GIFA 2007, Part one: showcasing metalcasting's cutting edge: as the first in a two-part series, this article looks at sand mold and core making equipment, robotics and diecasting/permanent mold equipment unveiled at the world's largest metalcasting event.

A MODERN CASTING Staff Report

As the largest metalcasting show in the world, GIFA 2007 did not disappoint. More than 77,000 visitors from 80 nations made the trek to Dusseldorf, Germany, June 12-15 for four concurrent international technology trade fairs, including GIFA 2007; METEC 2007, the 7th International Metallurgical Trade Fair; THERMPROCESS 2007, the 9th International Trade Fair and Symposium for Thermo Process Technology; and NEWCAST 2007, the 2nd International Castings Trade Fair.

Energy efficiency was the prevalent theme throughout the shows, as more than 1,700 organizations presented the latest innovations for metalcasting technology and metallurgy. New equipment and metalcasting products, many incorporating innovative features that help cut energy costs, lined the exhibit rows.

The number of visitors to the quartet of shows increased 8% over the 2003 event. France, Italy and Austria accounted for the largest group of visitors from Europe. A notable increase in visitors from Asia, the majority of which hailed from India, mirrored the trends in global production.

Fifty-eight percent of the exhibitors at GIFA were from countries other than Germany. Italy, Great Britain and the U.S. were the leading foreign exhibitor nations. At NEWCAST, China, India and the Czech Republic led the foreign nation presence.

In addition to the trade shows, the World Foundry Organization Technical Forum provided a venue for the presenters from around the globe to discuss the newest metalcasting methods and discoveries. But for most of the visitors, the exhibit show floors were the main draw. This article provides a review of much of the innovative technologies showcased at GIFA 2007. Additional coverage will appear in the August issue of MODERN CASTING.

Sand Mold and Core Making

AGM Aichinger GmbH introduced its new generation of molding technology, the Halfinger 2000. The flaskless molding equipment features automatic mold height adjustment, filling process under high-vacuum conditions and variable cooling time due to its modular design.

Brock Solutions featured its matchplate molding machine with its squeeze station technology. The machines include various industry-standard sizes, including 14 x 19, 20 x 24, 24 x 30 and 30 x 32. Custom sizes also are available.

Disa Industries unveiled the new Disa 231 as the next milestone of the Disa New Generation line, which combines high output with precision and reliability, low maintenance costs and an improved working environment for vertical molding. The Disa 231 features larger thrustbars and active braking in its redesigned automatic room conveyor, as well as more robust hydraulics and an updated control system that enables straightforward pre-setting and adaptation of all production parameters for fast pattern change. At GIFA, Disa signed an agreement to deliver the molding system on display at the show to the French group La Fonte Ardennaise, the 20th Disa molding line the firm has installed since 1968.

The Disa Shuttle for extended in-mold cooling in a restricted space and the Disa Automatic Pattern Changer also were showcased. The Shuttle features two synchronized belt conveyors running side by side, making it possible to almost double the in-mold cooling time within the same building length without significant production loss. The pattern changer provides a shortcut to higher productivity for metalcasters with frequent pattern changes by reducing pattern plate changing time to 60 seconds (75 seconds with the Disa 280).

Hunter Automated Machinery displayed its XL Series horizontal matchplate molding technology. The XL series is completely reengineered to provide foundries with features like true drop-in pattern changing, digital controls, linear guiding to ensure positive alignment and many more features that increase casting quality, productivity and profitability.

Kunkel Wagner showcased its line of high performance and precision molding machines at its booth. The machines suit a variety of applications. The HPM High Performance Molding Machine offers a flask operating solution to high-speed molding plants. The machine delivers simultaneous filling and compaction. The DFM Turntable Molding Machine is ideal for medium and high-speed molding plants and allows free access to the pattern equipment. The APM Pattern-Draw Molding Machine produces quality molds for smaller metalcasters doing shorter runs but also is capable of expansion to an automatic molding plant. The pattern bolster and pattern are in the outer position, with different modes of pattern changing. And the EPM Single Precision Molding Machine brings small shops a stand alone and integrated molding machine installed on the ground level without the use of pits. The EPM also is capable of expansion for plants going to an automated system. All of Kunkel Wagner's molding machines utilize the AIRPRESSplus 2000 compaction process and reliable electronic controls.

Laempe's booth showcased its Core Shooter Series L-Twin, a high-performance machine for 24-hour cold and hot core hardening processes. Delivering volumes from 10 to 450 L, the machine provides simultaneous use of two horizontally-parted tooling stations with alternate operation. The core maker is compact, requires little maintenance and is easy to clean due to a slewable top for easy access. The company also offered the LHB hotbox coremaking machine, which also is capable of 24-hour continuous operation and fills vertically parted coreboxes from 5 to 15 L. The machine design sets up quickly and is capable of corebox changes in three minutes or less. The machine is operated using a touch screen, and cores are ejected quickly and easily onto a conveyor belt for limited operator handling. The double design allows for parallel production with two independent coreboxes. Both of the models rely on patented humification for inorganic sand-binder mixture.

Prometal's S-15 digital mold and coremaking system, which the company showed at its booth at GIFA, produces sand molds layer by layer directly from a CAD file. Suited for both design and metalcasting facilities, the system manufactures complex molds and cores that are production-ready in hours. Prometal's RCT printers selectively dispense tiny droplets of casting-grade resin into paper-thin layers of casting media. With the flexibility to modify and customize mold designs without adjusting tooling, casting performance, weight and complexity can be improved.

Roberts Sinto Corporation's new FBOX series flaskless molding machine made its debut at GIFA 2007. This design is the latest advancement in Sinto's progression of flaskless molding machinery. In addition to customer convenience design improvements, the FBOX also employs patented aeration sand filling technology. This technology has been applied since 2001 with the ACE tight flask and FCMX flaskless molding machines. Aeration sand fill has been proven to produce higher strength molds with uniform hardness, while lowering pressure in the sand tank while fluidizing the sand. This allows the sand to flow smoothly and uniformly to every cavity and corner of the pattern.

Savelli's booth highlighted the high performance F1 molding machine, which is capable of producing more than 300 completed sand molds per hour. The machines can be fitted with one of two compaction systems--Formimpress or Formimpulse, which combines Formimpress with the air impulse system--and are available as single station, special single station or twin station machines. All of the machines offer sand dosing with a weighing hopper, pattern change during cycle time and pattern heating at a controlled temperature during production. Savelli also can outfit the molding machines with automatic pattern changing stations and core setting devices, cooling lines in jackets and apron conveyors.

While at the Savelli booth, attendees also had the opportunity to view a flask from a current mold line installation in Russia. The flask size is 3,000 x 1,800 x 500 mm, and the line can produce 10 molds/hour.

Wohr had on display its various nobake sand preparation and molding systems. The highlight was its 40-80 ton/hour continuous mixer scheduled for delivery to Eisengiesserei Torgelow in Germany.

Robotics/Automation

Comau Robotics exhibited its SMART Technology robotic automation with six axes (6 to 800 kg payload) featuring the world's first application of wireless technology in the Wireless Teach Pendant (WITP). The WITP eliminates the traditional wired network and enhances the operator's mobility inside the robotic cell. The Teach Pendant can be connected to the control unit as required for cell programming or monitoring activities.

The AMX Manipulator shown at the Henschel Andromat booth is a state-of-the-art system that lifts up to 700 parts per hour from I to 8000 lbs., has low maintenance roller bearings and force feedback for sensitive controls and pays for itself in less than two years. More than 500 systems currently are running worldwide.

Kuka Robotics showcased its KR 1000 Titan, a heavy-duty 6-axis robot with a 1,000-kg payload capacity and a horizontal reach of 3.2 m and a vertical reach of 5 m. The metalcasting version of this robot features heat and corrosion-resistant paintwork and a unique wrist with high impact strength and resistance to both acids and alkalis. The Titan is ideal for engine blocks, heavy steel parts, or components for ships and aircraft.

The newest products showcased at the Lo Janke booth were based on Hexapod Robots (six-footers). Particularly useful in robotic machining cells, the robots have been opthnized through intensive development work for deployment on machining tasks. The flexibility of those machining cells has led to new areas of applications, including small and medium runs, castings of several meters in length and of materials ranging from cast iron to aluminum. This offers the fettling shop a machine that unites rigidity and flexibility, ease of operation and low cost. The machine also is affordable for smaller and medium sized metalcasting facilities.

Motoman presented its compact series of robots for applications including welding, cutting, palletizing, handling and painting. The HP-3 Series robots operate on six axes with a 3 or 5 kg payload and can reach as far as 701 mm. The robots weigh only 45 kg and draw on an average power supply of 1 kilovolt ampere.

Reis Robotics exhibited equipment from its CASTIine program of automated diecasting operations. The components of the line, ranging from pouring to trimming, deliver complete integration of all operations into an automated casting cell. One of the pouring components, the CASTtracking robot, features synchronous true-to-path pouring at tilting casting machines or rotary pouring machines. The CASTsynchro software function allows for the gentle removal of the part from the gravity die, synchronized with the ejectors.

Diecasting/Permanent Mold

Buhler introduced a new concept for manufacturing engine blocks via the diecasting process. Through collaboration with Schaufler Tooling, two new cost-optimized engine block concepts were developed for making inline and V-engines. The concepts blend diemaking with diecasting; for instance, the water jacket and contour slide can be pulled by a certain stroke length already after partial solidification of the metal. This reduces the heat input from the aluminum into the water jacket, which increases its lifecycle.

Chem Trend exhibitied its newest die lubricant, Safety Lube, which reduces solder and improves productivity. Engineered to provide better coverage and rapid film formation at high temperatures, Safety Lube eliminates the need to polish dies every shift and reduces cleaning time. The extensive family of die lubricants can be used for a variety of casting types and applications, including large aluminum castings, long-flow-path aluminum castings, mid-sized complex aluminum castings, squeeze castings, magnesium castings and zinc castings. Each lubricant is designed to provides benefits ranging from improved release and metal flow to increased temperature control, low porosity and excellent surface quality.

Counter Pressure Casting Group highlighted three of its casting machines at GIFA, including the CPC 1500 Revolution. The Revolution was developed exclusively for high strength structural parts with an eye on keeping production costs low. One person can operate more than one machine at a time, and up to four parts can be cast concurrently on one machine. Sixty-four cooling lines per machine, or 16 cooling lines per die, help reduce the casting cycle time.

In addition to its range of diecasting and squeeze casting systems, IDRA showcased its SSR Technology for semi-solid rheocasting. Patented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and acquired with exclusive license by IDRA, SSR is a semisolid casting process in which there is the presence of a solid fraction in the alloy before being injected into the die. This semi-solid state allows for the production of aluminum castings with mechanical properties equal to or greater than low-pressure permanent mold and with wall thickness to 2.5 man. Also, cycle times are reduced by 10-25%, and die life is increased.

IMR showcased its BP155 low pressure permanent mold system for copper-base casting. Featuring a 125-kW, low-frequency induction furnace, this system consists of a single manipulator and one working station to support multi-impression dies. The cell only requires one operator.

Isuzu Mfg. Co. presented it Model SP-1-C-III low pressure permanent mold machine. The machine consumes less energy while in operation with the servomotor for the upper die unit, saving 60% energy con> pared to conventional machines. Additionally, the tipper die unit is torque controlled so the unit gets flexible thrust according to expansion and shrink of the die.

Kurtz highlighted its low pressure permanent mold technology that now can be used in sand metal-casting facilities. In both rapid prototyping and serial casting, Kurtz sand casting machines are compatible with chemically bonded sand molds, green sand molds, and plaster molds for special parts with precise details. Using the same integrated furnace-to-mold low pressure systems that have been used with metal dies in the past, the machines save time, avoid turbulence, control accuracy and reduce returns. Because of their flexibility and compact size, Kurtz low-pressure sand casting machines are ideal for smaller job shops.

Schaefer Chemische Fabrik GmbH highlighted its new, automatic CILLOLIN machine, which produces a ready-to-spray coating for permanent gravity die molds and consists of concentrated coatings and water. GIFA attendees were able to stop by the Schafer stand to test the CILLOLIN machines. The machine prevents the coating from being deposited in the concentrate bucket and always prepares a homogeneous mixture. All of the coating extraction data is read out on a memory chip, so the data can be viewed in Microsoft Excel. The CILLOLIN also meets the ISO standard requirements.

Part Two of the GIFA highlights will appear in the August issue of MODERN CASTING.