Melting and dosing technology with maximum efficiency

On show at the "Metef 2012" in Verona: the Westomat 650 SL with ProDos xp control.

The StrikoWestofen Group is exhibiting its products at the "Metef" fair in Verona (Italy) in conjunction with the Italian agency Smith & Mason Italia s.r.l again this year. As the centrepiece of its presence at the fair, the well-known manufacturer of thermal process technology is presenting its tried-and-tested "Westomat 650 SL" with "ProDos xp" control. In addition, StrikoWestofen is offering a newly-developed filling system for its dosing systems. This makes the use of tilting casting ladles obsolete, thus increasing occupational safety considerably. A new dimension in reasonably-priced melting is also provided by the "StrikoMelter PurEfficiency" series which shows a significant reduction in the operating costs and lowers the energy requirement by up to 15 percent. StrikoWestofen is presenting these new products as well as other technologies at Booth B44 in Hall 4 at the Metef from 18 to 21 April.

"The two principal cost drivers in the production of liquid aluminium are metal loss and energy consumption. When considered over the service life of a melting furnace, these factors are responsible for up to 95 percent of the overall costs," Rudolf Riedel, manager of the StrikoWestofen Group, explains. Melting furnaces of the StrikoMelter series achieve a metal yield of up to 99.7 percent under real-life conditions, thus making highly efficient use of the raw material.

New StrikoMelter PurEfficiency technology

Extensive development work and computer-assisted simulation allowed the engineers at StrikoWestofen to increase the efficiency of their melting furnaces considerably without compromising installation height. The new "StrikoMelter PurEfficiency" series lowers the energy consumption by up to 15 percent, thus effectively reducing the unit costs of the cast parts. Depending on the requests of the customer, the system is available as a stationary or a tilting version in the sizes 6,000/3,500, 4,000/2,500 or 3,000/1,500. This improvement was based on holistic optimization of the system. A revised furnace lining with improved insulation significantly lowers the operating costs as well as any repair costs which may arise. "The revision of the furnace lining allows us to achieve optimum flow conditions and an even more homogeneous temperature distribution in the furnace," Riedel explains, referring to the principal improvement. "In particular the areas exposed to great mechanical strain have now been better protected against wear, thus extending the maintenance intervals."

Westomat with a newly-developed riser tube

Higher efficiency: the new "StrikoMelter PurEfficiency" series from StrikoWestofen reduces the energy consumption by up to 15 percent.

Structural cast parts are increasingly being used in environments exposed to great strains, for example wheel suspensions for passenger cars. This automatically increases the demands made on the quality of the molten metal. The latter must have a precisely defined homogeneity, strength and viscosity. This is the only way to guarantee the durability of the parts, which are precisely calculated. The self-contained system design of the Westomat dosing furnaces from StrikoWestofen prevents oxides from entering the casting process. This ensures a homogeneous melt. Maximum temperature fluctuations of two degrees Celsius with regard to the nominal temperature and a newly-developed riser tube allow maximum process reliability, even when casting thin-walled structural components.

New filling device increases occupational safety

To further increase the occupational safety and the quality of the melt, StrikoWestofen has developed a new filling device for Westomat dosing furnaces. The innovative pneumatic system is self-contained, thus preventing the melt from reacting with the surrounding air. A riser tube ensures a constant flow rate and laminar flow conditions of the liquid aluminium right into the filling hopper of the dosing system. This makes it unnecessary to tilt casting ladles at great heights and minimizes the risk of accidents. The new filling method is suitable for use in all sizes of Westomat furnaces and can be applied to existing dosing systems, too. On request, it can also be retrofitted to the more than 4,000 dosing systems installed worldwide.

Further information from StrikoWestofen for non-ferrous metal foundries is available to experts at Booth B44 in Hall 4 at this year's Metef in Verona (Italy) from 18 to 21 April. Also, those interested are invited to make appointments for individual consultations in the run-up to the fair. A contact form is available in the Internet under www.strikowestofen.de.

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