Foundry industry: A strong sector of the global economy is changing over time, developing new technologies, trends and leading innovation.

Imerys supplies the foundry industry with high-performance minerals and innovative solutions for moulds and cores in sand casting and investment as well refractory solutions for both ferrous and non-ferrous foundries.

Minerals

A wide range of high performance minerals, from bentonite to various types of refractory sands and flours, are used in the foundry moulding process to improve casting accuracy and productivity. Imerys is a leading provider of green moulding sand additives for sand casting, as well as sintered and fused minerals for ceramic moulding.  Imerys is also the world’s leading producer of calcined products for the refractory industry.

The delicate balance of foundry technical requirements

In an industry focused on quality and productivity, finding the right technical solutions for every application is key. Imerys solutions answer the requirements for mold stability, thermo-mechanical properties and flexibility to adapt to any type of process and casting. On the other hand, low emission additives and recycling solutions have been developed to address the sustainability issues while reducing the total cost of ownership for the foundries.

Innovative customized solutions

With a unique mine to market model, ensuring high reliability, quality and product development, Imerys supplies consistent high-quality solutions developed from effective resource management and customer development partnerships. This combination of innovative products, engineering know-how, effective project management, and installation services has made Imerys a flagship in the foundry industry.

Core and mould binders, sands and additives to improve casting surface

Due to their low thermal expansion and high refractoriness, Imerys molding binders, additives and special sands represent state of the art technology. They prevent the formation of cracks and veining in core sand molds, ensuring defect-free core surfaces and the ‘as-cast’ condition of the final product.

Foundry coatings and Investment Casting

Imerys is also the world’s leading supplier of fused aluminum oxide, fused mullite and fused zirconia-mullite for foundry coatings and investment casting. Due to their high refractoriness and low thermal expansion, these minerals are ideal for preventing metal-mould reaction as well as thermal shock and cracking in foundry parts.

Refractory Solutions

Imerys, under the brand Calderys, is  the world’s leading provider of refractory solutions for both ferrous and non-ferrous foundries, combining innovative products, engineering know-how, project management, and installation services. With secure and consistent access to key raw materials vital for refractories, including a unique quartzite mine in Sweden, foundry owners can rely on quality, service and long term supply.

Innovation & Customer Service

Imerys is constantly evolving, aiming to always be one step ahead of the technological developments, initiating innovative research, and leading to state-of-the art products launches. This way, it manages to cover the market demands for high quality castings, higher production efficiency, and meeting the increasing authorities requirements for a cleaner workplace inside the foundries and a cleaner environment.

Based on the statement above, lightweight casting- and emission reducing technologies are two of the latest examples of innovation in foundry, and Imerys with its expertise, long experience and know-how is managing relevant key projects that can offer custom made solutions, responding that way rapidly to the new market challenges.

The goal and vision of the Group is supported by the Imerys Foundry Laboratories, whose main functions include Customer Service, Quality Control & New Product Development. The labs are fully equipped with all the standard molding sand testing equipments, as well as with devices specialized in a range of more sophisticated applications, like emissions measurement of molding sands and raw materials.

Samples from all over the world arrive on a daily basis in Imerys Foundry labs, supporting that way not only customers, but also the Imerys Technical Support Departments in different geographical areas, such as the US, China and Europe, specifically Germany, France, Turkey & Italy, assisting Imerys activities on a global level.

Another area of customer support beside the daily business includes knowledge exchange, problem solving and customer training. The training can be onsite in the foundries or in our service laboratories. It will include nearly all moulding sand related analysis and physical moulding sand properties e.g. determination of active clay, loss of ignition, and determination of fines’ content in the moulding sand as well as the important strength tests.

Imerys Metalcasting Innovation has worldwide co-operations and partnership contracts with various Universities and Foundry Institutes in N. America, Europe and Asia. Through those collaborations Imerys manages to continually increase the technical knowledge and keep the finger on the pulse of the industry, the latest breakthrough developments and newest methods.

Envibond® reduces emissions

Foundries are constantly seeking new ways to produce high quality castings whilst complying with increasingly stringent emissions regulations. Marketed under the brand name Envibond®, one of the latest product innovations,  can reduce casting emissions and odors by up to 95%, improving both workplace conditions and employee health.

RIKO® utilizes waste streams

Waste green sand extraction systems frequently contain large quantities of bentonite and coal dust. The RIKO® process utilizes this waste stream as a source of material for green sand molding operations creating a high value and sustainable product. Using RIKO® in the green sand process enhances molding sand properties, improves mold stability, reduces casting defects and mitigates waste disposal costs.

Imerys’ Kersand™ and Durandal™ – the right alternative to chromite sands

Two Imerys’ sands, Kersand™ (AFS 60) & Durandal™ 60 (AFS 50) now used by sand casting foundries, appear to fulfill requirements in terms of refractoriness and thermal expansion, as well as in terms of supplying, and price condition stability. Those two products are similar, made with natural minerals with intrinsic high refractoriness and low thermal expansion. In addition, they are respirable crystalline silica free, and this over the several sand loops. The two sands are performing in all steel alloys, cast iron & copper alloy foundries and are compatible with all type of binding systems (organic & Inorganic), and furthermore, generate no low melting temperature point when mixed with silica sand.

Finally, all Imerys processes are conducted under the highest safety standards; safe working conditions are the basis for all activities in Imerys and Foundry Labs are no exception to that. The daily business is guided by strict health- and safety regulations and protocols that ensure the safety and well-being of anybody present on the Imerys premises at all time. Moreover, regular safety trainings and in-house seminars by EHS specialists are offered not only to the staff members of the labs but also to all employees from all the different functions.

Continuing the Company’s long tradition that established Imerys as leading supplier of the Foundry industry, Imerys commitment to the market is to continue developing innovative solutions, always having in focus the customer needs and the newest market trends.

Please visit us at  the  2019 GIFA-METEC fair, June 25^th – 29^th, in Düsseldorf, Germany, to discover our wide range of innovative mineral solutions, consulting services, and turnkey concepts.

IMERYS
Plant Address Imerys Metalcasting Germany: Schmielenfeldtr. 78, 45772 Marl
Phone: +49 2365 804-0
E-mail：foundry.global@imerys.com