PROJECT EXAMPLES
1 - Innovative Casting Technology for Thin-walled Steel Castings
The trend towards thin-walled steel castings has led to the joint project of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Wolfensberger AG and MAC GmbH with the aim of developing a new casting technology for thin-walled steel castings, including a subsequent assessment of the economic viability of the new process.
Together with Wolfensberger AG in Bauma as well as the Foundry Center at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, MAC GmbH is once again involved in research and development. There is a trend towards thin-walled steel castings in the pump industry, in high-temperature applications and in wide areas of mechanical engineering. The research partners want to actively counter this trend and together demonstrate their innovative strength. MAC’s contribution is to apply its experience from all areas of the foundry industry across technologies to develop an innovative concept ready for application.
The aim of the project, which is funded by the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation, is to develop a new casting technology for thin-walled steel castings based on lost molds. Following a concept study, laboratory-scale tests were carried out, which, after positive evaluation, resulted in the planning and procurement of a pilot plant. The project, which is already underway, includes not only the concept, evaluation and development phase, but also its operational implementation, including the profitability analysis of the new process.
By participating in practice-oriented research projects, MAC GmbH | Consulting and Engineering continues to develop its competence as an innovative engineering partner for the realization of future-oriented technologies in practice.
2 - Simulation-based Optimization of Cooling and Properties of Large Castings
Together with Benninger Guss AG and the University of Applied Sciences Aargau, MAC GmbH invests in the future. Benninger Guss AG has decades of technical expertise as an iron foundry at the Uzwil site, and MAC GmbH is contributing its experience in the optimization of casting processes to this project. The Foundry Center at the School of Engineering completes the partnership for the project funded by the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation.
Customer requirements for technologically and economically demanding large castings are increasing. The global trend towards precise molding, special materials and ever faster production times demand the further development of casting processes and technologies.
While maintaining casting quality, the cooling time of a large component in the sand mold should be at least halved. In addition, a numerical simulation program is being extended to include mold cooling and the influence of cooling on resulting component properties is being examined. The project is rounded off by an assessment of the resulting economic efficiency when using the optimized process.
With the results obtained from this project, MAC GmbH | Consulting and Engineering once again presents itself as an engineering partner for future-oriented technologies.
3 - OEM Automotive, Germany
In the area of Mg die casting, we provided intensive on-site support to our customer in the foundry and carried out a project with various focal points.
OEM Automotive, Magnesium Die Casting (1)
- OEE analysis
- Concept Engineering
- Magnesium die casting
- Analysis and planning of light metal melting and dosing furnaces for castings in the passenger car powertrain sector (automotive)
- OEM, Germany
- Detailed recording of malfunctions and interruptions at two Mg cold chamber die casting cells over three weeks (early, late and night shifts)
- Immediate root cause analysis in case of malfunctions and interruptions / documentation
- Evaluation of malfunctions and interruptions / determination of OEE key figures
- ABC analysis on technical faults and interruptions / analysis energy efficiency
- Carrying out investment and amortization calculations for new melting furnace plants
- Unit cost calculations / comparison before and after investment
- Capital value comparisons before and after the investment
- Furnace dimensioning / Furnace design / Energy consumption
- Supervision of the rebuild of two new magnesium melting furnace plants
OEM Automotive, Magnesium Die Casting (2)
- Consulting / Engineering
- Casting process optimization
- Magnesium die casting
- Support and advisory services
- Light metal foundry for car structural parts (automotive)
- Mold filling and solidification simulations / casting system optimizations for eight different automotive structural parts (convertible folding roofs)
- Design of castings suitable for die casting / Optimization of die casting and trimming tools / Deadline tracking
- Monitoring of casting batches both in the start-up and ramp-up phase as well as in series production / crack and X-ray inspection / ensuring casting qualities
- Consulting process optimization die casting cell / casting parameters
- Consulting process optimization trimming press / correction of mold separations / reduction of fettling effort >50% / preparation of fettling patterns and work instructions / training courses
- Development and application of X-ray specifications
- Training of employees on product-specific details /error priorities
OEM Automotive, Magnesium Die Casting (3)
- Consulting / Engineering
- Casting process optimization
- Magnesium die casting
- Support and advisory services
- Light metal foundry for passenger car powertrain parts (automotive)
- Mold filling and solidification simulations / Casting system optimizations) / Casting calculations for gearbox housings
- Design of castings suitable for die casting
- Accompaniment of casting batches in the sampling phases: Set-up / sprue incl. creation of casting curves and casting parameters
- Parameter determination and optimization
- Preparation of detailed sampling reports
- Consulting process optimization die casting cells
- X-ray examinations / preparation of plaster samples and work instructions
- Analyses for the reduction of impregnation rates of pressure-tight castings /sealing test facilities
- Training of employees on product-specific details /error priorities
4 - CAPE Industries Ltd., South Korea
In South Korea, near Busan, we worked on an exceptionally challenging major project. We were commissioned with the concept engineering for a large “greenfield” iron foundry. This had an annual output of up to 165,000 tons of castings for the production of large cylinder liners for use in two-stroke marine diesel engines. This involved not only the planning of the iron foundry as such, but also the development of the entire casting process, including sprue systems, mold filling and solidification simulation, pattern making, mold design, and the sophisticated gray iron metallurgy with specially formed hard phases for low-wear cylinder running surfaces. gating systems, mold filling and solidification simulation, pattern making, mold design, and the sophisticated gray iron metallurgy with specially formed hard phases for low-wear cylinder bore surfaces.
Due to the good detail engineering of MAC GmbH both in Switzerland and at the customer’s site, the casting of the first casting molds as well as the first cylinder liners took place after only eight months. One year later, the project was successfully completed with the first prototype – the casting of the first metallurgically flawless castings.
5 - Mahle GmbH, Germany, Small Motors for Chainsaws
This project involved the planning and realization of a new raw casting production plant for small engines. We were involved in this project for over five years. Our tasks included the design of the entire production lines with core production according to the inorganic core making process of Laempe & Mössner GmbH and the gravity die casting process of Global Foundry System s.l.r., Italy.
6 - Brothers Sulzer AG, Switzerland, Large Casting
Already in the apprenticeship period and later in the journeyman and manager period we acquired the casting processes for large castings. Our knowledge is not limited to the molding and casting technology of large castings. Due to our experience, we are also able to massively reduce the cooling times of large castings and thus improve their properties.
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