At the invitation of the German Foundry Association (BDG), two technical committees, Iron Castings and Production Processes and Equipment, met at the HA Center of Competence in Baddeckenstedt (CoC) on April 17th and 18th, 2018.
Following the afternoon session of the “inner circle” on 17 April, some 40 participants gathered for the traditional foundry get-together at the Brauhaus Goslar that same evening.
A packed program awaited the guests in the CoC’s training center the next morning. Dr. Carsten Kuhlgatz, CEO and president of the HA Group, began by welcoming the foundry experts from the worlds of industry and research. Next, Global Sales and Marketing Manager Amine Serghini outlined the guiding vision behind the CoC and the technical possibilities it has created, before inviting the guests to take a closer look around the foundry pilot plant.
A series of presentations followed, with a key focus on inorganic binders in iron casting. The HA Inorganic Product Managers, Dr. Frank Iden and Ralf Boehm, explained the functioning and application of the Cordis process and gave an overview of the special challenges for its application in iron casting, as well as presenting the solutions developed by Hüttenes-Albertus. Dr. Christian Appelt from ASK reported on the progress being made by competitors in this area. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Daniel Günther of Fraunhofer-IGCV on the design of inorganically bound cores with predetermined breaking points. The afternoon was then devoted to research and development. Representatives from various research institutes outlined their projects. Dr. Ingo Steller from the BDG also provided an update on current developments in materials, testing and tolerance standards.
The interesting presentations, combined with the presence of so many decision-makers from both groups, inspired the participants to actively share their experiences, engage in stimulating discussions and exchange new ideas. The guests were particularly im-pressed by the wealth of possibilities offered by the Center of Competence, and by the collaborative approach to developing technological advances with customers and partners.