Build New Metalcasting Facility
Brembo S.p.A., Stezzano, Italy, an automotive and
truck brake specialist, will locate a new metalcasting facility with
75,000-tons of brake disc capacity next to its current casting plant in
Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland.
Long known as a supplier of brakes primarily to European
auto manufacturers, Brembo achieved growth in North America the past six
months by winning contracts with Harley-Davidson and Cadillac.
Brembo employs 5,000 in 25 plants and offices in 12
countries. The company is involved in the brake disc production process from
design to iron casting through assembly and testing. It manufactures more
than 32 million brake rotors a year for more than 30 OEMs. The company’s
2006 sales were $1.012 billion.
According to Foundry Solutions & Design, Alpharetta,
Ga., an engineering firm hired to consult on the construction of
Brembo’s newest facility, the plant will benefit from leading automation and
quality control technology.
COMPUTER SIMULATION
OF FOUNDRY PROCESSES
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GM'S IRON FINISHING AUTOMATION
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WHEN WILL THE ROBOTS TAKE OVER ?
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SYSTEM DESIGNERS SHAKE-UP THE CLEANING PROCESS
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FS&D Completes the
Design of
a New, Highly Automated Steel Railroad Foundry for
Commercial Transport Systems
in Tikhvin, Russia
Foundry Solutions & Design Company of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. recently completed the engineering design for a steel railroad foundry in the Leningrad Region of Russia.
Of special interest is the fact that the same American engineering team also designed the current largest iron foundry in Russia, the Kamaz Plant in 1973-1974.
The annual capacity of the new facility will be 70,000 metric tons of steel castings for the Russian rail industry. Sideframes, bolsters and end-of-car castings will be produced at this facility on a highly automated molding line with a flask size of 1900 x 2800 x 500/500 mm. In addition, the molding line will utilize flexible automation for core setting and mold preparation.
Casting cleaning and finishing, as designed, will be highly automated and includes specially developed systems for gate and riser removal before shot blasting, CNC grinders for consistent material removal and robotic finishing cells for casting finishing and gauging. Each finishing cell will be outfitted with an automatic tool change cartridge, casting gauging will be automated utilizing touch probes, laser scanning and vision systems.
In summary, the fully integrated Foundry will be machine-paced in operation throughout and will benefit from the following technological advancements:
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One large molding line will produce 70,000 metric tons per year production requirement. This line will include automation of the sand preparation process; modern molding technology; and automated mold preparation ensuring consistent quality.
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Mechanized core making, handling, and robotic setting system
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Advanced material handling systems including automated storage and retrieval systems eliminating much manual/fork truck handling and non-value-added material movement and labor
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Mechanized pouring cars for improved consistency and quality
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Improved efficiency in the cleaning and finishing operations based on process-specific automation
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Specially developed and engineered precision cut-off and impact machines for gate and riser removal in lieu of manual burning operations
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Robotic final finishing to provide repeatability and consistency to the process
Process flow has been observed in all cases and material handling has been given special consideration to minimize the dependence on manual intervention. The foundry is a machine-paced operation.
ROBOTIC FINISHING SYSTEM
IMPROVES CAPACITY
FOR ENGINE HEAD PRODUCTION
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NEW SAND SYSTEM
AT NEMAK WINDSOR
Foundry Solutions & Design to Install New Sand System at NEMAK’s Windsor, Canada Aluminum Plant
Foundry Solutions & Design, Alpharetta, GA,
was awarded a turnkey contract from NEMAK Corporation’s Canadian
Operations to install a complete sand processing and handling
system in their Windsor Aluminum Plant. This system is
part of an overall $90 million expansion project at this facility that
will allow it to produce a new GM High Feature 3.6 liter V-6
Aluminum Cylinder Block.
The multi-million dollar sand system will process
hot sand from the Thermal Sand Reclamation furnace, cool it, store it,
classify it, and transport it back to the core machines for reuse in
the innovative precision cores packages for the GM Block developed by
Nemak Engineers.
NEMAK, a company primarily owned by ALFA, the
largest auto-parts company in Mexico, will supply some 450,000 blocks
per year to General Motors from the Windsor Plant.
Foundry Solutions & Design is a leading
engineering and integration company in North America serving
the Foundry Industry located near Atlanta, Georgia.
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