ANTRAPEX Solutions for Foundries Core Sand Additives
left: defect-free casting, core with ANTRAPEX right: expansion defects, core without ANTRAPEX ANTRAPEX would have avoided expansion defects as shown above S&B Partner to the Foundry Industry Good ideas for perfectly shaped castings Two foundries at a given time and even in the same location may still be worlds apart. No matter how similar they appear at first sight, each is unique in its structure and consequently requires individual moulding material additives that are tailored to its specific production conditions. Taking this as its basis, S&B creates innovative products using proven constituents and components materials that, when put in the service of our customers, optimise the quality of their castings and the cost-efficiency of the technology applied. Services aligned to your requirements Just give us a call and we will deliver with wide ranging support aligned to your needs. With S&B, you can be sure of getting good advice from highly qualified engineers experienced in all aspects of moulding material technology. We offer significant expertise acquired in many years of research and development work performed in close collaboration with the foundry industry know-how that we will be glad to put at your disposal on the basis of a broad spectrum of services: Laboratory analyses and assessments On-site casting and mould failure analyses Performance of employee training courses on behalf of our customers Investigation-related advice in the testing of new processes and formulations Comprehensive Manual of Casting Defects: occurence and avoidance of defects attributable to moulding sands Flexible adaptation of our products to customer requirements Research, development and support services maximising core sand performance Our highly qualified research & development and service staff analyse defects in the cast product and malfunctions in the foundry production process, taking into consideration the very latest techniques in manufacturing and environmental protection technology. Our scientists are never happy with the current state of the art. They are always looking for that even better solution. And in this pioneer work the development of concepts for the future we rely particularly on direct communication with our customers. Our service: Individual analyses designed to reveal true optimisation potential 2
Advantages in Abundance ANTRAPEX, with double benefits in the core and in the moulding material With ANTRAPEX, S&B is able to offer the foundry industry a core sand additive of the highest quality The ANTRAPEX series of application-proven core sand additives positively influence both the core and the bentonite-bonded moulding material. The additive is mixed with the core sand and thus contributes to reducing expansion and penetration defects. After core breakdown, ANTRAPEX passes into the moulding material where it has a positive effect on the casting surface and sand stability. The amount of adhering moulding sand is also minimised. Double benefits: The effects of ANTRAPEX The doubly positive effect of ANTRAPEX gives it a significant lead over conventional core sand additives. Casting Reduction in expansion and penetration defects in the core Highly effective lustrous carbon former in the moulding sand The products ANTRAPEX P is a blend of synthetic organic and inorganic components. The core sand additive has been developed by S&B especially for the PUR Cold Box process. ANTRAPEX M is a pure mineral-based inorganic additive. It is applicable for the PUR Cold Box process as well as for the core production in the Hot Box and Warm Box processes. The S&B service includes customer-specific product variants of ANTRAPEX. This means that we offer modified additives individually aligned to the core making requirements of the foundry concerned. Your benefits ANTRAPEX facilitates the production of high-quality castings: Casting surfaces of near-perfect finish Significantly reduced expense in terms of finishing work and core coating operations Excellent compatibility with the moulding sand after core breakdown Good recyclability, minimum pollution burden Significantly reduced gas formation in the core compared with additives based on wood flour 3
Properties Why ANTRAPEX? Casting without ANTRAPEX can cause finning and veining The use of ANTRAPEX in the core sand reliably eliminates the likelihood of finning and veining! ANTRAPEX ANTRAPEX is non-porous and usually coarse-grained, thereby affecting the core strength only marginally Following casting, compressive stresses in the core are reduced as a result of which expansion defects such as finning and veining are significantly reduced or completely avoided The organic components improve the finish of the casting. Your benefit: smooth surfaces and an appreciable reduction in penetration The processability (bench-life) of blends with ANTRAPEX is very high guaranteeing a stable process of core production The flowability of core sand remains constant or partly improves due to the addition of ANTRAPEX The need for coating is reduced and may even be completely eliminated ANTRAPEX has an unlimited shelf life and is not classified either as a hazardous substance or as dangerous good After core breakdown, ANTRAPEX P in the moulding sand acts as a low volatility lustrous carbon former Properties of ANTRAPEX Economic efficiency Environmental friendliness ANTRAPEX M ANTRAPEX P Wood flour* No additive * impregnated Influence on green sand Resistance to expansion defects Core sand flowability Casting surface Bending strength Minimum gas formation Annotation to the chart: Core sand flowability the granular structure of ANTRAPEX allows for a good flowability during core shooting Environmental friendliness Use of ANTRAPEX keeps gas formation, odour and emissions at very low levels Bending strength Core sand blends with ANTRAPEX can be easily processed (good bench-life), and thereby produced cores have high strength Casting surface ANTRAPEX helps avoid not only veining defects but partly also the use of core coating Influence on green sand system ANTRAPEX P is the only additive with an additional positive effect after core breakdown it acts as a low volatility lustrous carbon former Economic efficiency ANTRAPEX helps achieve a very good priceperformance ratio 4
ANTRAPEX ensures outstanding results even in the case of complicated castings Minimal gas formation Noticeably reduced odour nuisance compared with traditional core sand additives. The proportion of volatile components in ANTRAPEX is minimum. The degree of gas formation is much lower. Gas defects in the core are thus appreciably reduced. Gas formation ANTRAPEX M ANTRAPEX P ANTRAPEX ensures outstanding results even in the case of complicated castings Scheme of the casting trial for determination of gas formation and emissions Cope box Metal tube Gas pipe Downsprue Adsorption pipe Gas reservoir Wood flour* No additive 0 05 10 15 20 25 30 Gas formation, ml/g core sand (resin/hardener 0.8 % each and 2 % additive) Relative bending strength 24 hours after core making ANTRAPEX M ANTRAPEX P Drag box Support for test specimen (i.e. core) Test specimen (i.e. core) Wood flour* No additive Individual product specifications With the existence of different core binders, core sands, core geometries, metal types and grades and other operating conditions, standard solutions are hardly likely to be satisfactory. S&B therefore develops optimised product modifications of ANTRAPEX with the aid of laboratory trials and application engineering tests in the foundry for each customer and each application. The production of ANTRAPEX at S&B is similarly customer-specific. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Relative bending strength (% compared with no-additive case) * impregnated 5
Quality Our raw materials are world class Quality assurance has the highest priority at S&B We select our raw materials in accordance with the requirements of our customers with the application as the one and only criterion. At the forefront of our concerns are always the quality and suitability of the core sand additive, plus delivery reliability. We can access virtually every source available our procurement market is the world market! Professional production Computer-controlled grinding, mixing, compacting and grading systems ensure a permanently high level of product homogeneity and quality. The individual process stages read as follows: 1. Crushing and grinding using the very latest technology 2. Gentle drying to protect both the product and the environment 3. Homogenisation in computer-aided mixing systems 4. Compaction for specific performance optimisation 5. Sieving in various particle sizes 6. Despatch as bulk material, in Big Bags, in sacks or in containers. Transport by truck, rail or ship 7. Just-in-time delivery Reducing costs the creative way The use of ANTRAPEX core sand additives helps to ensure the avoidance of expansion defects. Efforts in finishing work and end control are therefore considerably reduced. By switching from additives containing wood flour to ANTRAPEX it is also possible to reduce the content of binder required up to 15 %, while at the same time strength levels are kept constant and flowability is improved. There are also cost advantages to be derived as a result of the reduced amount of coating required. The unique compatibility of ANTRAPEX with bentonitebonded moulding material systems opens up significant potential for further savings. Assured quality and safe processes Strict quality management at S&B is assured by a production process governed by the highest possible standards. All products are consistently manufactured in accordance with stringent quality management requirements and each production stage is continuously monitored using advanced test and inspection techniques from raw material to individually tailored end product. Documentary evidence is provided with all consignments in the form of analysis certificates. Our quality and process management activities are aligned to the requirements of DIN EN ISO 9001. Compliance is ensured by external certification. Looking after the environment Our additives are environmentally friendly. The emission values of ANTRAPEX additives in the core sand, measured under normal casting conditions, differ only marginally from normal levels, in contrast to impregnated wood flours. S&B is commited to improving its operational environmental protection beyond the statutory requirements in accordance with DIN ISO 14001. 6
Any questions? The specialists at S&B will be glad to provide you with any further information and advice you require including on matters relating to sand binders and lustrous carbon formers. Give us a call, send us a fax or write to us. Phone: +49 (0) 23 65-8 04-0 Fax: +49 (0) 23 65-8 04-211 info@ikominerals.com 7
S&B moulding its service to your needs... for example, for the problem-free manufacture of perfectly shaped castings. Defects are conspicuous by their absence. Core sand additives from S&B can be specifically adapted to each individual binder system and application. And with a service aligned to your needs: individual and comprehensive! S&B Industrial Minerals GmbH Schmielenfeldstr. 78 45772 Marl, Germany Tel: +49 (0) 23 65-8 04-0 Fax: +49 (0) 23 65-8 04-211 Internet: www.ikominerals.com E-mail: info@ikominerals.com 2007 S&B S&B Industrial Minerals SARL Rue du doris 44350 Montoir-de-Bretagne, France Tel: +33 (0) 240 458 900 Fax: +33 (0) 240 458 700 Internet: www.ikominerals.fr E-mail: contact@ikominerals.fr