifiable fashion adequately. With SRM, an owner can easily request reports detailing RFQs, awarded projects, parts costs and deliveries, and new global sources. Finally, a system that not only helps the purchasing and sourcing department but is also one that can be measured. BOTTOM LINE SAVINGS While I’ve discussed better communication, real-time reporting, reducing risks, and labor savings, there are many other measurable positive results from SRM. Reducing part costs by thoroughly conducting supplier searches is probably the one area most purchasing professionals report. They also mention minimizing pricing volatility because they have already sourced local and alternative sources. With the increased efficiency, they speak to reducing their purchasing staff as the SRM does so much of the heavy lifting. They also talk about SRM as a continuous improvement of operations. Today’s purchasing managers are under tremendous pressure to source more experienced local suppliers that can provide timely parts while reducing part costs. What has often been perceived as a ‘no-win’ situation turns into a ‘win-win’ environment for them and their qualified suppliers because of SRM. SUCCESSFUL SRM IMPLEMENTATION Using SRM, a sourcing team will likely develop better local and global sources for team members in other parts of the company. The engineering, production, and management team will likely have use for this same information, to be used in many different ways. A pump or valve you are sourcing for a particular application might have an application to a different customer. Having this data, with drawings, specifications, and pricing, would be helpful to the engineering staff that is looking to outsource this system. SRM can be integrated into their system to enhance their ability to develop systems. Because SRM has uses across a manufacturing facility, it can be integrated into an ERP for plant-wide communication and collaboration. Lean manufacturing principles teach us to identify waste with a manufacturing system to maximize productivity. Searching for information stored in various systems is an easily identifiable waste of time. Eliminating that waste with an SRM system that adds value is the true definition of being Lean. Using SRM will do more than track RFQs across all teams. It has been proven to source better suppliers to meet JIT demands at lower costs. The lower costs of SRM systems are also reducing the need to add purchasing staff. The easiest way to reduce part costs and increase on-time part deliveries on time is with SRM.
7 COMMUNICATION ISSUE
8 17 INNOVATORS IN ALUMINUM PUMPING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE • Circulation Pumps • Transfer Pumps • Degassing/Flux Injection Equipment • Scrap Submergence Systems • Pump & Ladle Preheating Stations • Smart Pump Technology • Control Systems • Spare Parts & Service • Graphite Machining Global performance makes a world of difference. Proven to deliver more metal flow, efficient transfer, & higher yields. 15510 Old State Road, Middlefield, Ohio 44062 Phone: +1 (440) 632-9119 Email: [email protected] MMEI-INC.com ORDER ONLINE
Continued on next page What did you say? Of course, not all of it will be in person, some may be in different languages and in all cases, there will be a big difference in what is said and what is heard. It is difficult to overstate the importance of clear communication in business. In most cases we rely on a mix of verbal and written communication that together determine the outcomes and what we achieve. In the work we do at MMEI with our customers we strive for effective communication in everything we do. Here are the things we have seen to be most important in achieving the always desired outcome of complete customer satisfaction. CLEAR DEFINITION OF RESPONSIBILITY UP FRONT We have all heard the old adage of why one should never assume, and it is a great foundational piece for starting the communication process on a new project. Best practices in this area will emphasize written communication and ideally use tools like detailed quotations, purchase orders, checklists and other effective ways to ensure that there is clear definition of who is responsible for each part of the project work to be done. Customers should ask, “what are you providing and what am I responsible for?” as question number one. Given the likelihood that there will be multiple parties involved in addition to just the vendor and the customer, this becomes imperative and should not be left to verbal communication only. In our experience, the best way to approach this is to start with a clear outline of the scope of work to be performed. The quote should incorporate clear language as to the responsibilities of each party up front. The quote will outline all of what is to be provided both in terms of product purchased as well as service and support provided as part of the installation and run off process. The more standard this language can be JEFF KELLER CEO Molten Metal Equipment Innovations ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Never Assume • Build a system Just use ChatGPT says one of my kids…. who knows, maybe someday they will be right. For now, we’re going to have to keep on doing it the old-fashioned way and engage in actual dialogue. made the better as it should avoid ambiguity as to the major elements of the project. In most cases, given that the equipment will be installed in the customer’s facility this will require the customer to accept responsibility for the project elements that they will control. So, even before there is a PO, the scope of work is made clear and the responsibility for who will be handling each aspect of the project has been established in writing. OK, NOW WE’VE AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER The Purchase Order will serve as the contract between the two parties and evidence that we are now working together. There should be an acceptance process that requires each party to take ownership of the project to the next level with a detailed checklist. There is a reason that the FAA and the commercial aviation industry require the use of checklists. It is because it forces the review of every critical aspect of the process and greatly reduces the likelihood that any of the process steps be overlooked. The human factor still exists, but checklists are a very effective mechanism for minimizing the likelihood of missed items that ultimately compromise the project and the goal of complete customer satisfaction. In the case of MMEI, we use a detailed checklist system that includes the following key elements: a detailed quote, a written PO agreement with terms, product assembly drawings, delivery schedule and • Check each step • Follow up 9 COMMUNICATION ISSUE
packaging lists, all schematics required, a detailed spreadsheet that clearly outlines all parties involved (internal and external) and who will perform each step, a Gantt chart that clearly shows the timeline and all due dates. One of our team members added some context from his days in aerospace by saying, “we would even go deeper, and add specifications for each product for everything, i.e. pressures, temperatures, flow rates, reliability, fatigue properties, and even compliance with LEED and supply chain requirements such as no single point of failure in the supply chain to ensure deliveries. We and our suppliers would have continuous coordination meetings during design, test part manufacturing, testing and validation to review the means of compliance and all test results.” Building a system of this type is a great investment that can pay dividends for years as it again seeks to standardize the process to avoid confusion. Over time, the system can be updated to incorporate new project steps and/or changes that will benefit the process. Two key aspects of success with a system of this type are that each party (and this will almost always be more than two) participates in the process of the project checklist review and that the responsible parties sign off on each key element of the project. This is the best way to ensure accountability and avoid the pitfalls of a less disciplined approach. KEEP TALKING The benefits of having the process documented as per the system above are many, but of course, the world never quite turns in the way we all want it to, and so it is imperative that there be ongoing communication to address inevitable changes. The most effective way to do this is to implement a project management tool that requires a frequency of communication with the project leaders that prevents issues from impacting the overall project outcome once they have been identified. A simple part of the system will be agreement around the mode of communication and the requirement of the responsible parties to be involved. This step is a balance between clear leadership of each aspect of the project, including a single overall project manager at the customer, and the commitment to keep the meeting schedule, even if only to say, “all’s well.” Generally, what takes projects off track is the cascading effect of individual tasks/responsibilities that don’t occur. In most cases, this is due to the need for multiple stakeholders to remain committed to the project system and accountable to the outcomes. For roles and responsibilities, we commonly use a RACI matrix. Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. This helps to define who is doing the work and who has to know about it in varying degrees. 10
In addition to the Compliance matrix, the RACI matrix helps us develop our Communication Plan. Another spreadsheet that indicates how often we need to meet, what will be reviewed, who is required in the meetings, and who is copied on the report outs or meeting notes. In practice this can allow functional areas that often seem to have competing agendas to see how they each contribute to a successful outcome. In our case, this often is seen most directly in two areas: first, maintenance and production and second, mechanical engineering and electrical/controls engineering. In both areas, success will go back to the prior step of clearly outlining who is going to do what. When that is written down and owned (signature on the dotted line) it makes for a muchimproved process. Companies will look at this differently, and often there are operating metrics/KPI’s that will point to who should be responsible for different aspects of the project. Understanding this ahead of time will greatly increase the likelihood for success, and prevent the expensive inefficiency when one part of the process delays another. A common example in our work, is the importance of making sure everything is ready prior to commissioning. If possible, we will visit the site prior to make sure all of the equipment has arrived and is ready to be installed and that the necessary electrical, mechanical and other elements to finish the work are all in place. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP As the project nears completion the emphasis can shift to training and a knowledge transfer to ensure that the new equipment provides all the intended benefits. The extent to which post commissioning training and support will be provided should be agreed upon much earlier in the process and clear to all involved. While it may be that the project requirements have all been met and the new equipment is installed and running, much of the real work has yet to even begin. The goal is always to form a working partnership in which we continue to communicate effectively and look for ways to continuously improve performance and outcomes. It is always dynamic and is the basis upon which both companies can enhance their value proposition. There is a great opportunity for performance tracking to demonstrate that the project goals have been met and to establish future objectives that continue to provide benefits. While it is fun to think about the many ways new AI technology will further enhance what we all can do, I am a firm believer that the human element and solid communication skills will never go out of style. In the end, the real reward we all take away from this is the satisfaction of developing new relationships and the feeling that we’ve done something of value. 11 COMMUNICATION ISSUE Contact: JEFF KELLER [email protected]
12 CASE STUDIES HEAVY-DUTY FOUNDRY LADLES SAFE-POUR (ZERO HARM) BATTERY POWERED BOTTOM POURING UNITS WITH RADIO REMOTE CONTROL LADLE PRE-HEATERS AND DRYERS TEL: +44 (0) 1535 607323 [email protected] www.acetarc.co.uk HEAVY-DUTY FOUNDRY LADLES LADLE PRE-HEATERS AND DRYERS TEL: +44 (0) 1535 607323 [email protected] www.acetarc.co.uk E N G I N E E R I N G C O . L T D E N G I N E E R I N G C O . L T D SAFE-POUR FOUNDRY LADLES TEL: +44 (0) 1535 607323 [email protected] www.acetarc.co.uk
13 COMMUNICATION ISSUE Continued on next page The ladle is the workhorse of the foundry and, it is my experience, that as long as it does what is expected, especially as a tool for production, it is often not really thought about. STEVEN HARKER Technical Director Acetarc Engineering Co. Ltd ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Effective communications on a global scale has never been easier • Don’t assume that everybody understands everybody else’s requirements Integrated Foundry Ladles for Higher Performance Yet, I’d argue that not only it is worth thinking about but that it ought to be considered in the wider context— of how the ladle is fully integrated into the foundry. Not just with regard to the pouring of the metal but also other aspects as well. The full life cycle of the ladle needs to be taken into account, especially when evaluating the cost/ performance balance of the ladle to understand what it is worth to the foundry. Longer lasting, cost effective higher performing ladles comes from ladles designed with the entire foundry operation and operator in mind. However, none of this is possible without good communication between all those involved. I’ve listed five important factors, that are all linked together to form a successful ladle: •Communication •Safety •Performance •Value • Integration Apart from safety which has to be the primary concern, the other points are listed in no particular order. They all form some aspect of what goes together to make the best ladle for a particular foundry. An important point being that each foundry is different and “one size does not fit all.” However, in order to properly link all of those factors, you must have solid communication. Not just between the foundry and the ladle manufacturer but also including any other relevant party such as the refractory supplier/installer. COMMUNICATION We’ve probably all seen a variation of the swing design cartoon. While funny, It does highlight that there are several stages that a product goes through, from initial consultation with a customer, to the product being delivered and installed. Each step in the process has the possibility of a misintereptation of what is actually required. Especially if everybody assumes that everbody else fully understands what is required, which is seldom the case. All of this seems very dated as fortunately, communication between all parties is much easier than it used to be. Back when I started, drawing were done to scale on the board (on tracing paper) and if you wanted to send a drawing to a customer, you either had to post a copy or had to print it in A1 size (23.4” X 33.1”) and then cut it up into smaller fax size pieces, with marks to show how it should be reassembled. Today you can either send a PDF or even a “live” CAD file. Thanks to video conferencing, it is possible to have an in depth “virtually face to face” meeting, with all relevant people, while we are still in different countries and on different time zones. The visual aspect adds an important layer to the communication. A lot of communication is done
14 visually, and this can be lost if the communication is limited to the telephone or emails. I’ve taken a video tour of a foundry in the USA, and was able to identify specific requirements that could then be incorporated into the final ladle design. Travelling several thousand miles to see the working environment was not practical for a single small ladle and the various communications we’d previously held with the customer while obviously helpful, didn’t give me the same information as actually seeing their operation, via Teams. SAFETY Equipment obviously has to be safe to use and there should be no impediment to either an operator using the ladle or the performance of that ladle, when in operation. However, without being told what the foundry’s specific safety (or other) requirements are, we cannot possible meet them. There are so many details to understanding what is required for your specific ladle in your specific foundry layout. We need to make sure that the ladle doesn’t present a challenge to the operator. That it is equipment that the operator will work with and not feel that he has to work against to do his job. This may mean adding something simple such as a bigger lifting hook (eye), or a different shaped pouring spout or a different sized hand wheel. None of these are major issues, provided they are incorporated into the build. PERFORMANCE We also need to know about the lining requirements and communicate with your chosen refractory supplier where necessary. The importance of a good lining cannot be over stated—just ask any operator who has taken a full day to remove an old lining with an air chisel! And ask any owner the cost of having a ladle out of production getting it lined. Important considerations: • Does the ladle require a detachable base section or a push out bottom? • How will this assist the lining operation?’ • Does the shell need to be a particular size to match the lining recommended? • Are you looking at using a precast lining? • Does the ladle need any specific features, such as steadying handles? It has not been uncommon to supply a ladle to a foundry and then to find out that they have adapted it to suit their specific requirements. All things that, had we been told, we would have been happy to include at the design stage. Maintenance requirements also need to be considered during the life time of the ladle. If a ladle is out of production due to maintence then this down time needs to be minimized, as the days of a foundry having fleets of spare ladles are long gone. Therefore, anything that can be done to minimize the ladle downtime, either for maintenance or re-lining should be factored into the ladle design. VALUE Similarly, the value of the ladle should be considered over its complete life cycle. Not just a balance between initial purchase and the production usage. The ladle will last for many years but
Contact: STEVEN HARKER [email protected] 15 COMMUNICATION ISSUE will need maintenance over its lifetime. Is the ladle designed for easy maintenance, and is this something that can be carried out by your own maintenace team or does it require the ladle to be sent back to the manufacturer? (Not a practical option in most cases). Acetarc supplies ladles to foundries around the world which makes it impractical for a ladle to be returned to our factory for repairs and maintenance. We needed to design our ladles with the ability to be easily maintained by a foundry without the need for special skills or tools. A big aid in the maintenance and repair of a ladle is the “bolt-on” trunnion. This makes the replacement of a ladle’s trunnions an easy maintenance task versus a major engineering operation it can turn out to be if the ladle has welded on trunnions. However, again all of this has to be underpinned by good communication between all parties involved. Therefore, communication between the manufacturer and the user, especially at the design stage is critical as soon as the requirements move away from the completely standard. And, I’m not sure I can remember the last time we made a “standard” ladle. INTEGRATION In summary, ladles should not be looked at in isolation. They are an integrated part of your operation that include the ladle, lining, molten metal, operator, and foundry operation. There are a lot of design adjustments that can be made to the basic ladle design to ensure it meets all of your long-term safety, performance, and value requirements. Communicating them early on in the design stage is the best way to ensure a high performing, cost effective and integrated foundry ladle.
16 VISIT THE SCHAEFER GROUP BOOTH #311
17 COMMUNICATION ISSUE Continued on next page Determining a Customer’s Needs to Achieve Objectives & Goals One of the most frequent questions we get asked is, “What is the right furnace for my operation?” While we understand you are making aluminum castings either by die casting, permanent mold, sand castings, tilt pour, investment casting, or lost foam—much more needs to be known to properly support your production facility. Capital equipment is expensive and needs to be long-lasting, therefore, we really need to understand your goals and objectives (now and for the future) before recommending the type and size of furnace needed. Setting your goals in priority is critical. Some foundries are setting very high safety goals whereas others are focused on reducing energy costs as their top goal. Once we know your priority, selecting the correct furnace is that much easier. When thinking of your top goals, consider: increased safety, lower up-front costs, higher quality melt, reduced energy costs, metal melt loss and carbon footprint reductions. After your top goals are established, then we need to understand the objectives by each goal. This will include quantifying either reductions or increases that you are looking JEFF ZURFACE Aluminum Market Specialist THE SCHAEFER GROUP ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Matching capital equipment features to your melting goals • Common holding and melting furnace advantages for by each of your top goals. For example, if you are looking to reduce your energy costs as your top goal, what reductions are you looking for? After top goals and objectives are established then your furnace provider will need to understand your melting operation. These questions will guide you: • What alloy are you using? • What temperature do you want to melt/hold the molten metal? • Are you melting ingot, sow, t-bar, scrap, or all of these? • What is the size of the material being charged? • Will you be alloying or modifying the metal in any way? • Do you want to melt chips or recover inserts from our parts? • How much space do you have to work with? • Are their any height limitations? • Are there needs for auxiliary automation equipment? • Are there needs for circulation or transfer pumps? • Are there needs for degassing? • Do you want gas, propane, oil, or electric-fired furnaces? • Do you want to look at central melting or in-cell/machine side melter holders? • Understanding your plant layout and any future considerations. An experienced furnace company can help you make the best decision that best meets your goals and bottom line. These are just a few of the important questions that need to be answered to assist in determining the correct furnace for your production. Here is a basic overview of each type of furnace: Electric Holding & Melting Furnaces Electric melters and holders have far lower metal loss than a fossilfueled furnace either at or below 1%. Melting can be accomplished at .20 -.23 kW which equates to approximately 785 Btu per pound and holding in our low energy holders that uses electric immersion elements can be accomplished in the 18-20 Btu per pound range if you convert the electric usage to Btus. We believe with the carbon reduction push that this will be the
18 foundry of the future using electric melter holders at the machine to give high-quality inclusion-free aluminum to the machines. Fuel Fired Stack Melters This type of furnace is typically used for ingot and scrap melting only. This design is an offshoot of dry hearth as the ingot are loaded into a tall tower (stack) type flue where the stack is supposed to be kept full. At the bottom of the stack is a sloped dry ramp and usually opposing burners firing directly at the stacked-up ingot and scrap. The spent gasses co-mingle with the balance of the ingot and scrap stacked up in the tower. This allows the flue gases to transfer their heat into the load prior to exiting the furnace at a lower temperature than most other types of furnaces resulting in greater utilization of heat energy. The efficiency of these types of furnaces ranges from 900 to 1100 Btu per pound. Even though they hold less than reverbs typically hold they still take up about as much room because of their loading mechanism attached to the stack to carry the scrap and ingot up to the top of the stack and dump it. Stack melters if charged properly will be in 3% melt loss. If lightweight density scrap is charged or the furnace is not charged timely then this can increase to 5~7% or more metal melt loss. Fuel Fired High Headroom Reverbs Most reverb furnaces are closed box type furnaces with a bath depth of around 22-30 inches. Many have high side walls and the dimension from the molten bath to the to the underside of the roof is 4 feet or greater. These higher walled furnaces have tall door openings and usually wall fired burners. These burners usually are convective and depending on the type can cause agitation of the metal as they are trying to push the heat into the metal. The efficiency of these types of furnaces ranges from 1700 to 1900 Btu per pound. Many in the extrusion industry use this type of furnace as they have rejected extrusion sections, they need to charge that are bulky. This is commonly known as a batch melter. Most secondaries use these furnaces because of their capability to melt a lot of metal sizes range from 80,000# capacity to 250,000# and more. It is advisable to circulate the metal in these large furnaces to keep the metal more homogenous and the alloying agents in solution. Sometimes these are referred to as Side Well Melting Furnaces taking its name from an external well that either scrap or return parts or gates and risers are charged into. These types of furnaces or versions similar are found in the die casting, foundry, and secondary industry. The external well is an ideal place to charge dirty scrap and thin sections as there is a greatly reduced metal loss when these items are melted by submersion into a molten bath versus being exposed directly to the products of combustion or direct flame impingement. The other benefit is that the coatings and volatiles are burned of in the external well that is hooded and ducted to a baghouse. Further, as most well melters have submerged openings to allow circulation of the hot metal to the well the drosses, oxide and residue from the dirty scrap remain in the well and do not enter the main chamber. The dross and residue are easily skimmed from the well metal surface. The main chamber therefore remains a little cleaner. Most of these units are as well side wall fired and have high side walls. To augment the heat transfer, the use of a molten metal circulation pump greatly increases the efficiency of these types of furnaces. The hot metal from the main chamber is pushed across the cold charge in the well greatly increasing the melt rate. With circulation you can gain about 200 Btus/lb or 1500-1700 Btus/lb melted. • With Recuperation system added = 1,095 Btu/lb • With Regenerative burners added = 940 Btu/lb Fuel Fired Low Headroom Furnace We have spent many years refining our more efficient type of reverbatory furnace with a lower clearance from the molten bath to the underside of a radiant fired roof. As the majority of all heat
19 COMMUNICATION ISSUE transfer in melting aluminum is accomplished through radiation, we have made this aspect central to our design. Using a series of highly radiant burners evenly distributed in the roof we bring this radiant heat source closer to the bath than other furnace manufacturers. Having the heat source close to the bath greatly increases the efficiency of the Schaefer design. We overcome the obstacle of a lower roof by then having cleaning access to the main chamber at both ends of the furnace. On many furnaces we then add component aspects that some of the other furnaces’ types have depending on our customers' particular needs. Many of our units have a pre-heat hearth at one end. This feature allows for sow and ingot loading at one end in a manner without the metal losses that occur in a dry hearth as we draft the waste gasses across the sows minimizing the metal losses. Once they sweat Contact: JEFF ZURFACE [email protected] then they are pushed into the hot metal bath where the stored Btus in the aluminum help finish the melting process. External side wells on units that allow easy charging of returns, gates and risers back into the furnace, combined with a properly sized circulation pump for the greatest available efficiency in well melting. These extra features along with a properly insulated lining can enhance the efficiency from 1230 to 1500 Btu per hour fuel usage when melting and a furnace that provides for minimal metal losses (3-4%). Fuel Fired Dry Hearth furnaces This type of furnace is well suited to knock down and melt heavy solids as cold solids absorb heat readily. Solids are loaded onto a dry tapered ramp and many manufactures directly fire at solids like sows or ingot bundles loaded on the sloped ramp. The metal loss from direct impingement of the flame and burner velocities is quite high especially on lighter weight scrap. The efficiency of these type of furnaces ranges from 1800 to 2000 Btu per pound. Because there are two separate chambers (melt and hold) and two separate combustion systems, these tend to cost more than a low headroom reverb melter. There is significant amount communication that needs to take place to determine which furnace is right for your production. Spending the time to clarify your goals with objectives will help to ensure your furnace will fit the space, and provide years of service meeting your defined production needs.
20 Move it & mix it efficiently PLUG FLO® Pneumatic Transporters & STATORMIX® Core Sand Mixers PLUG FLO® www.kleinpalmer.com 800.457.5456 STATORMIX® SAND MATTERS! • Improve Sand Casting Quality • Eliminate Sand Degradation • Reduce Air Consumption • Minimal Maintenance • Efficient Sand Transfer • High Core Strength • Accurate & Reliable Binder Dosing System • Reduce Binder Consumption • Wear Resistant Lining • Easily Process Partial Batches Klein Palmer Inc., is a Palmer Manufacturing & Supply, Inc., Company. We are Palmer’s metal casting, rail sanding and industrial processing division, offering a wide variety of heavy-duty processing equipment and services.
21 COMMUNICATION ISSUE There is a great amount of detail required when specifying how each pneumatic transport system should be considered for configuration. Since this type of equipment is usually part of a larger system containing upstream and downstream components, there's a lot of scrutiny needed for proper equipment selection and operation. Depending on the characteristics of items such as sand type, size of the product supply, direction changes, elevation changes, destination characteristics, silo location, level controls etc. thought must be given to properly account for each item and how it affects the installed system. When one item of information is missing or skipped, serious issues can develop. Could you imagine the issues that might arise if the plant needed more sand and a larger pipe had to be installed? Every installation for the most part is very different. It is our job to give the customer clear and concise information and design configuration based on our equipment’s standard operating practices so that the customer can fully understand what the machine or system will (or will not) do. The way to illuminate Pneumatic Conveying Details For Improved Operation or lessen assumptions is clear communication based on known predictable practice. While we have worksheets that detail the information we need, they don’t necessarily explain the features of the system so that you can also make informed decisions. The best guide for anyone looking to convey sand was written by Chris Doerschlag, the former owner of Klein. Chris details the “What to look for” and provides hints for improved installation and operation. What I really think he does best is explain the key considerations to understand your system options and operation. WHAT TO LOOK FOR? Hints for improved installation and operation Whenever dry and granular materials such as sand are handled JIM GAULDIN Chief Sales Engineer Klein Palmer Inc. ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Materials best for dense or dilute phase • Importance of pipe connections & bends Continued on next page in bulk volume pneumatic air conveying should be considered. This includes all sand handling systems such as the raw sand supply and distribution for core making and molding systems, reclaimed sand and shell sand. For powders and other fines such as bond materials, iron oxide, etc. fluidizing or dilute phase systems should be considered. Part of the analysis should always include a particle size distribution check of the material. If a material is made up of a mixture of ingredients with different bulk densities and a large range of particle sizes, air conveying may not even be a choice at all. If in doubt, check with the material vendor or conveying system supplier. FREE FLOWING MATERIALS The materials should always be dry and free flowing. If larger, hard lumps of material are present a screen or an attrition device (depending on the goal) should be installed upstream of the blow tank. System capacity is also influenced by the dust and moisture content of the material. The higher the dust and moisture content, the lower the flowability and / or capacity. If supply air pressure drops below design conditions, capacity will decrease and may even stop if below a certain value. When distributing sand to the core room the transport air should be free of any moisture. Moisture in the sand causes problems with some binder systems (especially cold box)
22 which are not compatible with external moisture and will result in scrap cores. AIR FLOW Air flow to the blow tank should always be adjusted to the minimum necessary to keep the system operating properly. Check the manufacturer's operating manual for recommended settings. Excessive air flow in a dense system can cause just as much damage as a dilute phase system. Turning up the air flow does not always give higher throughput. In fact it may cause just the opposite and result in high shock waves in the pipe line, damage to pipe supports, premature pipe wear and degradation of the sand. These air settings should be verified every month as part a a companies preventive maintenance system. PIPE CONNECTIONS All pipe connections must be tight and pressure tested. Leaky pipe joints change the system design conditions and may stop sand flow completely. When properly designed the run and size of the pipe line is matched to the required system performance. Changing pipe diameter or layout of an existing pipe run may have unexpected results. As a rule of thumb pneumatic conveying can be expressed as a ratio of capacity to a given length of run. The shorter the system run—the higher the capacity. This means if the system is designed for 10 tons per hour at 250 feet, extending the run to 300 feet will correspondingly reduce the capacity. When considering the pipe line layout vertical runs should always be located within the first one-third of the run length. Pipe runs should be laid out with minimum change in direction and have a maximum of straight sections. PIPE BENDS Pipe bends and risers near the end of a line should be avoided. Minimize the number of bends in the pipe line. A maximum of three bends will satisfy most installations. The fewer the number of bends the better will be the conveying capacity. Receiving bins should have plenty of "disengaging" height. The force of the compressed air and of the sand slug entering the receiver is considerable and must be allowed to dissipate. If not properly sized, the turbulence generated will push a lot of good sand into the dust collection system. Once a new system has been placed into operation and works satisfactorily, keep a record of the operating parameters and if something should go wrong at a later date - maybe because someone changed the settings, you can cross check operating data and make necessary corrections to the system. Pneumatic conveying, when chosen and operated correctly can have a profound impact on material handling in your foundry. Your correct choice can eliminate or reduce potential problems with dust collection and maintenance of conventional material handling systems. Understanding the details will help you to optimize your system for the highest results. Well there you have it folks, Chris’s recipe for success with pneumatic transport systems. Understanding the details is only part of the equation. Knowing how and why the system works will enable you to communicate on a higher level, to get exactly what you need. Contact: JIM GAULDIN [email protected]
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